The haunting "Hell House Altar" is one of the few remnants of an abandoned college that has been a magnet for local legends.

Numerical symbolism abound at East Asia's oldest observatory.

Ancient Egyptian relief, claimed to depict an electrical light.

The oldest working mechanical clock in the world.

Light still pours into the ruins of this ancient Islamic observatory.

An ancient instrument used to measure the waters of the Nile so Egyptian farmers would know whether to expect famine or flood.

Centuries before the modern seismograph, Armenian monks measured quakes with this tilting pillar.

A 2,000-year-old computer demonstrates remarkable engineering and astronomical precision.

The oldest family-run luncheonette in New York, last renovated in 1948, still serves food and drinks the old-fashioned way.

Manhattan’s Battery Park has a whimsical carousel full of spinning, glowing fish.

The factory for the popular Dumbo location, the Greenpoint shop is a quiet gem.

Named the fifth most beautiful building in America in 1885, this former courthouse boasts the best view in the Village.

A hands-on traveling collection of the innovative devices of yesteryear.

The last slot car racing arcade in Brooklyn is keeping the dream of speedy little autos alive.

One of the most enjoyable bits of history at Coney Island and “the most romantic ride in the world.”

The world’s oldest and biggest bookstore stocking only mystery, crime fiction, espionage, and thrillers.

You can still ride this 100-year-old work of art in Brooklyn's largest public park.

Order scoops of pandan, lychee, and black sesame at this family-run institution.

A reclusive Memphis neighborhood is home to decades worth of misunderstood Masonic folk art.

This former Masonic lodge has been transformed into part museum, part bar, all awesome.

Built to house a chapter of the Knights Templar, this grandiose building is a relic of Freemasonry in Chicago a century ago.

A once-secret library of Freemason history in Catalonia.

Huge masonic hall in Philadelphia with lavishly themed rooms.

Hidden behind a wall for decades, this masonic lodge was only rediscovered during renovations.