A pink sandstone column once used in ancient times to measure one's belly after a night of debauchery.

A modern mechanical planetary system, part of a 10,000 year clock.

The last remaining relic of San Francisco's glittering 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition.

A collection of 20th-century automata, penny arcade games, and musical contraptions.

The seawater playground of gilded-era San Francisco burned to the ground in 1966.

A walk-in working camera obscura produces 360-degree live images of the San Francisco coast.

Elevated freight railway turned wildly successful urban park.

This ferry carries passengers across the Rhine propelled by no engine or paddles but by the river's current.

With print dying, this local paper keeps the lights on by doubling as a stunning cafe and cocktail bar.

This quirky outpost and gallery inside a former church is an unexpected trove of handcrafted art.

The most impressive of Basel's three remaining city gates.

A futuristic rocket marks the spot where three borders meet.

If James Bond bungee-jumped off the side of a 720-foot dam, would you do it too?

This artistic fountain display pays homage to this area's theatrical history.

Along the Rhine, about a mile from the historic Munster, learn the heartrending story of two lovers torn asunder, cast into unknown layers of time and space.

This work of engineering is imbued with elegance and ingeniousness.

The world's longest and deepest train tunnel.

An interactive exhibition space dedicated to the kinetic sculptures of Swiss artist Jean Tinguely.

Constructed along the shores of Lake Zurich, this pavilion is a walk-through work of art.

Europe's largest dinosaur museum was founded by a passionate autodidact.

A Swiss amusement park entirely dedicated to the theory of ancient astronauts.

A once-thriving hotel in the Swiss Alps couldn't compete with climate change.

Minimalist modern art on a repurposed military base in rural Texas.

This old abandoned sign flickers to announce a motel that isn't even there.