Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations

The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

Two of the "Fantastic Grandmothers" document a greater sea snake, photo-identifying its uniquely patterned tail for their growing database.

The Snorkeling Grannies of New Caledonia

They're senior citizens turned citizen scientists. And their work is changing marine biology, one sea snake at a time.

by Sofia Quaglia

Place of the Day

Giant Sun Mirrors of Rjukan

They direct a pool of sunshine onto this otherwise occluded town in Norway.

What Happens When They Find a World War II Bomb Down the Street

In German cities, it means alerts, traffic, evacuations, and at least a little anxiety.

January 27, 2020

The Chocolate-Brewing Witches of Colonial Latin America

This Tank Graveyard Is a Monument to Eritrea's Struggle for Liberation

The French Missionary and the English Duke Who Saved a Chinese Deer From Extinction

Australia Needs Slow and Steady Rain—Not Golf Ball-Sized Hail

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London, England

The Churchill Arms

This pub was 238 years old when it decided to revamp its image: It started serving Thai food.

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Breckenridge, Colorado

Barney Ford House Museum

The home of a former slave who went on to become a prospector, entrepreneur, and activist for African-American rights.

Added by SandraR

Chankonabe Shinzan

Sidle into a side alley for a taste of sumo wrestlers' traditional hot-pot soup, in a tiny restaurant founded by a former competitor.

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Mexico City, Mexico

Museo del Calzado (Footwear Museum)

This covert museum showcases booties worn by a rescue dog and slippers owned by Queen Elizabeth II.

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Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

Abandoned Textile Factory

The social hall of this former factory is a Communist-era time capsule.

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Top Place Tags

history & culture

Tunisia Through the Sands of Time

From $3,660 USD

art & performance

Extraordinary Island: Puerto Rico's Hidden Wonders

From $1,970 USD

history & culture

Uganda and the Mysteries of the Nile

From $4,435 USD

Journey to the shores of Lake Victoria to see the source of the Nile, and follow the river through the diverse cultural and ecological landscape of modern-day Uganda—from its traditional kingdoms to the rainforests and savannah.

art & performance

Santa Fe Weekend: New Art, Ancient Traditions

From $1,280 USD

Spend a weekend immersed in the rich history, deeply rooted tradition, and constantly evolving art-scape of northern New Mexico.

Walking the Hidden Wonders of Midtown

New York, New York

Visit NYC's Oldest Magic Shop After Dark

New York, New York

Atlas Obscura's Wonders of FiDi

A Hoppin' Good Time at The Bunny Museum

Altadena, California

Explore the Ruins of Seneca Quarry

Poolesville, Maryland

Cooking with Critters

Los Angeles, California

Lasting Impressions in Print

Carson, California

Scent-Making and Hollywood History

Los Angeles, California

Behind the Scenes at the City Reliquary

Brooklyn, New York

Sci Fi Sewage Sanctuary

Los Angeles, California

Tour Rustic Rubel Castle With A Builder

Glendora, California

Denny Hill: History of the Regrade

Seattle, Washington

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roadside attractions

How to Identify Wildflowers Without Bothering to Get Off the Highway

According to a scientist's satirical guide, flowers are even more beautiful when you can only kind of see them.

Sabrina Imbler January 23, 2020

Unseasonably Cold Weather Littered South Florida With Stunned Iguanas

The weather forecast warned it would be raining reptiles.

Lauren Aratani January 23, 2020

8 Secrets of the Tower of London

Secluded spots in and around the city's most formidable fortress.

The Transformation of Namibia's Etosha Pan, From Parched to Soaked

Satellite images track the shift from dry to wet at a vast, prehistoric lake bed in southern Africa.

Jessica Leigh Hester January 22, 2020

Why American Kids Have Been Going to Soviet Sleepaway Camp

Camp Artek is known for its sun, fun, and socialism.

Jen Pinkowski January 22, 2020

Scientists Are Simulating Mass Animal Die-Offs in an Oklahoma Prairie

Understanding the ecological impact of hundreds of dead feral hogs.

Sabrina Imbler January 22, 2020

A Japanese Sculptor's Tribute to Wild Rice Covers an Australian Floodplain

Mitsuaki Tanabe's untimely death spurred his son to finish his last work.

Selena Hoy January 22, 2020

9 Years Later, Furry Friends—and Foes—Are Returning to Fukushima

Few of them seem to miss the missing humans.

Isaac Schultz January 21, 2020

The Delicate Art of Glove-Making Lives On in the French Alps

“I could have retired long ago, but I don’t want this profession to die with me."

Sukhada Tatke January 21, 2020

In Texas, Gas Station Restaurants Serve Roast Duck and Momos

Fueling up doesn't need to mean Doritos and hot dogs.

Priya Krishna January 21, 2020

How to Make Sense of an Undrowned Town

Residents of Celles in France were evicted so their village could be flooded. Then, it wasn't.

Sam Harrison January 20, 2020

The Language Used Only by Lake Kivu's Fishermen

As they paddle out each night, they sing in a disappearing language.

Leah Feiger January 20, 2020

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