The eerie beauty of abandoned asylums

A photographer captures glimmers of grandeur in America's shuttered mental institutions

Jackie Friedman's avatar
Lauren Hansen's avatar
By ,
last updated

Seat cushions.
(Image credit: Matteawan State Hospital (now Fishkill Correctional Facility) in Beacon, New York)

(Image credit: Logansport State Hospital in Logansport, Indiana)

(Image credit: Rockland State Hospital in Orangeburg, New York)

(Image credit: St. Elizabeth Hospital in Washington, D.C.)

(Image credit: Yankton State Hospital in Yankton, South Dakota)

(Image credit: Hudson River State Hospital in Poughkeepsie, New York)

(Image credit: Trenton State Hospital in Trenton, New Jersey)

(Image credit: Terrell State Hospital in Terrell, Texas)

(Image credit: Connecticut Valley State Hospital in Middletown, Connecticut)

Lauren Hansen
Lauren Hansen

Lauren Hansen produces The Week’s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.