3) Alcatraz Island
Alcatraz was initially a military preservation from 1850 until 1933. For the 29 following years, it was used as a penitentiary, which has since become more famous due to its use as a setting in many films. The prison was an experiment of sorts, insofar that it was the first attempt at such isolation-based imprisonment on that scale in the United States. In present day, you can take a ferry over to the island and tour the facility with the help of an audio guide, learning about the history of the penitentiary between the years of 1934 and 1963. There are also additional exhibits you can explore and there may be special programs going on which can help you learn even more about this historic venue.
