Atlas Obscura - Curious and Wondrous Travel Destinations

The definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders.

According to the origin story of the Tseshaht people, retold by the archaeologist Denis St. Claire, “Kwatyaat was the creator of the world we can see around us. He had a son called Kapkimyis, and in this story Kapkimyis is here with a shaman. Standing here, they cut with a mussel shell knife the thigh of Kapkimyis. The blood was scooped up and blown into. One version says the first woman emerges, the other says the first man..."

A First Nation, a Fight for Ancestral Lands, And an Unlikely Alliance

The Tseshaht people are working with archaeologists to write a new chapter in a fraught history.

by Lorraine Boissoneault

Place of the Day

Hanging Temple of Hengshan

A 5th-century temple improbably built into the side of a cliff.

Lake Michigan's 'Ice Volcanoes' Are Extremely Cool, Definitely Not Volcanoes

“It sounds like if you got a big Slurpee, and then dumped it on the ground.”

February 25, 2020

The Exiled Prince Behind Los Angeles's Only Fresh-Pasta Food Truck

The Bittersweet Thrill of Iceboating in a Warming World

The Daily Race to Find Jersey Artifacts Before the Tide Comes In

The Black Taxidermist Who Made History at Chicago's Field Museum

Top Countries

Top Cities

Mokra Gora, Serbia

Drvengrad

A idyllic traditional timber village on a picturesque hill was built for a film.

Added by alexplorer

Lone Pine, California

Mobius Arch

This rock formation named for its unique shape is one of many that call the Alabama Hills home.

Added by WindupMan

Calgary, Alberta

'Travelling Light'

A controversial blue hoop has been puzzling freeway drivers since 2013.

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Added by jessicahester1

Brugge, Belgium

Torture Museum Bruges

Inside this former medieval prison is a collection of objects designed to inflict unbelievable pain and suffering on the human body and mind.

Added by marjolein

Boca del Río, Mexico

Buque Cañonero C-07 Guanajuato (C-07 Guanajuato Gunship)

This flagship of the Mexican Navy has had a bumpy second life after being retired from service.

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Added by linkogecko

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art & performance

Extraordinary Island: Puerto Rico's Hidden Wonders

From $1,970 USD

art & performance

Beyond the Quarter: Music and Reinvention in New Orleans

From $1,415 USD

Explore the rich soundscape of New Orleans, tracing the social, political, and spiritual roles these traditions have played throughout history and in contemporary culture.

art & performance

Santa Fe Weekend: New Art, Ancient Traditions

From $1,280 USD

Spend a weekend immersed in the rich history, deeply rooted tradition, and constantly evolving art-scape of northern New Mexico.

art & performance

Vienna: Salon Sonatas and Klimt Up Close

From $2,625 USD

Immerse yourself in Vienna’s rich artistic culture of past and present—from the historic coffee houses that have hosted creative salons for centuries to world-renowned musical venues.

Walking the Hidden Wonders of Midtown

New York, New York

Tour Chicago's Largest Prop House

Chicago, Illinois

Come Out & Play at a DIY Amusement Park

Los Angeles, California

Inside Look at The Bunny Museum

Altadena, California

Exploring a Secret Fort

Washington, D.C.

Scent-Making and Hollywood History

Los Angeles, California

The Abandoned Zoo Ruins of Griffith Park

Holllywood, Los Angeles, California

New York City Clock Walk

New York, New York

Atlas Obscura's Wonders of FiDi

New York, New York

International Church of Cannabis Art Tour

Denver, Colorado

Inside the Holographer's Laboratory

New York, New York

Sci Fi Sewage Sanctuary

Los Angeles, California

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How a British Guild Rebuilt a Vandalized Royal Cake Replica

It took an international team (and Buckingham Palace).

Katherine Waters February 25, 2020

On the Hunt for the Wild Relatives of America's Favorite Produce

Popular crops’ untamed cousins are genetic gold mines, but they're at risk of disappearing.

Reina Gattuso February 24, 2020

What Were 29 Exotic Snakes Doing in a U.K. Trash Bin?

Wriggling in pillowcases, trying to stay warm after being illegally abandoned.

Jennifer S. Holland February 24, 2020

The 30-Hour Ferry Rides That Keep Indonesia Connected

With more than 6,000 inhabited islands, the country can’t rely on air travel alone.

Alex Pflaum February 24, 2020

The Effort to Save Colombia's Underground Mountaintop Tombs

Scientists and conservators are finally able to return to what was once an Andean war zone.

Megan Janetsky February 24, 2020

The History of Race, Performance, and Drag Intersect in a Rare Photo of Thomas Dilward

Dilward performed with all-white minstrel troupes that otherwise excluded black people.

Sabrina Imbler February 21, 2020

The Devilishly Difficult Locks of Dindigul

These unique handcrafted mechanisms are designed to protect homes, confound cashiers, and outthink thieves.

Kamala Thiagarajan February 21, 2020

The Archaeobotanist Searching Art for Lost Fruit

Renaissance paintings can hide botanical secrets.

Vittoria Traverso February 21, 2020

For One Photographer, Reptiles Rule the Galápagos

Lucas Bustamante wants you to fall in love.

Winnie Lee February 21, 2020

For Sale: Royally Minted Coins, Decorated With Dinosaurs

It’s change 165 million years in the making.

Isaac Schultz February 20, 2020

Early Chinese Trick Photography Sent Chubby Babies Into Space

Inside a historian’s collection of endearing, goofy early 20th-century portraits.

Sabrina Imbler February 20, 2020

Life Along the Border That Cuts Cyprus in Two

In Nicosia, physical barriers separate the Greek and Turkish communities—but many residents don't seem to mind.

Rachel Button February 20, 2020

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