Sing Sing Prison Museum

Why do we have prisons? Educator Kareem shares his two favorite stops on our walking tours, and how they can be a reflective and eye-opening experience for visitors. Walk with Kareem and our team of educators on October 24, 25, and 26 with tours at 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 4:00 PM. Tickets: https://lnkd.in/esnr2Ukb #SinkOrSing #SingSingPrisonMuseum #WalkingTour #PrisonMuseum #OssiningNY

What does it cost to say "I love you" from prison? When New York handed out free tablets in 2017, the messages, music, and books on them were never free, and families paid the bill. On Oct. 20, join us for the Short Attention Span Book Club, curated and led by Adam Roberts, who spent 26 years in New York State prisons. Short reading materials will be circulated prior to our session, where we will ask the question: Should a company profit from families staying in touch with their incarcerated loved ones? We would love to hear your thoughts! Short Attention Span Book Club Tuesday, October 20 | 12:30–1:30 p.m. | Hudson Valley Books for Humanity Free | Pre-register to receive the readings: https://lnkd.in/gS_xJzDQ Can't make it in October? Adam Roberts will host two more Short Attention Span Book Club sessions this fall: Nov. 17, 12:30–1:30 p.m.: Cellies: Living With a Stranger in a Space the Size of a Car Dec. 15, 12:30–1:30 p.m.: The Visit: Prison Through the Eyes of the People Who Come to See We hope to see you at one or all of them. #singsingprisonmuseum #bookclub #westchesterny

Join the JCC Mid-Westchester and the Sing Sing Prison Museum for a film screening followed by a walking tour to learn more about Sing Sing's past and present. Read below for more details. 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐔𝐬 | 𝐎𝐧 𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧: 𝑩𝒆𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒅 Date/Time: October 19, 7 – 9 PM Location: JCC Mid-Westchester, Scarsdale, NY Tickets: jccmw.org/event/beyond Details: 𝘉𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 follows a group of incarcerated men in Sing Sing as they prepare for a TED-style event, sharing deeply personal stories and bold ideas for transforming the prison system. Following the screening, stay for a talkback with moderator Mikki Shaw and three formerly incarcerated speakers—Michael Tineo, Percy West, and Mujahideen Muhammad—who will share their own experiences and reflect on the themes explored in the film. 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 Date/Times: October 26, 12 – 1:30 PM or 2 – 3:30 PM Location: Louis Engel Waterfront Park, Ossining, NY Tickets: https://lnkd.in/esnr2Ukb (click 'other dates' and select Oct 26) Details: Join the Sing Sing Prison Museum (SSPM) for a walking tour along the Hudson and around the edges of the Sing Sing Correctional Facility. Led by SSPM’s educators, the tour explores the building of the original 1825 cell block, the quarrying of Sing Sing marble, the origins of US penal philosophy, and innovative examples of reform and rehabilitation. The tour ends with a reflective art activity. Recommended for ages 12+. #singsingprisonmuseum #walkingtours #westchesterny #westchesterevents

UNSUNG is this Thursday, October 8 at 7 PM at Central Synagogue! FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Reserve your spot: https://lnkd.in/gbpgat8C The evening brings together formerly incarcerated individuals, artists, advocates, and community members to explore the prison system through story and song, presented in partnership with Carnegie Hall's Musical Connections program and four regional houses of worship. Meet our incredible moderator, panelists and musicians: JAMES "MOE" TORRES (MUSICIAN) is a NY–based guitarist, songwriter, and genre-bending multi-instrumentalist who works across blues, pop, alternative, experimental music, and the Black roots of rock and other American popular forms. He learned to play, read, and perform music while incarcerated, becoming a core member of Carnegie Hall’s Musical Connections residency at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. ELYSE FRENCHMAN (MODERATOR) is a documentary filmmaker and criminal justice advocate who runs a nonprofit, The Way We See, creating short films to support individuals in the criminal legal system and drive narrative change. With over a decade of filmmaking experience, Elyse recently directed and edited two films for the Equal Justice Initiative’s Legacy Sites. DAVID COLEMAN (MUSICIAN) is a singer-songwriter, musician, and storyteller whose music reflects a life of struggle, loss, resilience, and renewal. After decades of life experience, Coleman returned to the studio in 2019–2020 to record his debut album, Let the Music Take Control, a reflection on the journey that brought him back to music. DAVID ELCOTT (NARRATOR) has spent the last twenty-five years at the intersection of Jewish community building, the search for a theory of pluralist engagement, and interfaith and ethnic activism. Dr. Elcott now works with Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison teaching college degree programs for incarcerated individuals. TROY JOHNSON (PANELIST) is legal-system impacted, and is currently employed with Brooklyn Justice Initiatives (BJI) as a Community Navigator, working to present meaningful opportunities and resources to individuals who have become ensnared in the criminal legal system. GEOFFREY SHUGEN ARNOLD (PANELIST) is the Head of the Mountains and Rivers Order, abbot and resident teacher of Zen Mountain Monastery. He first encountered the Dharma and began his meditation practice in 1975. Shugen Roshi began studying with his primary teacher, John Daido Loori Roshi in 1984, entered full-time monastic training in 1986, and was fully ordained in 1988. RABBI HILLY HABER, PHD (PANELIST) oversees the justice and volunteer initiatives at Central Synagogue as the Director of Social Justice Organizing and Education. Ordained at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Rabbi Haber was a Wexner Graduate Fellow and a Tisch Fellow. In 2025, she completed a PhD in Social Ethics from Union Theological Seminary.

The fall season has begun at the Sing Sing Prison Museum, and exciting events are upon us! New Yorkers, October is your month. We are hosting UNSUNG in NYC for the first time on October 8! Join us at Central Synagogue for an evening that brings together formerly incarcerated individuals, artists, advocates, and community members to explore the prison system through story and song. Reserve your spot for this free event here: https://lnkd.in/gt2DvSKS Our monthly Short Attention Span Book Club continues in October, moderated by Adam Roberts. With Adam on board, the club gains fresh flair as he leads us into themes our sessions haven't yet explored. In September, we talked about cooking inside prison, recipes, and innovative ways to create a “perfect” cheesecake. On October 20, the theme is: “Follow the Money: Private equity, the phone call home, and the tablet in your hand.” Come read and discuss! Register: https://lnkd.in/g9iQBrqp Only five tour dates are left for the remainder of the season, with three taking place in October. Book a tour today to enjoy the foliage along the Hudson shores and immerse yourself in a reflective experience about incarceration, religion, and reform. Tours will run on October 24, 25, and 26. Tickets: https://lnkd.in/gd9KA47n #SinkOrSing #UNSUNG #WalkingTour #ExploreNYC #CriminalJusticeReform #Ossining

Welcome to UNSUNG, a free 4-part series that explores the prison system through story and song. Next event: ⏱️ October 8, 7 PM, Theme: HELP 📍Central Synagogue, Beir Chapel, Community House, 123 E 55th Street, New York, NY FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC  Registration encouraged. Tickets: https://lnkd.in/gNDVS6Zu Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind evening that brings together formerly incarcerated individuals, artists, advocates, and community members. UNSUNG is presented in partnership with Carnegie Hall's Musical Connections program, and four regional houses of worship. #singsingprisonmuseum #storytelling #socialjustice

Our walking tours are continuing this fall. Come join us this Saturday and Monday for a different, eye-opening experience! This 90-minute tour along the Hudson River and around the perimeter of the Sing Sing Correctional Facility explores the biggest ideas in American criminal justice. You’ll learn about the men who, 200 years ago, quarried and built the walls of the 1825 cellblock, all the way to stories of labor, reform, and people imagining justice differently today. TOURS CONTINUE THROUGH NOVEMBER  The last Saturday, Sunday & Monday of each month | 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm | Rain or shine  This tour is for anyone curious about justice, history, art, and what reimagining prisons looks like. Tickets: https://lnkd.in/gMDRntkQ #SinkOrSing #SingSingPrisonMuseum #WalkingTour #PrisonMuseum #OssiningNY

What happens when we actually start talking about the judicial system? SSPM Educator Leon shares one of his favorite crowd reaction moments from the tour! Have your AHA! moment with Leon and our team of educators. Catch our walking tour on September 26th, 27th and 28th at 10:00 am, 12:00 pm, 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Reserve your tickets: https://lnkd.in/grzQRKSY #SinkOrSing #SingSingPrisonMuseum #WalkingTour #PrisonMuseum #OssiningNY

We're thrilled to announce that we has been selected as one of 28 nonprofits statewide to receive funding from the New York Pollinator Conservation Fund. Our $19,000 award will expand pollinator-friendly gardening and environmental education programs within three Westchester County correctional facilities: Sing Sing Correctional Facility, Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, and Taconic Correctional Facility. Read more below.

Tomorrow, September 15 at 12:30 PM! Join us for the Short Attention Span Book Club at Hudson Valley Books for Humanity. FREE! All are welcome. Link to register: https://lnkd.in/gfp4j8rs This session’s theme is Cooking Inside — Ramen, Spreads & the Art of Feeding Yourself and is curated by SSPM summer Teshuvah Fellow Adam Roberts. Roberts brings a unique set of justice-impacted experiences to our readings. We hope you will join us and share your thoughts! The Short Attention Span Book Club is a free lunchtime discussion group that takes on tough questions about incarceration and social justice through short readings designed for those with limited time. #bookclub #ossiningny #westchesterbookclub