Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations

The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

Architect Sakher Oulabi (left) and engineer Tamim Kasmo in the courtyard of Aleppo's Great Mosque.

Syrians Won't Give Up on the Great Mosque of Aleppo

In 2013, the mosque's minaret shattered into 2,000 pieces. A restoration team aims to put them back together.

Place of the Day

Virgin of Guadalupe Museum

Mexico City’s collection of gifts left for the venerated religious icon.

Found: Bottles of Hair Dye From a Civil War Photo Studio

When soldiers posed for portraits, they wanted to look their best.

December 10, 2019

Why North Carolina Is the Most Linguistically Diverse State

Endless Fields of Unharvested Corn, As Seen From Space

Atlas Obscura Goods

Holiday Gifts

Reconstructing a Shipwreck Site as an Underwater Exhibit

Every December, Japan Is Awash in Elegant Christmas Cakes

Top Countries

Top Cities

Antwerp, Belgium

Brabo Fountain

A man throwing a giant severed hand towers over Antwerp’s main square.

Tony Dunnell

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Springfield, Illinois

Vachel Lindsay Home

The poet’s boyhood home is now dedicated to celebrating his life and legacy.

Zemmi

Edinburgh, Scotland

The Grave of 'The Great Lafayette'

The magician was buried alongside his beloved canine thanks to a tragic twist of fate.

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Warrenton, Virginia

Cold War Museum

This museum sits on the site of a decommissioned military communications base.

RoadUnraveled

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San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

Don Sshinda Collection at Museo La Esquina

An artisanal toy-maker’s works are highlighted in this museum dedicated to the craft of toys.

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Top Place Tags

art & performance

Cambodia: Contemporary Art, Spiritual Traditions, and Hidden Wonders

From $3,215 USD

Explore the vibrant art, religion, and food culture of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and spend time with the country's leading artists and performers.

science & nature

Science After Dark: Spotting Squid in the Tides of Oahu

From $3,535 USD

Just beneath the waves off the Hawaiian coast, there are schools of tropical fish, flotillas of sea turtles, and squads of squid. We’re diving in to explore some of their secrets.

history & culture

Tunisia Through the Sands of Time

From $3,660 USD

history & culture

Past Future Monuments of the Balkans

Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia

From $4,215 USD

Take a road trip across Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina with Atlas Obscura as we explore the Balkans in search of Yugoslav memorial sites.

Myth, Film, and Studio Tour

Los Angeles, California

Walking the Hidden Wonders of Midtown

New York, New York

Discover Greenbelt Town of Tomorrow

Greenbelt, Maryland

On the Trail of DC's First Brewmaster

Alexandria, Virginia

The Chicago Underground Scavenger Hunt

Chicago, Illinois

Sci Fi Sewage Sanctuary

Los Angeles, California

The Spies of Georgetown

Washington, D.C.

Japanese Incense and Tea Experience

Seattle, Washington

Tour NYC’s Industrial Waterway

Brooklyn, New York

Exploring Historic Homes of the Stars

Santa Monica, California

Explore Historic Murals of West Seattle

Seattle, Washington

A Walking Tour of Hollywood Jazz History

Los Angeles, California

View All Experiences

How a Fossilized Snake With Legs Fits Into the Lineage of Lizards

“Snakes are just fancy lizards,” says one evolutionary biologist.

Sabrina Imbler December 6, 2019

Sled Dogs Have Long Been Central to Life in the Arctic

It certainly beats walking.

Isaac Schultz December 6, 2019

In France, a Bloody WWI Battlefield Has Become a Wildlife Refuge

Toads, orchids, bats, and hundreds of millions of unexploded shells.

Sabrina Imbler December 6, 2019

How a Master Mezcalero Makes a Unique Venison Mezcal

Meat is the secret ingredient in this take on the traditional Mexican spirit.

Lindsay Talley December 6, 2019

How Frothy Waves of Sea Foam Coated the Coast of Chennai

Don't play in the bubbles.

Jessica Leigh Hester December 5, 2019

On an English Estate, Reintroduced Beavers Might Make a Damn Difference

These ecosystem engineers have a good track record in helping restore wetlands.

Jessica Leigh Hester December 5, 2019

For Sale: The Only Bar in a 14-Person Montana Town

You could own the busiest watering hole for miles.

Luke Fater December 5, 2019

How Whopping Whale Skeletons Come to Life at 'Bonehenge'

“Every one of these animals has a story."

Megan Dohm December 5, 2019

The Chinese City Famous for Eggs With Two Yolks

Gaoyou ducks are bred to produce tasty double-yolkers.

Anne Ewbank December 5, 2019

An Engraved Tomahawk Offers a New, Native History of a Battle

The weapon may have belonged to a Lakotan warrior named Stranger Horse.

Sabrina Imbler December 4, 2019

Found: The Oldest-Known Photograph of Enslaved African Americans With Cotton

The daguerreotype records their faces, but not their names.

Sabrina Imbler December 4, 2019

The Photographer Who X-Rayed Chernobyl

How to make the invisible visible.

Winnie Lee December 4, 2019

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