Dartmoor Prison Museum

Name: Dartmoor Prison Museum
Address: Princetown, Yelverton PL20 6RR, United Kingdom, West Devon, PL20 6QE, United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 1822 322130
Rating: 4.3

★★★★★ 4.3/5 (3,979 reviews) Very Good

About This Museum

You might not expect a former prison boiler house to be so compelling, but the Dartmoor Prison Museum completely captivated me. Stepping inside this stout, granite building, you're immediately hit by the weight of its history, which stretches all the way back to the Napoleonic Wars. The exhibits don't shy away from the harsh reality; you'll come face-to-face with prisoner-made artifacts, chilling restraint devices, and the iconic uniforms that defined daily life. It's a raw and unforgettable look at over two centuries of incarceration, far more powerful than any sterile gallery.

Collection Highlights

Seeing the actual leg irons and crude handcuffs up close is one thing, but the personal items—like intricate love tokens carved from bone by prisoners—are what truly haunt you. Don't miss the displays on the American POWs from the War of 1812; their story is a fascinating and often overlooked chapter.

Visitor Information

It's right there in Princetown, in the heart of the moody Dartmoor National Park—the perfect stop after a windswept walk on the moors. Just check their website for seasonal opening times before you go.

Architecture & Building

Housed in the prison's original, foreboding 1809 boiler house, it's built from the same bleak and beautiful local granite as the main prison, giving it an authentically austere feel.