fremantle prison art tour

Fremantle Prison: Art Tour Fremantle Prison

Fremantle – Convicts, Culture & Street Art

Start:  10.00am fremantle visitor information centre – walyalup koort, end:    12:00pm central fremantle.

Fremantle is Perth’s hip and historical cousin with streets full of heritage buildings, cafés, street art and amazing stories waiting to be shared. 

Once home to whaling stations and mass immigration, “Freo” is now a charming town celebrated for its music, culture and history. You’ll hear tales of daring prisoner escapes, see local street art and learn about the expulsion of Indigenous peoples to Rottnest Island. Find out why almost 10,000 men were transported from Great Britain and Ireland as convicts and how they built their own prison.  There is no better way to explore Freo than with a local Two Feet guide who will share all its fascinating stories. 

The tour is approximately 2hrs in duration, however actual walking time is approximately 60 mins. There are regular opportunities to rest. Toilet breaks available mid tour. Total distance approximately 2km.

• Duration 2 hr
• Tour Type Family, History
• Activity Level Moderate
• Group Size 12

Fremantle Visitors Centre Walyalup Koort

Fremantle Prison, 1 The Terrace, Fremantle

Fremantle Prison

Fremantle is Perth’s hip and historical cousin with streets full of heritage buildings, cafés, street art and amazing stories waiting to be shared.

Starting at the Fremantle Visitors Centre Walyalup Koort, this walking tour is no boring history lesson, but rather takes a non-traditional route, discovering factual, anecdotal, and downright fascinating local stories, all as you wander Freo’s vibrant cappuccino strip, boat harbour, narrow West End streets and see the landmarks, including the Fremantle Prison and the Roundhouse.

Once home to whaling stations and mass immigration, Freo is now a charming town celebrated for its variety of culture and multicultural history. The locals here were as hard as nails salty sea dogs who rubbed shoulders with newly arrived immigrants to create a town full of characters – some of who’s stories you’ll be amazed to hear about from your local guide!

You’ll hear tales from prisoner escapes and convict antics to the expulsion of Indigenous peoples to Rottnest Island. Find out why almost 10,000 men were transported from Great Britain and Ireland, how they built their own prison and helped shape the future of Western Australia. There is no better way to explore Freo than with a local guide to share all its fascinating stories and visit the amazing sites, of which there are many, if you hadn’t guessed!

• 2 hr guided walking tour
• Professional local host
• Local history / fun stories
• Hotel pick-up & drop-off: Group bookings only by request
• Bottled water

Fremantle Prison

About fremantle prison tour.

Fremantle Prison, situated in Perth, Western Australia, is a historic site that has stood since 1850, serving as a testament to the region's rich history. Originally functioning as a prison, it now operates as a cultural attraction, offering visitors a deep dive into its storied past. The prison provides a range of authentic tours that shed light on its operations and the lives of its inmates over the years. Additionally, the Prison Gallery displays a variety of exhibits, from artworks created by prisoners to significant colonial artefacts. The Visitor Centre and the Convict Depot further enhance the experience, with the former showcasing aspects of prison life and the latter allowing visitors to explore convict histories. Beyond its role as a historical site, Fremantle Prison also offers unique venues for events, blending history with modern-day functions. The prison's transformation from a place of incarceration to a cultural and educational hub reflects its significance in Western Australia's heritage.

Overall Recommendation Level

Price: high.

Tour prices range from $22 - $75 depending on age and tour selection.

About 20 minutes from Perth city centre

Reviewed & written by Joe C. Read about Joe and more of his recommendations.

Our Numbers

Reviews Shared

Our guide had a clear passion for history and painted a vivid picture of the prison's past, making the tales come alive. My children, usually restless, hung onto every word, their eyes wide with a mix of wonder and reverence. 

The exhibitions in the Prison Gallery were a highlight. The juxtaposition of prisoner art with colonial artefacts offered a profound insight into the lives of those who lived and worked here. My eldest was particularly taken with the actual footage of prison life, asking question after question, eager to learn more.

But it was the Convict Depot that truly resonated with us. Being able to search for potential convict ancestors added a personal touch to our visit. 

As we concluded our tour, standing in the prison's courtyard, I felt a deep sense of gratitude. Fremantle Prison had not only offered us a glimpse into Western Australia's rich history but had also provided a bonding experience for our family. We left with a newfound appreciation for the past and memories that we'll cherish for years to come.

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Fremantle Prison

Plan your visit

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Also popular with travelers

• (0.02 mi) Yha Fremantle Prison
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• (0.20 mi) The Warders Hotel Fremantle Markets
• (0.18 mi) Hamptons Inn Bed & Breakfast
• (0.19 mi) Fothergills of Fremantle
• (0.01 mi) Convict Cafe
• (0.10 mi) Freo.Social
• (0.22 mi) Manuka Woodfire Kitchen
• (0.22 mi) The Old Synagogue
• (0.18 mi) Emily Taylor Fremantle

Welcoming visitors since 1850. You'll be captivated for hours.

1 The Terrace Fremantle WA 6160 Australia.

60 bays (paid parking).

Parking options

A paid car park catering for over 60 vehicles is located directly outside Fremantle Prison, The Terrace via Fothergill Street. Another large paid car park is located at the bottom of Fairbairn Ramp, accessible via Parry Street.

Two coach bays are located directly outside the Prison, with another two located on Parry Street.

There are two ACROD parking bays located in City of Fremantle car park #29 (The Terrace) and three located in City of Fremantle car park #1 (Parry St).

Both car parks are managed by the City of Fremantle and parking fees apply.

We recommend a minimum of three hours parking for your visit to the Prison.

Prison Cafe

Opening times are 9.15am - 4.00pm, daily (Closes 8pm on Wed and Fri evenings).

9am - 5pm, 7 days a week Closed Good Friday & Xmas day (later on Wed and Fri evenings).

Prison tours

Choose from a range of fascinating, entertaining and authentic tour experiences.

Exhibitions

See prisoner art, colonial artefacts, touring exhibitions and much more in the Prison Gallery.

Dare to be different. An event at Fremantle Prison is one your guests will never forget.

My friend and I recently spent an entire day here doing the all four tours! They were all amazing experiences packed full of information, adventure and frights. The staff were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable…highly recommend Fremantle Prison to be on your to do list!

No escape cafe

The delicious light refreshments available from our onsite café are a far cry from prison food.

Fantastic Fremantle Prison souvenirs are available from the Gift Shop. Open 10am - 5pm daily

Photography and filming

Information regarding taking photos/videos, wedding photography and requests for student/commercial filming.

Visitor centre

Located in the Prison's former Contact Visits Area, the centre showcases:

• Artefacts of punishment, and reform
• Actual footage of prison life
• Panels depicting the Prison's History, Riots, Punishment, Reform Programs and more.

Convict depot

Do you have a convict past? At the Convict Depot, located in the former Superintendent's backyard, you can:

• Search for your convict ancestors on our fully interactive Convict Database
• Discover artefacts and stories about early convict life
• Explore hundreds of photographs, artworks and articles relating to the convict era.

Visitor facilities

People with disabilities.

We have a variety of facilities catering for people with disabilties.

In recognition of the fact that sections of each tour are not accessible by wheelchair, a discounted ticket fee (child rate) is offered.

Exclusive tours for groups including people with disabilities are customised to ensure access for all on the tour.

Facilities for people with mobility disabilities include:

• 2 ACROD car bays
• Disabled toilet facilities
• Upper level manuals - providing information on areas not accessible by wheelchair. These are provided free of charge.

People with hearing disabilities have free access to Australian Sign Language (AUSLAN) handheld guides.

Wheelchairs and prams

Information when bringing wheelchairs and prams.

Due to the historic nature of the site certain areas of the Prison are not accessible by wheelchairs or prams.

Where applicable, visitors with prams are invited to bring children but leave prams downstairs, or re-join the group as they return to ground level (excluding Convict Prison and Tunnels tours).

Please see below for approximate accessibility for Wheelchairs and Prams:

• Behind Bars Tour - 90%
• True Crime Tour - 80%
• Torchlight Tour - 70%
• Convict Prison Tour - N/A
• Tunnels Tour – N/A

Limited luggage storage is available free of charge.

Public toilets are available in the Gatehouse.

Baby Change

A baby change facility is available in the Gatehouse.

First aid stations are located at a number of points inside the Prison.

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Inside Out: issues and insights from the Fremantle Prison art collection

Fremantle Prison houses one of the best collections of prisoner art in Australia. Largely a legacy of the last decades of the Prison’s operational years, it incorporates murals, graffiti, painted furniture, and works on canvas. Unlike much of the Fremantle Prison Collection, it speaks in the unmediated voice of the prisoner, rather than the institution. This paper will give an overview of the history of the prisoner art program at Fremantle Prison and some of its alumni, including artists of national and international renown such as Jimmy Pike and Revel Cooper. The complexity of many of the works provide new opportunities for interpreting prison life, however preserving, researching and interpreting the collection also presents its share of challenges. Many of the works, created and executed on ill-prepared surfaces using poor quality paints, have severely degraded since the Prison closed in 1991, and issues of copyright and privacy have ramifications for researching and interpreting the collection, including placing limitations on its digital dissemination. There are also other, more subjective considerations, such as whether some of these works may be regarded as unsuitable for public display, given the use of violent or sexual imagery.

Related Papers

Experiencing Prison

Daniel Maciel

Art has been made in prisons probably since prisons exist, and a proper focus within the social sciences should provide an interesting research on the matter. In this paper I sketch some of the underlying principles of such a research, addressing art professionals who work within prisons with inmates and advancing some considerations around what the prison art universe comprises.

gareth wreford

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Crime, Media, and Popular Culture.

Aylwyn Walsh

This introductory essay proposes a focus on some of the arguments in the field – what is ‘arts behind bars’? What are some of the intentions, and why would people do it? It also signals the range of practices that are to be found – from the development of needlework in male prisons through to participatory arts projects with young people in prisons to collaborative stage shows. Artists working in criminal justice have a wide range of intentions. For few, there might be a frisson of the danger and caged energy behind bars that is stimulating to creativity and could add something to their own creative process. Rather than art for prisoners: professional artists staging a show or doing an unplugged music event in a prison, there are a great number of projects that move towards forms of art created with and by prisoners, thereby aligning it with a long history of social and participatory arts. Theoretically, then, the arts behind bars are informed by critical pedagogies as much as the specific disciplinary approaches. This model seeks to build critical consciousness and confidence in mastery as well as induction into the discipline of learning any skill, for the purposes of liberating through knowledge. In arts behind bars, the knowledge base might include literacy outcomes, but the learning is often communal, and about creative self-expression. The practitioners of arts behind bars have two driving intentions. Either they seek to engage more people with their art form, and are willing to work in a range of contexts; or they are committed to social justice and hope to use the art form towards additional aims of generating understanding and redressing some of the inequalities experienced by prisoners. It is necessary to consider what new perspectives are offered to the subject of arts in criminal justice by thinking about how wider resources, culture, and artistic paradigms affect perceptions of the value of interventions. This highlights the need for awareness of those artists who choose to work in prisons of the moral and ethical questions raised by bringing art to the system. (2017) “A Critical Introduction to Arts Behind Bars.” In The Oxford Encyclopedia of Crime, Media, and Popular Culture. Edited by Michelle Brown. New York: Oxford University Press.

Benedict Carpenter van Barthold , Victoria Knight

This article introduces a three-year project begun in 2018 that investigates the relationship between visual arts education and mental health recovery for prisoners and probationers. The project is delivered in custodial contexts in Leicester, UK. The research engages young offenders with mental health conditions in creating visual artwork for public exhibition and publication. Insight into mental health recovery is gained through semi-structured interviews with participants. Participant well-being is coded through the CHIME framework. Some early findings are that the workshops help to alleviate the deep boredom of prison life; they are a useful distraction and an opportunity for introspection; they promote future thinking; and they help prisoners to connect with families. The research is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good health and wellbeing; and Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development.

Sean Winter , Thomas Whitley

In 2013, the University of Western Australia and the World Heritage Site Fremantle Prison signed a Memorandum of Understanding to allow archaeological investigation of the Prison over a five year period, under the title “The Fremantle Prison Project”. This paper reports briefly on the first two years of that project. The project, designed to link with the UWA archaeology curriculum, and to meet heritage needs of the Prison, has produced a range of successful outcomes, including three research theses and two field schools. Initial research outcomes include a better understanding of refuse disposal practices within the Prison and the way it functioned as an industrial site in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

Joel Robinson

An extended review of the exhibition, Inside - Artists and Writers in Reading Prison (2016)

International Review of Education

Art Therapy

Michael mat

The Palgrave Handbook of Prison Tourism, Palgrave Studies in Prisons and Penology

Isa Menzies

This paper explores the experience of women incarcerated at the now-defunct Fremantle Women’s Prison, particularly during the mid-twentieth century. It examines both their contemporaneous representation by the media and Prison authorities, and their modern interpretation within the Fremantle Prison tourist site. Drawing on available material culture, including oral histories, archival documents, and material from the Fremantle Prison Collection, I argue for a more nuanced approach to interpreting the female carceral experience. Using Fremantle Prison as a case study, this chapter contributes to broader debates on the historical importance of women inmates, and their representation within the contemporary prison museum.

The Howard Journal of Criminal Justice

Saul Hewish

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Honest tourism information about Australia

What can I see on the Fremantle Prison tunnels tour?

• David Whitley
• Attractions

The Fremantle Prison tunnel tours go into the convict-dug tunnels below the historic, World Heritage-listed prison building. There’s a boat cruise through the Fremantle tunnels after an 18 metre ladder descent.

Fremantle Prison is one of the most important historic buildings in Australia. When convicts arrived in Fremantle , Western Australia in the 1850s, one of the most pressing tasks was to build a prison they could be locked away in.

Book your perfect Fremantle accommodation .

When convict shipping from the UK stopped, the Fremantle Prison housed the general population . By the time the prison closed in 1991 it was dangerously outdated and completely unsuited to task. The Fremantle Prison is now a World Heritage site, open to the public for a variety of tours. These are themed on prison life and escape attempts.

Fremantle Prison tunnels tour: Under the prison

The Fremantle Prison tunnels tour, however, goes deeper. Literally deeper – it takes visitors into the network of tunnels under the prison.

These underground passageways were dug out in order to tap into a fresh water supply. This was used first for the prisoners, and then for the whole of Fremantle.

The tunnel water is still used for the prison gardens, but the tunnels themselves are now a tourist attraction. Participants don paper suits, harnesses and helmets, then clip themselves to a safety ladder system.

The initial 18 metre descent on the Fremantle tunnels tour is down a series of ladders. This seems scary enough when you’re clipped on, but the original convicts just had a basic ladder and no safety equipment.

Things to book in Fremantle before you arrive

• Your Rottnest Island ferry tickets and bike hire .
• A best of Fremantle two hour walking tour .
• Whale-watching cruise tickets .
• A street art and beer tour .
• A half day sailing cruise to Carnac Island.
• A sunset sailing cruise .
• A four venue Fremantle bar tour .

How convicts dug the Fremantle Prison tunnels

Under the prison is a kilometre-long network of tunnels. Most of this was dug out by hand. Astonishingly, doing the digging for eight hours a day, six days a week, was seen as one of the better jobs. As long as the prisoners worked hard, they would be given time off their sentence in return. Far worse was standing at the top of the shaft, manually pumping out water all day long.

Once inside the tunnels, there’s a lot of bending over to do. They are not high. Tree roots sneaking through show that the tunnels go outside the prison boundaries.

DON’T MISS OUT! 9 fabulous Perth experiences to book today ✅

• ✅ See the Rottnest Island quokkas the smart way – with a ferry and bike package .
• ✅ Be amazed by the abundant wildlife – on a dolphin, penguin and sealion cruise .
• ✅ See clear night skies in a moon-like desert – on a Pinnacles stargazing experience .
• ✅ Indulge in chocolate, cheese & premium wines – on a Swan Valley food and wine tour .
• ✅ See the city sunset from the water – on a Swan River dinner cruise .
• ✅ Watch gold being melted and poured – on a Perth Mint gold tour .
• ✅ Combine nature with imperious city views – on Kings Park Segway tour .
• ✅ Face your fears and get the thrill of your life on a – on a 15,000ft skydive .
• ✅ Find all the best hidden hangouts – on a small bar and street art tour .

Fremantle Prison boat tour

Given that only around a quarter of the tunnel system is walkable, much of the tour is conducted by boat. Participants are loaded into a series of little wooden boats, only big enough for one or two people.

The paddling is self-propelled, and the boat ride goes past spider webs, well shafts and timber supports. It’s a disorientating experience, as there are no landmarks to go by and no maps to read. The lack of things to see make the tour so atmospheric, however. It’s a claustrophobic, underground experience that majors on the weirdness of the location.

The Fremantle Prison tunnels tour must be booked in advance.

The Fremantle tunnels tour costs $65 and lasts around two-and-a-half hours.

5 great day trips from Perth – make your visit special

• Rottnest Island ferry transfer – with bike hire and snorkelling gear. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• The Pinnacles desert – with koalas 🐨 and sandboarding.
• Wave Rock day tour – with wildflowers & Aboriginal culture.
• Margaret River wineries experience 🍷 – with tastings, caves & Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.
• Full day Swan Valley wine tour 🍷– with lunch.

The prison is a 24km drive or taxi ride from Yagan Square in Perth CBD . A visit can easily be combined with a browse around the WA Shipwrecks Museum and the Roundhouse , or dining at Bread In Common .

Other Fremantle activities include taking a ride on the Fremantle ferris wheel , going for a sunset cruise and a street art and beer tour by bike.

Fremantle accommodation recommendations

The best Fremantle accommodation options are:

• For distinctive character and a sense of history: Hougoumont Hotel .
• For gorgeous apartments: West End Warehouse .
• For location and cool factor: Warders Hotel Fremantle Markets .
• For a decent pool: Pier 21 Apartmentment Hotel .       
• On a budget: Fremantle Prison YHA .

More underground adventures

The show homes of Coober Pedy , South Australia .

Caving tours at Giants Cave, Margaret River .

More heritage buildings

What heritage buildings in Adelaide are worth seeing?

Explore the castle in the rainforest at Paronella Park near Innisfail .

Which are the best historic buildings on Collins Street , Melbourne ?

Fremantle Prison Behind Bars Tour: What To Expect

Doing a tour at the Fremantle Prison is an absolute must when visiting Perth. It’s the perfect afternoon activity that combines history and a unique location with an interactive experience. This is definitely not a traditional museum and even if you usually don’t enjoy historic sites this one will not disappoint.

Make sure to put Fremantle Prison on your bucket list for visiting Perth and don’t forget to check out our public transport guide to find out how to get there for free.

While there are quite a lot of tour options to choose from the  Behind Bars Tour  gives you a great insight into what life in this prison used to be like. Keep reading to find out exactly why you should choose this tour when you visit the Fremantle Prison and what to expect when you go.

Don’t forget to check out this incredible road trip from Perth to Albany if you want to see more of Western Australia.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we’ll receive a commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. This helps us keep My Australia Trip free and provide high-quality content for you. Please read the full disclaimer for more information.

Table of Contents

FREMANTLE PRISON

Construction of the prison began in 1850 and carried on until 1859 when the initial buildings were completed. Since then the prison has undergone numerous alterations and renovations, many of which were conserved and can be seen by visitors today. The first convicts arrived at the Fremantle Prison in 1855. It was never a peaceful location. Uprisings, hangings, murder and extreme levels of discrimination were a norm at the prison largely due to the horrific treatment of indigenous inmates.

The prison had both male and female inmates and acted as a maximum security facility. There are numerous escape stories from over the years, some of which were mentioned during the tour. Read some of them  here .

The Fremantle Prison is Western Australia’s only world heritage-listed building. It became a tourist attraction in 1991 when it was officially closed as a penitentiary. Since then restoration works have made it possible for the prison to become a wedding and event location and, of course, act as a museum and educational site for visitors.

It is one of the largest historic prisons in the world.

CAN YOU VISIT THE FREMANTLE PRISON WITHOUT A TOUR?

The main part of the prison is only accessible via the paid tours such as the  Behind Bars Tour  described in this post. However, you can visit the Gatehouse which is the prison’s entrance building for free and without a tour. It is not very large but still nice to see if you don’t want to commit to paying for a tour. This area includes the visitor’s centre, the prison gallery and museum, a little tourist shop and a cafe.

However, you won’t be able to access any of the cells or prison buildings without a guided tour. The prison complex is very large and it’s definitely worth seeing.

THE BEHIND BARS TOUR

The  Behind Bars Tour  aims to give you an insight into prison life. It guides you through the prison as if you were an inmate yourself and shows you all parts of a prisoner’s daily routine. By showcasing different time periods visitors can truly see how the prison changed over the years and what convicts were subject to.

Most of the tour takes place in the cellblocks and you get to see the prison kitchen, recreational areas, cells and yards. You can see both the male and female prison facilities as well as the areas of racial segregation.

This tour also takes you to the execution chambers of the prison where many inmates were hanged over the years. It is definitely not for the faint of heart, however, you can choose to opt-out of seeing these places if you wish.

HOW MUCH ARE THE TICKETS?

A regular adult ticket for the  Behind Bars Tour  costs $22 AUD. A concession ticket or a group ticket for more than 10 people costs $19 AUD. A ticket for children under 15 years old costs only $12 AUD. Family tickets are available for $62 AUD which includes 2 adults and 3 children.

If you show a valid student ID you can get a student discount so you only have to pay $10 AUD for a ticket.

There are combination tickets available for multiple tours which will make prices cheaper. Check the prison’s website for  more information.

SHOULD YOU BOOK IN ADVANCE?

It’s usually sufficient to book a tour at the Fremantle Prison a few days in advance. You can also book tickets on arrival, however, since tour spaces are limited you might not be able to get on the tour you want. Try to book online if you’re visiting on a weekend since the tours will be significantly more popular then. Usually, it’s harder to get tickets for the afternoon tours than the morning options.

If you want to visit the prison on a specific day with a time constraint then book your tickets online or over the phone in advance.

WHEN DO THE BEHIND BARS TOURS RUN?

The  Behind Bars  tour runs every hour from 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The prison is closed on Good Friday and Christmas Day.

HOW LONG ARE THE FREMANTLE PRISON TOURS?

The Behind Bars tour lasts for around 1 hour and 15 minutes.

WHAT TO BRING

The prison offers lockers where you can leave any items and bags that you do not want to take with you into the prison. This is optional, however. You should definitely bring your camera on the tour as well as a water bottle. Anything else is not really necessary to bring.

WHAT’S THE BEST WEATHER TO GO?

The majority of this tour takes place inside, although there are some parts where you will be standing in the various prison yards. While it is still enjoyable to do this tour during a rainy day it will be a better experience when the weather is dry so you can take a better look at the outside areas of the prison.

ACCESSIBILITY

The  Behind Bars  tour is 100% wheelchair accessible.

MY EXPERIENCE: THE FREMANTLE PRISON BEHIND BARS TOUR

At the beginning of the tour, you are welcomed at the reception of the prison where inmates would first arrive and be registered. You are lead through the prison showers, the kitchen and offices which were all conserved to show exactly what prison life was like. With original artefacts such as cooking equipment or office documents, this area was really interesting in my opinion. There are little gadgets such as original soundscapes from the dining hall which make the experience truly come alive.

Next, you get to see two different prison yards where the inmates spent most of their time. In the past, these yards were racially segregated and it was powerful to see the paintings made by aboriginal inmates who were often incarcerated unfairly.

THE CELLBLOCK

After seeing the yards we were lead into the cellblock itself and could look at a variety of cells from different points in time. It was fascinating to see how these cells changed over time. Some only had a makeshift hammock while others were equipped with TVs, toasters and even bathrooms.

The tour guide was very knowledgable and did their best to engage the audience by asking questions and giving small interactive tasks. The stories of prison uprisings and how they were started were especially popular.

One of the most fascinating parts of this tour were the paintings in many of the cells in my opinion. Some inmates were allowed to paint the interior of their cells and the artwork was stunningly beautiful but also disturbing. Again I appreciated the acknowledgement of the suffering of aboriginal inmates.

The tour lead its visitors to the execution rooms of the prison at which point we had the choice to opt-out and skip this part. It was a disturbing experience but conducted in a respectful and educational manner.

Afterwards, we were lead to a more modern cellblock as well as the prison cinema which showed videoclips of actual prisoners exercising in the room. This was another favourite of mine as it gave you real-life impressions to take away from the experience.

Lastly, we visited the women’s quarters of the prison. It was shocking to see the differences between male and female treatment at the time. Again, I was pleasantly surprised at how the tour made sure to highlight these disparities.

The tour ended at the prison courtyard where visitors could see the impressive exterior of the cellblocks and chapel.

OTHER TOURS AT THE PRISON

If you want to see more of the prison you can opt to take other tours while you are there. These include the  Convict Prison Tour  which focuses on individual prisoners’ stories and the prison’s history or the  True Crime Tour  which highlights escape stories and legendary inmates. Lastly, the prison offers special  Tunnels  and  Torchlight Tours  which let you visit the prison’s impressive tunnel system or see the facility at night.

WHAT TO DO AFTER THE TOUR

If you haven’t done a lot of exploring yet you need to see more of Fremantle. This little town may or may not be the best part of Perth and there is so much to do. Don’t miss out! You’ll love the unique things to do in Fremantle we collected in this post.

If you’ve already seen Fremantle why not check out Rottnest Island? Find our complete backpacker’s guide  here .

Camping in Australia? Find out all you need to know  here .

Did we miss anything? If you have any questions or feel like something is missing from this post please leave a comment below or  contact us .

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Tretyakov Gallery Tour

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Description

Tretyakov gallery, zamoskvorechye area, street art of moscow and best coffee.

Sumptuous paintings, iconic sculptures and ancient icons in Tretyakov Gallery. Architectural masterpieces and beautiful cathedrals in the oldest part of Moscow - Zamoskvorechye. Modern street art, graffiti and best coffee in Moscow –  Ultimate Russian Experience!

Choose the tour you like:

3-hour tour for $117: you will hear tthe stories about 10 famous paintings in Tretyakov Gallery, see 5 cathedrals in Zamoskvorechye, street art and try best coffee in the town;

5-hour tour for $157: you will learn fun facts about 20 paintings in Tretyakov Gallery, see 10 cathedrals and cultural heritage sites in Zamoskvorechye, street art and sample best coffee in the city.

Highlights:

• Experience Moscow’s premier art mecca – Tretyakov Gallery;
• Explore the treasures of Russian art and architecture, ancient and modern;
• Soak in the beauty of the historic and magic Zamoskvorechye;
• Get immersed into Russian history of XII-XXI centries;
• Track the origin of Moscow city, and find out why Moscow survived after endless battles and wars, fires and floods;
• Discover one of the oldest streets of Moscow – Pyatnitskaya street;
• Admire the impressive architectural styles of Russian cathedrals and temples.

Hotel pickup

Some friendly jokes, history talks and fun facts on our way to Tretyakov Gallery.

Tretyakov Gallery – Moscow’s premier art gallery

The world’s finest and most complete collection  of Russian icons, the main gallery and museum of Russia, and simply one of the most precious places in the world, as some tourists say.

Fascinating history  of the Gallery and its founder – Pavel Tretyakov, combined with  stunning art  spanning for almost 1000 years make the Tretyakov Gallery so very special and unique in all Moscow. The peculiar  architecture  of the facade of the gallery adds up to the experience, it is designed in a Russian traditional style with a touch of a fairy tale.

You’ll learn about:

• the life story of the Tretyakov Gallery’s founder, how could he accomplish what he did and what were his greatest values in the family;
• which icon is kept in a special glass enclosure, that maintains constant temperature and humidity to protect the icon from any damage;
• which painter took part in numerous fights – and wrote a number of paintings depicting what he saw with his own eyes;
• who was that legendary”The girl with peaches” and where were those peaches from;
• which artist would never create what he did without a Moscow Major General;
• what was the first Russian painter to be recognized by European society;
• what made Repin paint his famous “Ivan The Terrible killing his son”;
• which painter was criticized for addiction to photographic accuracy;
• who is the most “fabulous” artist in the history of Russian painting;
• the hero for which picture starved to death in an earthen prison;
• which painting combines painting and sculpture techniques;
• what painting became the life-time project for its author;
• what is the most popular painting in Tretyakov Gallery;
• what picture was being painted for more than 20 years;
• what painting depicts the artist’s own romantic drama;
• what painting hung in every respectable Soviet home;
• what painting became a Russian Sistine Madonna;
• which painting depicts the Red Fate of Russia;
• who was the prototype for Ilya Muromets;
• what painting cost its author his eyesight;
• see the oldest painting in the Gallery;
• how did Vrubel describe demons.

The museum is huge, the collection consists of 130 000 exhibits, so we will be covering the most famous and world-known paintings.

Here is our  Top 20 paintings on Tretyakov Gallery   tour :

The Unequal Marriage by Vasily Pukirev;

Boyarynya Morozova by Vasily Surikov;

Morning in a pine forest by Ivan Shishkin;

Bogatyrs by Viktor Vasnetsov;

The Apotheosis of War by Vasiliy Vereschagin;

The Appearance of Christ to the people by Aleksandr Ivanov;

Ivan The Terrible killing his son by Ilya Repin;

Unexpected Return by Ilya Repin;

The girl with peaches by Valentin Serov;

The rooks have arrived by Aleksey Savrasov;

The Swan Princess by Mikhail Vrubel;

Demon Seated in a Garden by Mikhail Vrubel;

Portrait of an Unknown Woman by Ivan Kramskoi;

Horsewoman by Karl Brullov;

Trinity by Andrei Rublev;

Beauty by Boris Kustodiev;

Bathing of a Red Horse by Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin;

Morning of Streltsy’s execution by Vasily Surikov;

Portrait of Maria Lopukhina by Vladimir Borovikovsky;

Catherine the Great in a Temple of Justice by Dmitry Levitzky.

Zamoskvorechie Walking Tour  – The land of architectural bliss

Zamoskvorechye area displays a dazzling mix of architectural gems. Your guide will show you the city’s most striking buildings and tell you about their intriguing stories and secrets.

On our Art Tour you will see the building that was so mesmerizing that back in 1812 Napoleon, enchanted by the beauty of it, regretted that he could not put it on the palm and move it to Paris, and during the fire French soldiers carried buckets of water to save it from the fire.

You will find out why the most historical street of Moscow is called Pyatnitskaya and what happened there in 1739 and 1935 that you should know.

You will also witness the cathedrals that:

• was flooded and rebuilt on Peter I’s orders;
• is one of the “youngest”, built 105 years ago;
• was built in Byzantine style for (just?) 100K roubles;
• was typical of Moscow classicism of the XVIII century;
• has one of the best architecture art design in Moscow;
• is famous for its founder who was publicly whipped and sent to exile;
• was first mentioned in 1415 and was still under construction till 1904;
• combines the elements of Moscow baroque style with Ukrainian baroque;
• is one of the oldest cathedrals in Moscow, first mentioned in 1493, and built in 1695;
• was reconstructed in 1709, during the war with Sweden, and almost untouched since then;
• was the outpost during the liberation of Moscow from foreign invaders during the Time of Troubles in 1612;
• was built by Grand Prince Vasily II (Dark) in gratitude for the miraculous deliverance from the Tatar captivity;
• is an architectural monument of federal significance and is included in one of the main tour and pilgrimage routes of the Golden Ring of Moscow.
• served as the main architectural dominant defining the urban planning of Moscow, from Ivan the Great Bell in Kremlin to the Church of the Ascension in Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve;

For this off the beaten path Cultural tour we selected  Top 10 architectural masterpieces  – cathedrals, churches and temples, dating from 1415:

• Church of the Intercession;
• Church of St. John the Warrior;
• Kadashi Church;
• The church of the Beheading of Ioann the Baptist;
• Church of Iveron Icon of the Mother of God;
• The church of St. Kliment;
• Church of St. Nicholas in Pyzhi;
• Church of St. Gregory Bishop Neokisayriysky in Derbitsy;
• The church of Paraskeva Pyatnitsa;
• The church of Live-Giving Trinity.

Street Art – Contrast of ancient and modern urban

Take a memorable photo of Moscow's best graffiti and street art in the cultural heart of the city, the most ancient and spiritual area of Moscow.

Coffee break in the most popular coffee shop

In March 2015 Russia became a proud member of the International Coffee Organization. With the full right of a coffee connoisseur we will take you to one of the best coffee shops in Moscow.

This coffee guru has been in coffee business for almost 20 years and offers over 50 high-quality coffee sorts! Who are we talking about? That’s our little secret that we’ll reveal to you on this private Moscow tour.

Drop-off at the hotel or any place of your wish 

What you get:.

• + A friend in Moscow.
• + Private & customized Moscow tour.
• + An exciting pastime, not just boring history lessons.
• + An authentic experience of local life.
• + Flexibility during the walking tour: changes can be made at any time to suit individual preferences.
• + Amazing deals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the very best cafes & restaurants. Discounts on weekdays (Mon-Fri).
• + A photo session amongst spectacular Moscow scenery that can be treasured for a lifetime.
• + Good value for souvenirs, taxis, and hotels.
• + Expert advice on what to do, where to go, and how to make the most of your time in Moscow.

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A History of The Actors Studio

Written by Andreas Manolikakis

The Actors Studio was founded in New York by Elia Kazan, Cheryl Crawford and Robert Lewis in 1947. For seven decades it has been devoted to the service and development of theatre artists –actors, directors and playwrights. To our members, who are primarily actors, The Actors Studio offers free lifetime membership, with no fee or tuition required, which entitles them to a unique opportunity to explore and improve their craft in a safe, laboratory environment with colleagues with whom they share the same process of work.

The roots of The Actors Studio go back to the Group Theatre (1931-1941) whose work was inspired by the discoveries of the great Russian actor and director Konstantin Stanislavski and his best student Eugene Vakhtangov as revealed in the legendary productions that the Moscow Art Theatre toured in America in 1923. In fact Stanislavski’s dedication to his book, ‘My Life in Art,’ (1924) reads: “I DEDICATE THIS BOOK IN GRATITUDE TO HOSPITABLE AMERICA AS A TOKEN AND A REMEMBRANCE FROM THE MOSCOW ART THEATRE WHICH SHE TOOK SO KINDLY TO HER HEART.”

When the Moscow Art Theatre ended its American tour, several members of the theatre stayed behind and trained artists, including Lee Strasberg, Harold Clurman and Stella Adler, who would go on to form the Group Theatre along with other artists such as Elia Kazan, Sanford Meisner and Robert Lewis. These artists studied, explored, developed and improved the work of the Russian masters with extraordinary results that were unique in the history of the American theatre and a new kind of acting was born.

After the Group Theatre closed, in 1941, many of its members went their separate ways. Elia Kazan has stated that one of the principal reasons he created The Actors Studio, in 1947, was in order to preserve and develop this new American acting. He wanted to create a not-for-profit organization that would provide a laboratory, a private workshop in which the professional actor could work on his or her craft, far away from the commercial pressures of casting, rehearsal and performance. It was to be a place that would offer its member-artists an ongoing training, a continuity of work and the feeling of an artistic home like they had at the Group Theatre.

At the Studio, it was eventually decided that membership should be achieved through an audition process of preliminary and then final auditions where the only requirements are talent and the possibility of improvement.

In 1948, Lee Strasberg was asked by Elia Kazan to join the Studio as one of its teachers and in 1951 he became its Artistic Director, a position he maintained until his death in 1982. Strasberg’s deep understanding of the Stanislavski System and the reformulations of Vakhtangov, together with his own personal discoveries and improvements on the acting process, provided the foundation on which The Actors Studio based its work.

At the same time, the work of Elia Kazan as a theatre and film director demonstrated in the most powerful way the extraordinary results of the deep and personal process of acting espoused by The Actors Studio.

For seven decades, the very existence of The Actors Studio, the principles and values that it represents, the methodology of its work process, its consistency and long life have established the Studio as a unique theatre organization and a guiding light for actors, directors and playwrights around the world. For many it is considered the temple of the acting process.

Today the work that is done at The Actors Studio continues the Stanislavski-Vakhtangov-American approach, and most of the leading members of the Studio today have studied with more than one of these great American teachers: Lee Strasberg, Harold Clurman, Elia Kazan, Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner and Robert Lewis.

Currently, Ellen Burstyn, Alec Baldwin and Al Pacino serve as co-Presidents of the Studio. Beau Gravitte serves as Artistic Director in New York and Salome Jens and Lou Antonio serve as interim co-Associate Artistic Directors in West Hollywood at our Actors Studio West branch, which opened in 1966. The Actors Studio is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of members from both coasts.

After 70 years, The Actors Studio continues to thrive because it is needed. Goethe has said that, “The actor’s career develops in public, but his art develops in private.” The Studio provides its members with this special kind of privacy, along with a group of colleagues who share the same passion for what Studio members refer to as “The Work.”

In spite of the presence of The Actors Studio over many years and its extensive influence in America and worldwide, there still persist many misunderstandings of the Studio, its mentors, its philosophy and its process. These errors most often arise from discussions by some academics, theoreticians, historians and even by some theatre professionals who attempt to analyze and interpret a process of work that they have never learned through serious practice. The work of Stanislavski, Vakhtangov and The Actors Studio was arrived at through deep and lengthy practical experiments that elude rational analysis by non-practitioners.

In 1994 The Actors Studio entered a major new phase with the creation of The Actors Studio Drama School MFA (Master of Fine Arts) Program in acting, directing and playwriting, in order to bring the Studio’s method into a university setting. In September 2006, the Actors Studio Drama School moved to Pace University in downtown New York City, which also is the home of one of the program’s most visible teaching platforms, INSIDE THE ACTORS STUDIO, hosted by James Lipton.

Andreas Manolikakis is a Board Member of The Actors Studio and Chair of The Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University in New York City.

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Here's why you must visit the Gulag Museum in Moscow

Children who were once labeled "enemies of the people" are now advanced in their years, but they can still recall the most terrible moments of their lives, when people in uniforms came for their parents late at night - the last time they ever saw them. Today, a young woman watches these video interviews in a room at the Gulag Museum. She starts to cry. A group of high school students hang on the guide's every word, dismay written on their faces. It seems they find it difficult to imagine that in the 1930s kids their own age found themselves behind barbed wire. Meanwhile, a group of foreigners sit in the museum cafe, trying to digest what they have just seen and unable to say a word.

In a prisoner's shoes

The Gulag History Museum  used to be based in a tiny building, but it recently moved to new premises and, with its huge archive, it now has a home of its own. The designers tried to make it look like a prison camp: intimidating steel gates, brickwork, dim light and lots of sullen and drab black color. From the very first minute, a visitor is immersed in the atmosphere of the darkest side of Soviet power - the terrible years of the Great Terror and repressions.

In the first room, you're greeted by numerous doors – a door from a camp barracks, a door from a cell in a remand prison in Magadan, a door from one of the Seven Sisters buildings in Moscow, from where people were taken away forever – it is a metaphor of moving to another, terrible world .

In the execution chamber, the floor is strewn with empty casings, while portraits of the murdered are projected onto a brick wall, one replacing another to the sound of cocking the gun. Archival footage shows prisoners working at a logging camp. There are personal items, including those found in mass graves. Once you're surrounded by all this, it is difficult to recover.

A system of reprisals from 1917 to Stalin's death

The purpose of the museum is to trace not only the history of the camps themselves, but of the entire system of political repressions. In order to show how executions without trial and investigation became part of the legal practice of the USSR, the museum displays documents, NKVD resolutions and quotes from leaders of the Revolution .

The Soviet authorities believed that in order to build a new world, it was necessary to exterminate people who, in one way or another, allegedly sabotaged it. The list of these categories of people was forever expanding. “Repression for the attainment of economic ends is a necessary weapon of the socialist dictatorship,” said one of the main ideologists of the revolution, Leon Trotsky .

The first political prisoners in the USSR were put into existing prisons and monasteries, from where monks were being expelled. A separate section of the exhibition is devoted to the Solovki Special-Purpose Camp, the first of its kind. Later, in the 1930s, during the years of the Great Terror, camps were built across the country and convict labor became one of the pillars of the Soviet economy.

For the first time, Gulag is presented through multimedia

The museum also offers audio versions of memoirs of people who went through the camps: the author of The Kolyma Tales , Varlam Shalamov; Alexander Solzhenitsyn (who has a separate room dedicated to his life); Leo Tolstoy’s daughter Alexandra; and many others .

An interactive map of the Gulag shows the chronology, location, number of prisoners and types of camps (corrective labor, special, screening and filtration) throughout the country. It is available online, so you can see it without visiting the museum - gulagmap.ru .

With the help of a VR helmet, you can take a virtual tour with museum director Roman Romanov around what remains of the Butugychag camp in the Russian Far East, where inmates worked in uranium mines without wearing any radiation protection. The museum plans to develop more virtual tours like this .

All information in the museum is translated into English; same as all the audio materials, and the videos have English subtitles. The museum has a documents center, where one can get information about victims of repressions.

In the last room, a voice on the speaker system reads out the names of people who were wrongfully convicted and killed. A young couple, holding hands and motionless, listen to the seemingly endless list. As part of the finale, there are horrifying figures displayed on the black wall: during the Great Terror, more than 20 million people were sent to prison camps; two million died there, and 700,000 were executed.

Watch Russia Beyond documentary: The memory of the Solovetsky islands  

If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.

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