Museum of the Underground Prisoners, Acre, Prison museum in Old Acre, Israel

The Museum of the Underground Prisoners occupies a fortress built during the Ottoman period that sits above crusader foundations in Old Acre's historic quarter. The structure contains prison cells, solitary confinement chambers, an execution room, and memorial spaces that document the site's role and the people held there.

The Ottoman fortress held prisoners from the 18th century and became Palestine's central prison after the British took Acre in 1918. In 1920 Ze'ev Jabotinsky was jailed there with 19 Haganah defenders of Jerusalem; his cell is open to visitors. On 4 May 1947 Irgun fighters broke in and freed 41 members; nine raiders died, among them commander Dov Cohen. After 1948 the building served as a psychiatric hospital until 1981.

The museum's name and memorial rooms honour the nine fighters killed in the 1947 Acre prison raid and the nine hanged prisoners, the Olei ha-Gardom. The exhibition focuses on the years 1946–1947 and on daily prison life: the work, the cells and the conditions. A memorial shaped like a flame, the Acre Prison Breakers Monument, stands opposite the museum.

Wear sturdy shoes since the structure has uneven floors and narrow passages that require careful movement. Guided tours help visitors navigate all areas and understand the history through informed explanation.

On 4 May 1947, Irgun fighters broke into the prison and freed 41 of their comrades; nine attackers died, among them Dov Cohen, commander of the operation. A torch-shaped monument facing the museum lists the fallen.