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All United States Wisconsin Madison

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Madison

17 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Madison, Wisconsin

Updated September 13, 2022

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Unusual Attractions in Madison

Madison, Wisconsin

Dapper Cadaver

"Looks so real, it's scary!"

Madison, Wisconsin

Lost City Forest

The arboretum whose marshy soil sucked up the dreams of housing developers.

Madison, Wisconsin

Lamp House

Hidden away in the city of Madison, Wisconsin is a nearly forgotten home that Frank Lloyd Wright built for a childhood friend.

Madison, Wisconsin

Elvis Karate Fight Plaque

A stone marker memorializes the spot where the King broke up a street fight with a classic karate stance.

Madison, Wisconsin

L.R. Ingersoll Physics Museum

A hundred-year-old museum filled with giant physics toys and experiments designed by grad students.

Madison, Wisconsin

Picnic Point Beach House

This forgotten beach house built to look like a Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece overlooks a hidden beach.

Madison, Wisconsin

John Muir's Alarm Clock Desk

Before he was America’s most famous preservationist, John Muir was an ingenious mechanical inventor.

Madison, Wisconsin

Otis Redding Memorial Plaque

A bronze plaque marks the site of the only show the "King of the Soul Singers" ever missed.
See All 17 Things To Do in Madison
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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

18 Mini Golf Courses You Should Go Out of Your Way to Play

Adventures filled with oversized characters, obstacles, and castles await—all you need to join is a putter and a ball. Yes, we're talking about miniature golf, the Lilliputian game with a big imagination. Since 2012, we—Tom Loftus and Robin Schwartzman—have been documenting the world of mini golf on our website A Couple of Putts. After putting our way through more than 300 courses, we’ve stumbled into becoming experts who design, build, and consult on all things miniature golf. With our keen eye for elements that make courses distinctive and magical destinations, we’ve created this world tour to showcase some of our personal favorites, as well as a few courses on our “must play” list. In keeping with the theme, here are 18 unique courses that span the globe. This wild assortment of putting places offer unique ways to interact with the past and present. Putt when ready!

View Itinerary

Explore Madison, Wisconsin

History & Culture 2
Taxidermy 2
Science 2
Music 2
Animals 2
Memorials 2
Anthropomorphic 2
Frank Lloyd Wright 2
Plaques 2
Museums And Collections 1
Science Museums 1
Civil War 1

Madison Leaderboard

Places Added

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    CouplePutts
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Places Edited

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    Collector of Experiences
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    Rachel
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Places Visited

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    Amandala
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Recent Madison Activity

  • T

    torcaso

    wants to go to Dapper Cadaver

  • C

    capthutch58

    wants to go to Otis Redding Memorial Plaque

  • Z

    zstein13

    wants to go to Lamp House

  • G

    greensj1783

    wants to go to Lost City Forest

  • D

    dramaqueenbee98

    has been to Picnic Point Beach House

Lists Featuring Madison

Blue Sky Mausoleum.
Darwin Martin House Complex.
Skylights on the exterior porch made of red cypress.
A restored Wright house on the Burnham Block.

A 12-Stop Road Trip of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Most Surprising Designs

A UFO-inspired church, a futurist gas station, and more deep cuts.

12

Including Blue Sky Mausoleum, The Darwin D. Martin House, and Kentuck Knob

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