Hollywood is like a dream factory where our wildest fantasies come to life. We all grow up watching movies, imagining ourselves in the Wild West, going on epic adventures, or finding true love on-screen. Whether it’s parallel worlds, dystopian futures, or thrilling chases, our imagination knows no bounds. Movies allow us to escape from the boring stuff of everyday life, even for a little while, and that’s what makes visiting real-life movie sets so exciting! Here’s a list of movie sets you can actually visit today so you can experience a bit of that movie magic yourself.
#1: 12 Monkeys
Set Piece: Eastern State Penitentiary
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Production Budget: $29 million*
Once home to the infamous Al Capone, this prison later fell into disrepair. But guess what? It became the ideal spot for a sci-fi movie starring Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis. When this prison was built over 180 years ago, it was the talk of the town. It was the first-ever ‘Penitentiary,’ meaning it aimed to make inmates regret their actions.
The sci-fi flick made a whopping $168.8 million at the box office and received a thumbs-up from critics. Now, you can tour the set to see it for yourself. It’s a hit with movie buffs and gangster fans alike. Plus, guess who narrates the tour? None other than Nucky Thomson (played by Steve Buscemi).