The Old Town Jail opened in 1847, replacing the medieval Tolbooth jail at the foot of the hill, and was considered a model of progressive Victorian penal architecture in its day. It closed as a prison in 1935 and reopened in the 1990s as a visitor attraction, with costumed guides leading walking tours that play up the prison's grim 19th-century routines.
The interpretation is more theatre than museum and works best for families with children — there are mock executions, cell tours and ghost stories on the standard programme. For visitors more interested in the building itself, the highlight is the rooftop platform, reached by a glass lift, which gives a 360-degree view from the castle past the Wallace Monument to the Ochil Hills and the Forth valley. It is the best panorama in Stirling that does not involve climbing.
The jail is on St John Street, halfway between the castle and the railway station. Allow an hour. Independent visits are possible outside guided tour times.