Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations

The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

Mongolia's perennial ice patches are receding and disappearing.

Mongolia’s Disappearing Ice Patches Threaten Both the Past and the Present

Reindeer herders and archaeologists must adapt to the new normal.

by Isaac Schultz

Place of the Day

'Sound II'

The figure lurks within the often-flooded Winchester Cathedral crypt.

A South African Couple Has Turned Elephant Dung Into Award-Winning Gin

November 21, 2019

How Do You Keep a Subway From Flooding in the Age of Rising Seas?

The Strange Emptiness of Egypt in 19th-Century European Photographs

India and Nepal’s Mithila Art Is Having a Feminist Renaissance

The Saga of the Cannibal Ants in a Soviet Nuclear Bunker

Top Countries

Top Cities

London, Ontario

Banting House

The "birthplace of insulin," where Sir Frederick Banting realized the hormone could save the lives of Type 1 diabetics.

Gina Buonaguro

Added by Gina Buonaguro

Queens, New York

Indonesian Food Bazaar at St. James Episcopal Church

Once a month, an Indonesian feast appears inside an Elmhurst church hall.

Added by Wufei Yu

Tallinn, Estonia

Tallinn Museum of Photography

This former medieval prison now unlocks Estonia’s rich photographic history.

matthewhollett

Added by matthewhollett

Panteón de Hombres Ilustres (Pantheon of Illustrious Men)

The unfinished final resting place of some of Spain's most prominent politicians.

Luis Morato

Added by Luis Morato

Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne Observatory

The city’s oldest gateway to the galaxy lies at the entrance to the Royal Botanical Gardens.

planetreverie

Added by planetreverie

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Top Place Tags

art & performance

Cambodia: Contemporary Art, Spiritual Traditions, and Hidden Wonders

From $3,215 USD

Explore the vibrant art, religion, and food culture of the Kingdom of Cambodia, and spend time with the country's leading artists and performers.

science & nature

Science After Dark: Spotting Squid in the Tides of Oahu

From $3,535 USD

Just beneath the waves off the Hawaiian coast, there are schools of tropical fish, flotillas of sea turtles, and squads of squid. We’re diving in to explore some of their secrets.

art & performance

Desert Canvas: Art of Joshua Tree and the Mojave

From $2,360 USD

Join us as we venture deep into the High Desert, glimpsing massive sculptures, revitalizing domes, and fluorescent painted mountains along the way.

history & culture

Tunisia Through the Sands of Time

From $3,660 USD

Flirting with Love

City of Industry, California

Ascend Ascend: A Poetic Performance

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Experience a public ritual for personal transformation with poet Janaka Stucky.

Discover Greenbelt Town of Tomorrow

Greenbelt, Maryland

Explore the Ruins of Seneca Quarry

Poolesville, Maryland

Hidden Stories at Graceland Cemetery

Chicago, Illinois

Bee Medicine: Oils, Salves and Balms

Seattle, Washington

Exploring Historic Homes of the Stars

Santa Monica, California

Hollywood Miniature Magic

Los Angeles, California

Two Bit Circus Bemusement Park Tour

Los Angeles, California

Japanese Incense and Tea Experience

Seattle, Washington

Lost and Long-Gone Graveyards of L.A.

Los Angeles, California

The Spies of Georgetown

Washington, D.C.

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Understanding How Bison Might Help Shape the Future of the Badlands

New lessons from resurgent herds.

Isaac Schultz November 18, 2019

See What the Pyrenees Look Like From an Antique Airplane

The mountain range offers a wealth of gorgeous, unexpected textures.

Garrett Fisher November 18, 2019

The Uncertain Future of the World's Largest Secondhand Book Market

At the College Street market in Kolkata, India, independent booksellers fear the arrival of a massive mall.

Peter Yeung November 18, 2019

12 Historic Places at Risk From Rising Waters

It's not just Venice: Flooding is an increasingly big problem for heritage sites around the world.

How the Wiyot Tribe Won Back a Sacred California Island

The tribe finally completed a ceremony interrupted by a massacre in 1860.

Sabrina Imbler November 15, 2019

Along the Remains of Route 66, Road Trip Trash Has Become Treasure

Welcome to the "throw zone."

Jessica Leigh Hester November 15, 2019

Tour Honolulu's Japanese Food Scene With This 1906 Map

More than a century ago, Takei Nekketsu mapped Japanese-owned businesses for recent immigrants.

Reina Gattuso November 15, 2019

Ancient Egypt’s Ibis Mummies Were Probably Not Raised in Giant Sacred Ranches

Genetic research suggests a more local solution to meet demand.

Isaac Schultz November 14, 2019

Taiwan’s Pygmy Seahorses Have a Robust Social Media Presence

Scientists used it to conduct a survey of them in the country's dive hotspots.

Sabrina Imbler November 14, 2019

A Pirate Botanist Helped Bring Hot Chocolate to England

William Hughes was a buccaneer with an early recipe for “the American Nectar.”

Reina Gattuso November 14, 2019

The Greatest Banquet in Chinese History That Never Was

How grilled ape, braised bear paw, and steamed camel hump came to symbolize national unity.

Luke Fater November 13, 2019

Probing the Secrets of the Universe From Deep in the Australian Outback

Extreme heat, ants, and stray cell phones are big concerns.

Isaac Schultz November 13, 2019

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