Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations

The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

Ready, set, sail!

The Bittersweet Thrill of Iceboating in a Warming World

For hundreds of years, sailors have zipped across frozen lakes and rivers. But for how long?

by Jessica Leigh Hester

Place of the Day

Galileo's Middle Finger

The middle finger of modernity.

african-american

Meet the Iowa Architect Documenting Every Slave House Still Standing

Jobie Hill has visited 700 former residences. Many have been abandoned. Some have become storage space. Others are B&Bs.

February 26, 2020

Antarctica's Pretty Pink Snow Is Brought to You By Algae and Penguin Poop

8 of the Rudest Places on Earth

In Kaua‘i, Botanists Rediscover an Extinct Plant Once Mistaken for Another Extinct Plant

These Money-Making Monkeys Have Jobs Picking Coconuts

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Taito City, Japan

Benten-dō Temple

A Buddhist temple on an artificial island that houses a monument to the fugu fish.

Phlizz

Added by Phlizz

Rotterdam, Netherlands

Rotterdam's Old City Wall

Inside this metro station is a section of the city's former medieval fortification.

CoolCrab

Added by CoolCrab

Theatre of Dionysus

Heralded as the world's first theatre, these ruins are often overlooked as they reside in the shadows of the Acropolis.

Dr Alan P Newman

Added by Dr Alan P Newman

The Autograph Tree

This Copper beech tree nestled on a nature reserve is host to a bevy of autographs from Irish literary icons.

Added by Deirdreod

Isle of Wight, England

Culver Battery

The now-quiet remains of coastal artillery defenses that were used in both World Wars.

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art & performance

Extraordinary Island: Puerto Rico's Hidden Wonders

From $1,970 USD

art & performance

Beyond the Quarter: Music and Reinvention in New Orleans

From $1,415 USD

Explore the rich soundscape of New Orleans, tracing the social, political, and spiritual roles these traditions have played throughout history and in contemporary culture.

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.

art & performance

Vienna: Salon Sonatas and Klimt Up Close

From $2,625 USD

Immerse yourself in Vienna’s rich artistic culture of past and present—from the historic coffee houses that have hosted creative salons for centuries to world-renowned musical venues.

Tour Chicago's Largest Prop House

Chicago, Illinois

Come Out & Play at a DIY Amusement Park

Los Angeles, California

Inside Look at The Bunny Museum

Altadena, California

Exploring a Secret Fort

Washington, D.C.

Scent-Making and Hollywood History

Los Angeles, California

The Abandoned Zoo Ruins of Griffith Park

Holllywood, Los Angeles, California

New York City Clock Walk

New York, New York

Atlas Obscura's Wonders of FiDi

New York, New York

International Church of Cannabis Art Tour

Denver, Colorado

Walking the Hidden Wonders of Midtown

New York, New York

Inside the Holographer's Laboratory

New York, New York

Sci Fi Sewage Sanctuary

Los Angeles, California

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Once a Year, This Alaskan Town Is Home to More Pies Than People

For mushers in the Iditarod dog-sled race, stopping in Takotna is a treat.

Bailey Berg February 26, 2020

The California Photographer Who Has Shot More Than 100 Wildfires

Noah Berger is in his element amid smoke and flames.

Winnie Lee February 26, 2020

How Reading Lava Flows Reveals a Lost Paradise

Human harm is burned into Réunion’s ecological record.

Isaac Schultz February 25, 2020

A First Nation, a Fight for Ancestral Lands, And an Unlikely Alliance

The Tseshaht people are working with archaeologists to write a new chapter in a fraught history.

Lorraine Boissoneault February 25, 2020

Lake Michigan's 'Ice Volcanoes' Are Extremely Cool, Definitely Not Volcanoes

“It sounds like if you got a big Slurpee, and then dumped it on the ground.”

Jessica Leigh Hester February 25, 2020

How a British Guild Rebuilt a Vandalized Royal Cake Replica

It took an international team (and Buckingham Palace).

Katherine Waters February 25, 2020

On the Hunt for the Wild Relatives of America's Favorite Produce

Popular crops’ untamed cousins are genetic gold mines, but they're at risk of disappearing.

Reina Gattuso February 24, 2020

What Were 29 Exotic Snakes Doing in a U.K. Trash Bin?

Wriggling in pillowcases, trying to stay warm after being illegally abandoned.

Jennifer S. Holland February 24, 2020

The 30-Hour Ferry Rides That Keep Indonesia Connected

With more than 6,000 inhabited islands, the country can’t rely on air travel alone.

Alex Pflaum February 24, 2020

The Effort to Save Colombia's Underground Mountaintop Tombs

Scientists and conservators are finally able to return to what was once an Andean war zone.

Megan Janetsky February 24, 2020

The History of Race, Performance, and Drag Intersect in a Rare Photo of Thomas Dilward

Dilward performed with all-white minstrel troupes that otherwise excluded black people.

Sabrina Imbler February 21, 2020

The Devilishly Difficult Locks of Dindigul

These unique handcrafted mechanisms are designed to protect homes, confound cashiers, and outthink thieves.

Kamala Thiagarajan February 21, 2020

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