Kingston Penitentiary

Kingston Penitentiary is a museum housed in a Victorian-style building that once served as the residence for prison wardens, located in Kingston, Ontario. The exhibits contain uniforms, tools, photographs, and documents that trace the history of Canada's federal prison system.

The prison was established in the 19th century and became one of Canada's major federal penitentiaries. The museum began in 1964 when a superintendent started collecting artifacts and documents to preserve this institutional history.

The exhibits feature uniforms and personal items that show how attitudes toward imprisonment and prisoner care changed over time in Canadian federal prisons. Visitors can see how daily life and security practices evolved across different periods.

The museum is located in an easily accessible building in central Kingston and can accommodate visitors with different mobility needs. Plan to spend about two to three hours exploring all the exhibits at a comfortable pace.

The building itself was the personal residence of prison wardens and offers insight into their private lives during different eras. The rooms retain original furnishings that create a sense of how they actually lived in this home.