Urban Exploration: Abandoned Hospitals and Psychiatric Institutions

Abandoned hospitals and former mental institutions are among the most haunting and visually compelling places to explore. These locations are not only rich in architectural detail and atmosphere—they also carry deep historical significance and emotional weight. As an urban explorer and photographer, these sites have always been some of my favorites to document.

Many of these abandoned medical facilities, especially psychiatric hospitals, are steeped in dark and often controversial histories that contributed to their eventual closure. Long corridors, decaying patient wards, and forgotten medical equipment all tell the silent story of what once took place within their walls.

The first mental hospital—or “asylum”—in the United States opened in 1817 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While many of the most iconic psychiatric hospitals were located in the Northeast and along the East Coast, a significant number have been demolished in recent years, erasing a piece of forgotten history.

Sadly, as more of these historic institutions are torn down, the opportunity to preserve their legacy through photography and storytelling becomes more urgent. Through urban exploration, we can capture what remains before it’s lost forever.

Click here for a history of Psychiatric Hospitals and how they’ve shaped the American medical landscape.