There are 85 000 prisoners in the UK. While this is enough to fill Wembley Stadium, it’s only a tiny part of the 9 million inmates worldwide. If these people were the population of a country, it would be the 89th biggest in the world – larger than Austria, Switzerland or Israel. Prisons, it seems, are booming.

Banged away

Britain has a long and inglorious history when it comes to banging people away. For a country that colonized a subcontinent purely for the purpose of shipping convicts, it’s no shock to discover that the island nation is packed with places “celebrating” the art of imprisonment. Whenever I’m feeling down about life, I find a visit to one of the many jail themed attractions make realise how lucky I am… to be free. If you want to appreciate the delights of freedom, here are my six top arresting days out.

If you think Victorian prisons were hardcore, wait until you visit York Castle Prison. A site of justice and incarceration for almost 1,000 years.

Inveraray Jail

If you have problems imagining what life was like as a jailbird, then visit Inveraray Jail. In this living museum you’ll get to meet “real” 19th century prisoners.

You’ll hear about how stealing a pair of shoes got you seven years hard labour, meet the warden, go to jail yourself, and even get a taste of the punishments. We must all be a bunch of closet masochists, because the jail is one of Scotland’s top attractions.

York Castle Prison

If you think Victorian prisons were hardcore, wait until you check out York Castle Prison. A site of justice and incarceration for almost 1,000 years, it’s most famed for holding the notorious highwayman Dick Turpin. Today, you won’t find anyone demanding you stand and deliver your money or your life, but you will find original cells, antique restraints and a day to remember.

Lincoln Castle and Prison

Prison life is bad enough, but at Lincoln Castle, you can find a system that was even harsher than usual. Built in 1787, the prison regime was designed to keep criminals in total isolation. The extent of this can be seen in the prison chapel. The seating was designed to enclose each prisoner, so that while the preacher could see them all, they could see nobody but the preacher. Those innovative Victorians certainly put their engineering expertise to fine use.

Ripon Law and Order Museums

In Ripon, you’ll find a hat trick of museums dedicated to every aspect of internment. The Courthouse, the Workhouse and Prison & Police Museum lead you through the entire process. In the Courthouse you can stand in the dock, discover how stealing a handkerchief meant a one-way ticket to Australia, and admire a fine collection of whips. If this is all too much, you can seek “relief” in the workhouse.

Tower of London

The granddaddy of British prisons, the Tower of London has been used to deprive people of their liberty for nearly a millennium. Traitors, kings, queens, saints and sinners have all enjoyed its hospitality.  Now it’s an interactive heaven where you can use video to join in scenes of court life and mingle with high status prisoners in the Upper Salt Tower. A must for all lovers of prison life.

Dartmoor Prison Museum

Getting a taste of prisons of the past might be a great way of feeling better about the present, but for a real buzz you need the real deal. While Dartmoor Prison is synonymous with the greatest names in crime like The Mad Axeman and The Acid Bath Murderer, it has also housed prestigious political prisoners like the Irish leader, Éamon de Valera.

Famed for its fogs and bogs, Dartmoor was built to hold prisoners of the Napoleonic Wars. It’s now home to mainly non-violent offenders and white collar criminals. The museum has two big rooms displaying everything from prison uniforms to the weaponry deployed by staff. While it may not be breathtaking, a day out in Dartmoor is a truly captivating experience.