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All United States Pennsylvania Philadelphia

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Philadelphia

68 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Updated February 2, 2023

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Unusual Attractions in Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Eastern State Penitentiary

World's first "penitentiary," meant to be humane, drove men insane.
Einstein's Brain Slides

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Mütter Museum

America's most famous museum of medical oddities is home to the remains of Albert Einstein's brain.
Main entrance to the cemetery

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Mount Moriah Cemetery

An abandoned cemetery lies in ruins as the surrounding forest swallows it whole.
Magic Garden

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens

A layered tribute to the work of mosaicist Isaiah Zagar.
Summer at Shofuso

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Shofuso Japanese House and Garden

Philadelphia boasts one of the best — and most often overlooked — traditional Japanese gardens in North America.
The cave from the front.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cave of Kelpius

Where America's first doomsday cult awaited the end of the world.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site

Tour the dark and beloved poet's former cobwebbed basement, which may have inspired "The Black Cat."

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Wagner Free Institute

A rare view of a preserved Victorian science museum.
See All 68 Things To Do in Philadelphia

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Philadelphia

The backyard features a giant mural by local artist Hawk Krall.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pizza Brain's Museum of Pizza Culture

Enjoy a slice while browsing the world's largest collection of pizza memorabilia.
The interior is a perfect example of turn-of-the-century shop design.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Shane Confectionery

Step into a pastel time capsule where candy is truly dandy.
The old Adam Scheidt Brewing Company in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Old Adam Scheidt Plant

This forgotten building was one of the few Philadelphia-area breweries to survive Prohibition.
Permanently Closed

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Fiume

A tiny, unmarked beer and whiskey bar above an Ethiopian restaurant in West Philly fails to conceal live bluegrass.
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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

6 Fascinating Medical Marvels in Pennsylvania

In the 1700s and 1800s, Philadelphia was the center of medical scholarship in the United States. The city not only attracted the brightest minds, but also the most curious cases and characters. From the oldest quarantine facility in the country to a museum that memorializes a traveling dental circus, here are six places to marvel at the trials, errors, and triumphs of medical history in Pennsylvania. As the pandemic continues, we hope this virtual trip helps you explore America’s wonders. If you do choose to venture out, please follow all guidelines, maintain social distance, and wear a mask.

View Itinerary
Displays at the Weaver Dental Museum include a jumble of dentures.

Explore Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

History 11
Statues 7
Aletrail 6
Collections 6
Parks 5
Museums And Collections 5
Homes 4
Music 4
Architectural Oddities 4
Sacred Spaces 4
Medical Museums 4

Philadelphia Leaderboard

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Places Visited

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Recent Philadelphia Activity

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    has been to Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial

Stories About Philadelphia

Talia Young founded Fishadelphia to bring seafood from regional suppliers to economically and culturally diverse communities.

The Scientist Bringing Fresh Fish Back to Philadelphia's Underserved Neighborhoods

Welcome to Fishadelphia.
by Ann Finkbeiner
January 16, 2023

Podcast: Maillardet’s Automaton

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
July 26, 2022

Podcast: Eastern State Penitentiary

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.
by The Podcast Team
June 6, 2022
Midas Touch is based off archaeological evidence from an ancient tomb.

The Art of Brewing Historical Beers

Drink like King Midas and George Washington with these brews.
by Sam O'Brien
December 7, 2021
(detail) The cover of the first paperback edition of Dracula, published in 1901, from the Rosenbach's collection.

Dracula Lives! (in Philadelphia)

The Rosenbach museum is home to Bram Stoker’s original notes on vampires and a growing collection of undead literature.
by April White
October 27, 2021
A smashed pumpkin might be the trick, regardless of the presence of a treat.

Why Is Mischief Night Different From All Other Nights?

How a local tradition has hung on for centuries.
by Dan Nosowitz
October 21, 2021
The Hyrtl Skull Collection isn't just medical history. Scientists continue to study the bones today.

The Eventful Afterlife of a Crowd of 19th-Century Skulls

Philadelphia’s famed anatomy showplace, the Mütter Museum, gets a facelift.
by April White
October 18, 2021
Chef Evans at Down North Pizza.

The Chef Fighting Mass Incarceration With Food

Kurt Evans is reducing recidivism, one pizza at a time.
by Sheryl Nance-Nash
June 17, 2021

Lists Featuring Philadelphia

Cushing Brain Collection
Brain of Helen Hamilton Gardener

The World's Most Fascinating Displays of Preserved Brains

The mind is a terrible thing to waste.

8

Including Cushing Brain Collection, Mammalian Brain Collection, and Brain Museum

The House of the Temple.
Statue of George Washington

Novus Ordo Seclorum: 14 Places to Unearth Masonic Secrets

Your best bets for gaining insight into the real history of Freemasonry.

14

Including Zedekiah's Cave, Masonic Lodge of the Andaz Hotel, and House of the Temple

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