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

Utah's Great Salt Lake Could Hold Clues to Life on Mars

The Monumental Undertaking of Moving Into an Old Masonic Temple

Glowing Dutch Greenhouses, As Seen From Way Up High

8 Wondrous Bridges to Nowhere

Top Countries

Top Cities

Dolores Hidalgo, Mexico

Nieves Exóticas of Jardín Principal

Meat and seafood are part of the frozen dessert flavors available at these legendary street stands.

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Goldfield, Nevada

Hard Luck Mine Castle

This magnificent, quirky home sits atop a literal gold mine in the middle of the Nevada desert.

Added by Marjorie Perlas

Cambridge, England

Reality Checkpoint

An ordinary lamppost situated in the middle of Cambridge has an unusual moniker and history.

SEANETTA

Added by SEANETTA

Or Torah Synagogue

This synagogue is covered in beautiful mosaics that explore the history of the Jewish people.

BadRandall

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Qin Shan Zhai

Every dish at this restaurant claims to have a health benefit.

Anne Ewbank

Added by Anne Ewbank

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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

New York City Clock Walk

New York, New York

Behind the Scenes at the City Reliquary

Brooklyn, New York

Inside the Holographer's Laboratory

New York, New York

Sci Fi Sewage Sanctuary

Los Angeles, California

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Eat Like a 1970s Radical With 'The People's Philadelphia Cookbook'

The 1976 book included contributions from the Black Power and Gay Liberation movements.

Reina Gattuso January 24, 2020

Australia’s Platypuses Are Invisible Victims of the Bushfires

After years of drought and habitat loss, “It’s one more nail in their coffin.”

Sabrina Imbler January 24, 2020

Remembering the 'Kiwi Queen' Who Revolutionized American Produce Aisles

Frieda Caplan defied gender norms to take Americans from peas and potatoes to kumquats and quinces.

Luke Fater January 23, 2020

Why Trees Are the Most Reliable Historians of Early America

Dendrochronology doesn't just work on forests. It works on buildings too.

Isaac Schultz January 23, 2020

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

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