Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations

The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

The recently dated Pitsenbarger Farm in Franklin, West Virginia, is on the state's list of endangered properties.

Why Trees Are the Most Reliable Historians of Early America

Dendrochronology doesn't just work on forests. It works on buildings too.

by Isaac Schultz

Place of the Day

Petite Ceinture

An abandoned railway line circling the city of Paris.

Australia Needs Slow and Steady Rain—Not Golf Ball-Sized Hail

The fire-scorched landscape needs water. But not the kind that recently fell on Canberra.

January 24, 2020

The French Missionary and the English Duke Who Saved a Chinese Deer From Extinction

How a Massive Fatberg Went From Sewer to Science Museum

Eat Like a 1970s Radical With 'The People's Philadelphia Cookbook'

Australia’s Platypuses Are Invisible Victims of the Bushfires

Top Countries

Top Cities

Road Island Diner

What's a diner from the 1939 World's Fair doing in a remote Utah mountain town?

lukefater

Added by lukefater

Lincolnshire, England

Kinema in the Woods

This century-old cinema is complete with musical interludes and boasts a rare projection system.

Dr Alan P Newman

Added by Dr Alan P Newman

Beirut, Lebanon

The Egg

This modernist cinema has survived war and reconstruction to become a symbol of Lebanon’s revolutionary spirit.

Justin Higginbottom

Added by Justin Higginbottom

Hørve, Denmark

Dragsholm Castle

Considered one of the most haunted places in Europe, this 800-year-old castle was home to noble prisoners.

Tony Dunnell

Added by Tony Dunnell

Carthage, Missouri

Red Oak II

When he found his hometown was no more, Lowell Davis decided to recreate it from scratch.

Added by Moe Cheezmo

Add a Place to the Atlas

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.

history & culture

Tunisia Through the Sands of Time

From $3,660 USD

art & performance

Extraordinary Island: Puerto Rico's Hidden Wonders

From $1,970 USD

science & nature

Texas Hill Country: Bat Caves & Beyond

From $1,195 USD

Explore aquifers, caverns, and karsts while tracking millions of Mexican free-tailed bats, and learn how they maintain balance in the Hill Country ecosystem.

Inside the Holographer's Laboratory

New York, New York

White House Tales of Scandal & Intrigue

Washington, D.C.

A Hoppin' Good Time at The Bunny Museum

Altadena, California

Walking the Hidden Wonders of Midtown

New York, New York

Visit NYC's Oldest Magic Shop After Dark

New York, New York

Atlas Obscura's Wonders of FiDi

Explore the Ruins of Seneca Quarry

Poolesville, Maryland

Lasting Impressions in Print

Carson, California

Cooking with Critters

Los Angeles, California

Scent-Making and Hollywood History

Los Angeles, California

Behind the Scenes at the City Reliquary

Brooklyn, New York

Sci Fi Sewage Sanctuary

Los Angeles, California

View All Experiences

Why American Kids Have Been Going to Soviet Sleepaway Camp

Camp Artek is known for its sun, fun, and socialism.

Jen Pinkowski January 22, 2020

Scientists Are Simulating Mass Animal Die-Offs in an Oklahoma Prairie

Understanding the ecological impact of hundreds of dead feral hogs.

Sabrina Imbler January 22, 2020

A Japanese Sculptor's Tribute to Wild Rice Covers an Australian Floodplain

Mitsuaki Tanabe's untimely death spurred his son to finish his last work.

Selena Hoy January 22, 2020

9 Years Later, Furry Friends—and Foes—Are Returning to Fukushima

Few of them seem to miss the missing humans.

Isaac Schultz January 21, 2020

The Delicate Art of Glove-Making Lives On in the French Alps

“I could have retired long ago, but I don’t want this profession to die with me."

Sukhada Tatke January 21, 2020

In Texas, Gas Station Restaurants Serve Roast Duck and Momos

Fueling up doesn't need to mean Doritos and hot dogs.

Priya Krishna January 21, 2020

How to Make Sense of an Undrowned Town

Residents of Celles in France were evicted so their village could be flooded. Then, it wasn't.

Sam Harrison January 20, 2020

The Language Used Only by Lake Kivu's Fishermen

As they paddle out each night, they sing in a disappearing language.

Leah Feiger January 20, 2020

The Leech's Journey, From Welsh Lab to American Hospitals

Disgusting? Sure. But invaluable in today's post-surgical ward.

Bradley Allf January 17, 2020

If You Look Very, Very Close, Antarctica Is Teeming With Life

Meet the icy continent's menagerie of microbes.

Jessica Leigh Hester January 17, 2020

In 1930s New York, the Mayor Took on the Mafia by Banning Artichokes

Gangs and mafiosos have a long history with food crime.

Mark Hay January 17, 2020

30 of the World's Most Spectacular Spirals

Swirls and curls and whorls—with an enchanting twist.

Read All Stories