Unshackled Hobart Penitentiary

Guided Site Tour:
This 90-minute guided tour is the only way to see the entirety of one Australia’s richest convict sites. Led by knowledgeable volunteer guides, the tour takes you through historic courtrooms, subterranean tunnels, solitary convict cells and the gallows, offering unparalleled insight into the lives of those who lived and worked here.

The tour includes Pandemonium – An immersive film experience that brings Tasmania’s convict years to life. Shown in the prison chapel where convicts themselves once sat, this experience takes place with the lights off to enhance the experience.

Navigating the site can be challenging due to multiple sets of steps, sandstone floors, and narrow stairs leading into the convict-built tunnels. If you have accessibility concerns, they recommend contacting in advance. The guided tour ends in the Convict Memorial, allowing you to further explore the convict stories of the individuals who shaped Van Diemen’s Land.

Convict Memorial:
This digital history experience allows visitors to explore the lives of the 75,000 convicts transported to Tasmania. Guests can trace individual stories and discover an image of what some of these convicts may have looked like, generated from the detailed description from each convict’s criminal record.

Visitors are invited to explore the museum rooms and hear some of Tasmania’s convicts share their own stories in the Rogue’s Gallery.

The Convict Memorial is wheelchair accessible.