Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Waltham - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Waltham

Waltham, Massachusetts

Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation

A steampunk wonderland that preserves America's history of industrial innovation.

Waltham, Massachusetts

Usen Castle

This castle constructed in 1928 was crafted from drawings of Lismore Castle in Ireland.

Waltham, Massachusetts

Fernald State School

Run by a eugenics advocate, this aging institution conducted secret radiation experiments sponsored by Quaker Oats.

Are we missing something unusual in Waltham?

Watertown, Massachusetts

The Plumbing Museum

Located in a beautifully restored ice house, this museum is the result of decades of hard work and devotion to the craft of plumbing.

1 mile from Waltham

Weston, Massachusetts

Norumbega Tower

This tower pays homage to a legendary Viking fort established in Massachusetts that never really existed.

2 miles from Waltham

Newton, Massachusetts

Star Market

This supermarket is suspended 25 feet above an interstate highway.

2 miles from Waltham

Lexington, Massachusetts

Metropolitan State Hospital (MSH)

Once the largest public hospital for the mentally ill was also surrounded by controversy.

2 miles from Waltham

Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.

In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

In partnership with Get Your Guide

Guided Tours Nearby

Explore Waltham, Massachusetts

Launch Map

Waltham Leaderboard

Places Added

Join the Ranks!

Add an unusual place to Waltham.

Places Edited

Places Visited

Recent Waltham Activity

oddfish wants to go to Usen Castle

bsav158 has been to Fernald State School

bsav158 wants to go to Usen Castle

bsav158 wants to go to Charles River Museum of Industry and Innovation

volkscirocco wants to go to Fernald State School

Stories About Waltham

The Protestant section of the MetFern Cemetery, pictured in June 2021.

The Quest to Honor Disabled Patients Buried in Anonymous Graves

Historically, institutions often interred their dead with simple markers. In Massachusetts, researchers are learning about the patients' lives and the facilities' fraught legacies.

by Asia London Palomba

Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.