Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations
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The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

Gastro Obscura
Covering the world's most wondrous food and drink.
An entire bread altar to St. Joseph.
Ritual & Medicinal

St. Joseph's Day Altars

Elaborate bread sculptures grace these edible annual altars in Sicily and Sicilian communities abroad.
Prepared Foods

Cao Lầu

Authentic renditions of this Vietnamese noodle dish rely on the terroir of a single coastal city.
Prepared Foods

Frejon

This thick bean soup is a Good Friday tradition for Nigeria's Afro-Brazilian community.
Sweets

Kouign-Amann

Some Bretons claim that their signature treat is the fattiest pastry in the world.
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Upcoming Events
Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square.
Mar 24
Washington, D.C.

Scandal, Assassination, and Spies in Lafayette Square

Join former White House speechwriter Ed Moser as we wade into the swamp in front of Washington’s most famous residence.
The monument to Perkins Bass, who was fired from his job by President Andrew Johnson.
Mar 24
Chicago, Illinois

Rosehill Cemetery Walk

One of our most popular monthly events returns for the 2019 season!
Child standing on sidewalk with woman, Philadelphia
Mar 26
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Face-to-Face Photos of Keith's Philadelphians

Tour an archive showcasing Philadelphians working, playing, and living life on their stoops and streets as photographed nearly a century ago by John Frank Keith.
Aly Moore leading the way.
Mar 27
West Hollywood, California

Would You Like Bugs With That Wine?

A gastro-entomological adventure for your taste buds.
Book binding process.
Mar 28
Pico Rivera, California

Behind The Scenes at Kater-Crafts Bookbinders

The age-old craft of bookbinding survives in the era of e-books.
Construction of the Bloomingdale Line.
Mar 28
Chicago, Illinois

The 606: Immigrant Stories and Connections

Elevate your perspective on the historical origins of the people that built the former industrial rail line and helped shape the surrounding neighborhoods.
Skewered locust.
Mar 28
Seattle, Washington

An Insect Feast

Munch on crickets, locusts, and Chinese medicinal ants in an iconic 1960s dive bar.
Open Roof at "Greet the Light."
Mar 29
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Sonic Seasonal at Skyspace With Laraaji

Take in sunset at Chestnut Hill Meetinghouse with a James Turrell installation and celestial music improvisation by multi-instrumentalist Laraaji.
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More Stories
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china

Found: The First Egg Inside a Bird Fossil

Everything’s better with an egg on (or in) it.
March 20, 2019
Gastro Obscura
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bookstores

Edible Book Festivals Are for Pun and Food Lovers

It's been widely celebrated for almost 20 years.
March 20, 2019
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window

The Smallest Museum in Switzerland Is a Window in a 600-Year-Old House

Two collectors display their favorite memorabilia in this two-foot-by-two-foot display.
March 20, 2019
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genetics

How DNA From a 200-Year-Old Pipe Connects Maryland and Sierra Leone

Genetics has many stories to tell about enslaved people.
March 19, 2019
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