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All the United Kingdom England London The Clink Prison Museum

The Clink Prison Museum

An incarceration museum on the spot of possibly the oldest prison in England.

London, England

Added By
Linda
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The haunted-house-like entrance.   Boris Mitendorfer Photography on Flickr
The haunted-house-like entrance.   Boris Mitendorfer Photography on Flickr
A mannequin gets hammered into shackles.   Nikoretro on Flickr
Some of the museum’s educational materials.   Nikoretro on Flickr
Clink Prison Museum, Clink Street, London.   Ian S/CC BY-SA 2.0
May 30, 2023   alittlebrowndog / Atlas Obscura User
The Clink-classic!   Julius Spada / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Operating from 1144 to 1780, The Clink may be the oldest prison in England, and the former penitentiary now houses a museum dedicated to its criminal past.

Built on the actual site of the ancient lock-up whose name became worldwide shorthand for "jail," The Clink Museum offers a number of arresting (pun intended) educational options. Focusing on an interactive experience, the museum offers everything from prison artifacts for visitors to handle, to tours led by costumed guides, and even extended speeches by actors in character. The displays also feature audio and visual presentations and a number of realistic figures painted and dressed to look like the hoosegow's prisoners and jailers.      

In many ways, The Clink Prison Museum is more of a dark historical funhouse than a stoic museum, but the long history of the clink it was built upon adds a gravitas that is undeniable.   

Related Tags

Museums And Collections Prisons Museums Collections Crime And Punishment

Know Before You Go

Walk along Clink Street, and you can't miss it. It's on the south side of the street

Community Contributors

Added By

Linda

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EricGrundhauser, Meg, alittlebrowndog, Julius Spada

  • EricGrundhauser
  • Meg
  • alittlebrowndog
  • Julius Spada

Published

September 5, 2013

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  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clink
The Clink Prison Museum
1 Clink Street
London, England, SE1 9DG
United Kingdom
51.506983, -0.091918
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