Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations
What's near me?

The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

We built Atlas Obscura on the idea that exploration is for everyone—without prejudice or fear. We support all those standing against the inequality and institutionalized racism experienced by Black communities.

We see you.
We hear you.
We are with you.

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Upcoming Online Experiences
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Wonder From Home

The Secret of Seattle's Disappearing Hill

Live from Washington
$7 per device
A virtual walk through a Seattle land alteration project.
Online
Wonder From Home

Backstage with a Magician

Live from New York
$25 per device
Online
Wonder From Home

The Hidden Lives of Owls

Live from Washington
$5 per device
Online
Wonder From Home

The Secret Arts: Crystal Synthesis

Live from New York
$10 per device
Learn about the world's rarest arts from the most curious craftspeople. Enter the world of the Secret Arts!
Online
Wonder From Home

Amabie and Japanese Creatures of Contagion

Live from Washington
$7 per device
Online
Wonder From Home

Unusual Sounds: Mark Korven & The Apprehension Engine

Live from
$7 per device
Join Mark Korven for an intimate performance and talk on The Apprehension Engine.
Online
Wonder From Home

Accidental Discoveries: Inventions

Live from New York
$7 per device
Science is full of accidental discoveries. Dive into a rabbithole of missed targets; will it end in a Nobel Prize or a melted chocolate bar?
Online
Wonder From Home

Dino 101

Live from New York
$7 per device
Who says dinosaurs are just for kids?
Online
Wonder From Home

Meet the Owner of the World's Largest Pizza Box Collection

Live from New York
$8 per device
Online
Wonder From Home

Tunes, Tales & Tartans

Live from
$8 per device
Online
Wonder From Home

Steampunk: A Fusion of History, Art & Technology

Live from Massachusetts
$20 per device
Tour a steampunk wonderland in a 19th century Gothic church.
Online
Wonder From Home

Weird Homes Tour: House of Wonder

Live from Texas
$10 per device
Step inside the house and mind of one of America's leading magicians, Brad Henderson.
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Featured Trips
Our newest and most incredible trips.
food

Forest to Table in Alpine Slovenia

Slovenia
From $2,865 USD
Alongside local experts, we'll munch our way through Slovenia's stunning alpine pastures, forests, and lakes—gathering wild foods, making mountain tea, and crafting a charismatic cheese.
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wildlife & nature

Science After Dark: Spotting Squid in the Tides of Oahu

Hawaii
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. 
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wildlife & nature

Wings & Wonders: Birds of New Zealand

New Zealand
From $5,360 USD
Explore the spectacular birdlife, biodiversity, and natural wonder of Aotearoa alongside seasoned conservationists.
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history

Searching for Russia’s Northern Lights

Russia
From $3,830 USD
Bear witness to the ethereal glow of the Northern Lights, explore Arctic Russia, and see life in the Polar Circle up close.
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More Stories
engineering

How to Make a Wild, Wondrous, and Complicated Contraption With All the Stuff in Your House

The social-distancing era is the perfect time to build a Rube Goldberg machine.
Jessica Leigh Hester June 3, 2020
literature

The Deadly Irish Epidemic That Helped Bring Dracula to Life

Forget Vlad the Impaler. A 19th-century cholera outbreak in Sligo may have been Bram Stoker's chief inspiration.
Ronan O'Connell June 3, 2020
music

‘Sacred Harp’ Singing Treats Every Human Voice as Holy

In the rural American South, these non-denominational sing-alongs are part of a long musical tradition.
Shannon Dell June 3, 2020
medicine

Motorcycle Midwives Brave Bangkok's Traffic to Help Expecting Mothers Deliver

The first episode of TED's Pindrop podcast looks at the city's unique challenges.
Anna Phelan June 3, 2020
archaeology

How to Scour the Landscape for Cultural Heritage From Your Home

Patience and the right resources are key.
Isaac Schultz June 2, 2020
food

With Restaurants Closed, Tuscany’s Finest Fare Is Going to Food Banks

Families in need are receiving prosciutto and Pecorino di Pienza.
Federico Formica June 2, 2020
murals

This Mural in Queens Highlights COVID-19's Impact on People of Color

An image of a brave doctor, large enough to be seen from space.
Matthew Taub June 2, 2020
cemeteries

Why Singapore Is Digging Up Its Few Remaining Cemeteries

With land in short supply, families are forming new traditions.
Tan Yin Lin June 2, 2020
plants

In Antarctica, It's Not Easy Being Green

Yet vegetation persists there. And as the first large-scale algae map reveals, "green snow" acts as a carbon sink.
Luna Shyr June 1, 2020
weather

Find a Moment of Calm in These Cumulonimbus Clouds

A time-lapse shows that, before they unleash storms, the clouds look pretty soothing. (At least from space.)
Jessica Leigh Hester June 1, 2020
music

Street Musicians Have Turned Mexico City Into One Giant Music Venue

Not everyone welcomes the performances, but they're traveling far and taking risks to get by.
Ellen Freeman June 1, 2020
archaeology

Unearthing the True Toll of the Tulsa Race Massacre

99 years later, a community works with archaeologists to answer longstanding questions about a brutal tragedy.
Megan Gannon June 1, 2020
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