Terror Behind the Walls is the largest haunted Halloween season attraction in the country, located just a short distance from Temple University’s main campus. While the attraction is well-known with thousands of visitors attending each night, many people don’t know that the event is considered a non-profit organization. The organization has been helping Eastern State Penitentiary raise money for 29 years.
All the proceeds from the event go directly towards the operation costs of Eastern State Penitentiary. From daily tours to preservation efforts, without the haunted attraction, the non-profit would have to find an alternative way to gather more than half of its yearly operating budget.
“65% of our operating budget for Eastern State Penitentiary year-round comes from the Terror Behind the Walls haunted house,” explained attraction area manager Kenny Wittwer.
Terror Behind the Walls is different from most haunted attractions because it is a non-profit – and ESP wants you to know that.
Year round, Eastern State Penitentiary is a museum that opens its doors for daily tours. During the tour, guests can learn about justice system reform and even visit former infamous inmate Al Capone’s old cell.
It is a team effort to run the many programs at Eastern State Penitentiary.
“My favorite part about working at Terror Behind the Walls is the strong community that we cultivate here. We have over 350 staff members, about 200 of them are in costume every show night. We have about another 100 or so that are in world class customer service positions and everyone here is really dedicated to the cause,” said Wittwer.
On Sunday nights, Terror Behind the Walls holds a 50% off promotion for college students looking to get a thrill. In order to receive the discount students must pre-purchase their tickets online and then bring a valid student ID with them to the door.
Shows at Terror Behind the Walls run until November 9th on weekends and select days during the week. You can book visit at their website or purchase tickets at the ticket booth outside of the attraction.
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