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

Two gems of Beaux Arts architecture that have been sitting vacant for years.

Two insane asylum bodies embalmed by an amateur.

A take-out restaurant that only serves cuisine from countries with which the United States is in conflict.

The last remnants of Fort Pitt also hold the distinction of being the oldest structure west of the Allegheny Mountains.

This restaurant offers a side of antiques, curios, and a bathroom chock full of owls.

A unique workspace where offices reside on pirate ships and inside gingerbread houses.

This secluded walking trail is a hidden gem of a Pittsburgh park.

Long hidden under grime, the politically radical murals of a little known Yugoslavian master are finally getting their due.

Its vintage camera collection gives a snapshot of the past as viewed through a photographic lens.

An 18th-century Catholic church converted into an eccentric temple of music and bacchanalia.

The largest university building in the West is a gothic masterpiece containing dozens of theme rooms based on different countries.

One of the steepest streets in the United States makes an intriguing challenge for cyclists.

A restored Pittsburgh house of God has been converted to a marvelous house of suds.

A beautiful oddities shop crammed with strange and morbid curiosities.

Found art has transformed this Pittsburgh neighborhood into a psychedelic dream.

House of vintage taxidermy and Steampunk sculptures in a quiet Pittsburgh neighborhood.

A century-old network of freight tunnels underneath the city's historic business district.

A Japanese temple, old German townhouses, and public chess tables offer a peaceful escape from the bustle of the North Side.

"No writer ever gave more to a city and got back less.”

This titanic Catholic church in Chicago is also a refuge of the fictional cult-favorite wizard detective Harry Dresden.

An outdoor urban gallery of large-scale artworks by the world's most influential street artists.

Not to be confused with the iconic New York City skyscraper, this Chicago building is a vibrant hub for artists.

This surprising gem is a world-class archeological museum hidden at the University of Chicago.