News Release

Alcatraz Island celebrates 50 years of public tours

Alcatraz Island is one of the most visited park sites with Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

NPS photo

News Release Date: October 26, 2023

SAN FRANCISCO—The National Park Service (NPS), Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, and Alcatraz City Cruises jointly hosted an event Oct. 24 to recognize the 50th anniversary of the first public tour of Alcatraz Island. Special guests joined staff to celebrate the occasion and recount the island’s storied history that draws more than a million visitors each year. 

Alcatraz is one of the most iconic former prisons in the world and has been a top destination for people traveling to San Francisco. Most known for its role as a federal penitentiary in the first half of the 20th century, the island was previously a military fort and then prison and much later the site of a Native American civil rights protest. 

“People come to the island with a certain expectation for what they’re going to see,” said Christian Davis, park ranger and site supervisor for Alcatraz. “They leave with the understanding that Alcatraz is much more than just an island — it’s a site where transformative thinking and lived experiences relate to themes of incarceration, justice and our common humanity. Beyond that, it’s been a sanctuary for wildlife since time immemorial.” 

When the island first opened to the public on Oct. 26, 1973, the prison had barely been closed for a decade. As a result, in telling the stories of Alcatraz, the NPS and its partners at the Parks Conservancy and Alcatraz City Cruises have been able to work closely with individuals whose personal history is closely tied to the island. Formerly incarcerated people, former prison staff and their families, and those involved with the 1969-1971 Native American occupation of Alcatraz have all told their stories to island visitors. 

“Alcatraz Island is a site rich with history," said Nicki Phelps, vice president of visitors programs for the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and recipient of the 2022 NPS James V. Murfin Award. “Over the last three decades and together with the National Park Service, beginning with the creation of the Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour, I’ve had the privilege of helping to share stories and spotlight the voices of people who have helped shape the island throughout its many different eras. We can’t wait to continue that work in the next 50." 

In addition to the outside influence of voices critical to telling the entire history of the island, the three organizations have worked together to reach visitors in a variety of innovative ways. The multi-lingual and award-winning audio tour, “Doing Time: The Alcatraz Cellhouse Tour,” which was first developed in 1987, allows people to see the different parts of the island at their own pace in an immersive and thought-provoking experience. In February 1995, Alcatraz became the first national park site to have a website, which is still online today. 

More recently, a 900 sq. ft. permanent exhibit called The Big Lockup was created in 2021 for visitors to learn more about the history of mass incarceration in the United States and its associated implications for social justice. It follows many earlier temporary exhibits including @Large (2015), an art project by Ai Weiwei about human rights and freedom of expression, and Future IDs (2019), which featured artist-inspired ID cards created by formerly incarcerated individuals. Red Power on Alcatraz, Perspectives 50 Years Later (2019) followed special programming on the island to recognize the 50th anniversary of the 1969 occupation and remains on display. 

“Alcatraz Island is a national park site that more Bay Area locals need to enjoy,” said Michael Badolato, director of sales and marketing for Alcatraz City Cruises. “On behalf of the National Park Service, Alcatraz City Cruises proudly provides numerous opportunities for local school children, youths, community groups, and other educational groups to enjoy Alcatraz Island and our educational Bay Discovery Cruise at reduced or no cost.” 

For the millions who have visited Alcatraz, there are many more who have yet to witness the compelling sights, sounds and stories it has to offer. For many years, the NPS, Parks Conservancy and Alcatraz City Cruises have been committed to welcoming visitors from all backgrounds to experience the island. Whether travelling from another country or just across the San Francisco Bay, the island has something special to offer to every person.