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Birmingham, England

Library of Birmingham

The largest public library in the United Kingdom was designed to reflect the industrial and artistic history of the city where it stands.
This year, celebrate the Icelandic <em>Jólabókaflóðið</em>, which means “Christmas book flood.”
mystery

Bookish Gifts for Literature Lovers

A giving guide from the Atlas Obscura team.
Gemma Tarlach November 27, 2023
conspiracy theories

Podcast: Dyatlov Pass, Part 2

The mysterious tragedy of the Dyatlov Pass Incident gets an explanation—but not necessarily one everyone accepts.
The Podcast Team November 22, 2023
In this 1873 watercolor, artist Frank Dicksee shows Viking raiders heading for land.
pirates

The Muddled Origins of the Word ‘Viking’

The now common term wasn't used to describe medieval Scandinavians until the 19th century.
Martyn Whittock November 16, 2023
These boxes represent just a portion of Madeline Kripke's dictionary collection—around 10,000 volumes and counting.
objects of intrigue

The Low Down on the Greatest Dictionary Collection in the World

From "unabridged" to "slanguage," Madeline Kripke's library is a logophile's heaven (or hell).
April White November 14, 2023
Abu Haider, a famed Marsh Arab guide, and his wife, Um Haider, in the Central Marshes of Iraq.
dams

In Iraq, the Marsh Arabs of Hawizeh Persevere in a Changing Landscape

Linked to the biblical Garden of Eden, the Mesopotamian marshes—and their people—have endured decades of environmental destruction.
Leon McCarron November 8, 2023
An aerial view of a villager spreading corn grains to dry on the ground at Heixi town in Chongqing, China.
books

Feast on 2,000 Years of Chinese Culinary History

Fuchsia Dunlop's 'Invitation to a Banquet' is a delicious tour de force.
Diana Hubbell November 7, 2023
Anoushka Shankar studied Bharatanatyam, a South Indian classical style of dance, growing up in New Delhi, but her real passion has always been watching dance.
literature

How Dance Became a Genre-Defying Musician’s Deep Obsession

I find myself increasingly drawn to the abstract, and nothing inspires me more than dance.
Anoushka Shankar November 7, 2023
The Raven Room
List

12 Important Places in Edgar Allan Poe's Life (and Death)

A tour of the writer's world, from his short-lived military career to his multiple gravesites.
Atlas Obscura October 30, 2023
George Jacobs, whose witchcraft trial is shown here in Thomkins H. Matteson's 1855 painting, was one of 19 people hanged as a witch during the 1692 Salem witch trials.
murder

The Salem Witch Trials Actually Happened in Danvers, Massachusetts

Tensions between Salem and Danvers were there from the start—contributing to the ensuing witch hysteria.
Theresa McKinney October 26, 2023
The bright colors of a monarch butterfly (<em>Danaus plexippus</em>), just like the boldly striped caterpillars of the species, warn predators to stay away.
poison

The Monarch Butterfly Steals From Poisonous Plants to Survive

The butterfly defends itself using milkweed, just one of several plants packed with heart-stopping toxins that may also be in your medicine cabinet.
Noah Whiteman October 25, 2023
Hanashi Zuka (Grave of Censored Stories)
Tokyo, Japan

Hanashi Zuka (Grave of Censored Stories)

This “grave” memorializes the 53 rakugo stories that were once banned by the national censorship.
Vicolo dei Libri (Book Alley)
Lovere, Italy

Vicolo dei Libri (Book Alley)

Exchange a book at the entrance of this medieval Lovere alley.
The Moravian Book Shop
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Moravian Book Shop

One of the world's oldest continually operating bookstores.
Cuesta de Moyano
Madrid, Spain

Cuesta de Moyano

A haven for book enthusiasts across the street from Retiro Park.
Beijing's Forbidden City, built in the 15th century, was constructed based on cosmological principles that endured in China for millennia.
globes

A Square, Flat Earth and Round Heaven Meant the World to Ancient China

For millennia, this cosmological principle guided everything from calendars to urban planning.
James Hannam September 21, 2023
New Delhi, India

Daryaganj Sunday Book Market

A weekly bazaar sells thousands of books, from vintage collectibles to paperbacks sold by weight.
San Francisco, California

34 Trinity Arts & News

The last used bookstore in Downtown San Francisco is one of the smallest bookstores just about anywhere.