As the nation prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, Eastern State Penitentiary is introducing 'A Time for Liberty: Our Shared History, Our Shared Future,' a yearlong initiative of free and inclusive programming throughout 2026. The initiative will explore the evolving meanings of liberty and justice in America through five family-friendly festivals, nine panel discussions with scholars and systems-impacted leaders, two pop-up exhibitions drawn from Eastern State’s archives, and online learning resources for classrooms nationwide.
“In 2026, Eastern State is creating opportunities for people of all ages to engage with complex questions about liberty, justice, and accountability in accessible and meaningful ways,” said Dr. Kerry Sautner, President and CEO of Eastern State. “As the nation marks its Semiquincentennial, 'A Time for Liberty' invites the public to reflect on where we’ve been and consider how we shape a more just future together.”
Highlights to the series include 'The Great Escape' (March 27 to April 5), featuring interactive tours and talks on resistance and resilience; May’s 'Philly Saves' program on reclaiming sites of memory and trauma; an interfaith dialogue on faith and reentry; and the July 2 opening of 'Freedom through Faith: Judaism at Eastern State and Beyond.'
'A Time for Liberty' will also feature many Justice 101 conversations, including a June event with Professor Hasan Jeffries on Juneteenth. On Oct. 3, Eastern State will participate in the city’s 52 Weeks of Firsts in partnership with the Philadelphia Historic District to spotlight its legacy as the nation’s first penitentiary.
Below, Sautner talks with Metro more about the vision behind 'A Time for Liberty,' the importance of honoring human dignity while engaging honestly with the past, and the responsibility we share in shaping a more just future.
I worked closely with my incredibly dedicated team to shape the vision for 'A Time for Liberty' from the very beginning. The Semiquincentennial presented an opportunity to move beyond commemoration and create space for reflection and dialogue. Because Eastern State was founded on a belief in human dignity and the capacity for change, it was important that those ideas remain central to the initiative. We also wanted the programming to explore liberty and justice as ideas that have evolved over time. Together, we were intentional about including voices with lived experience alongside scholars, artists, and the community so the series feels inclusive and reflective of Eastern State’s mission.
Our democracy and our country began with a call to its people and to the world to be a belief in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is a call to all to say you have a right and a responsibility to ensure our democracy works, that justice works and if it no longer does, then you fix it. We have a responsibility in recognizing that justice is shaped through the choices we make as individuals, institutions, and as a collective community and nation. It requires an honest look at our history and a willingness to engage with difficult questions. At Eastern State, our role is to create space for learning, reflection, and dialogue. Shaping a more just future begins with understanding how the past continues to shape the present.
At Eastern State, we focus on storytelling, creativity, and engagement to help visitors connect with complex ideas in approachable ways. Family-friendly programming allows people to engage through art, music, hands-on activities, and conversation, meeting visitors where they are. Our goal is to spark curiosity and encourage thoughtful questions, especially among younger audiences, while still treating these topics with care and depth.
I am especially excited about 'The Great Escape' because it highlights stories of creativity and resilience throughout the penitentiary’s history. Programs like this offer powerful insight into how people expressed their agency and ingenuity, and how that has led to escaping literally physically and through music, art and journalism. I am also looking forward to the opening of 'Freedom Through Faith,' a new exhibit that will explore how freedom of conscience and spirit persisted even within incarcerated settings due to strong community connections and hope.
I hope visitors leave with a deeper understanding of how ideas of liberty and justice have changed over time and how we shape those ideas today. I also hope they leave with new questions and a sense of connection to the people whose stories are told here, stories that call us into connection to our past and the actions we can take to make a more just future for America. Success for this work looks like people leaving with deeper curiosity, stronger civic awareness, and a sense that liberty is an ongoing responsibility.
First, go to Independence Hall. Seriously, skip the Liberty Bell and see the Hall. Nearly 95% of the bricks you walk on inside are original, the same bricks that were there for the Declaration, the Constitution, and when this building served as the capital of the city, the state, and the nation all at once. Every time I’m there, I lean down and touch those same bricks that everyday Philadelphians walked across, alongside the great minds who shaped our democracy.
On your way out, sneak over to the Quaker meeting house. You cannot understand freedom, human dignity, Philadelphia, or democracy without understanding the Quakers.
Next, head to Signers Hall at the Constitution Center. Sit on Ben Franklin’s lap. Take the selfie.
Then end it all at Franklin Fountain with a treat. Step outside and look east, there you’ll see one of my favorite statues in the city — the 21-foot-tall bronze statue of Chief Tamanend at Front and Market Streets. He was a leader of the Lenni Lenape who welcomed William Penn. The land you’re standing on, the stories you’re telling, are all rooted in their homeland.
Place matters. History matters. Liberty only flourishes when we’re willing to embrace the whole story.
For additional program details and a complete calendar of events to be announced through 2026, visit easternstate.org.
