214 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Brooklyn - Atlas Obscura

Unusual Attractions in Brooklyn

Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn Superhero Supply Store

The one-stop shop for all of your superhero (or evil arch-nemesis) needs.

Brooklyn, New York

New York Transit Museum

Ride the subways of yesteryear.

Brooklyn, New York

Sunshine Laundromat

One of New York's best collections of pinball is hidden in a secret bar in the back of this laundromat.

Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

Sniff the Titan Arum's rotting flesh.

Brooklyn, New York

Robotic Church

This former Norwegian sailor's church is slowly being taken over by ramshackle robot musicians.

Brooklyn, New York

House of Wax

Tucked in a nondescript downtown Brooklyn mall is a bar containing a remarkable turn of the century anatomical wax collection last seen in 1920s Berlin.

Brooklyn, New York

City Reliquary

Brooklyn has some great collections and some weird collections. This is both.

Brooklyn, New York

Brooklyn Art Library

Leaf through over 30,000 artists' sketchbooks in what may be the world's largest collection of doodles

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Unique Food & Drink in Brooklyn

Egg Cream

A fizzy, chocolate drink that harkens back to the days of Brooklyn soda fountains.

Brooklyn Blackout Cake

A cake as dark as a city hiding from enemy bombers.

Bean Pie

This slightly sweet dessert is a staple in some Black American Muslim communities.

Chopped Cheese

This staple sandwich of Brooklyn delis has become a symbol of gentrification.

See all 9 things to eat in Brooklyn See all 9 things to eat in Brooklyn

Atlas Obscura Trips

Afloat the Erie Canal: A Self-Led Houseboat Adventure

Be the captain of your own ship as you steer along this historic waterway, experiencing its hidden wonders and two centuries of history.

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Map of New England Oddities	15 March 29, 2020	8493	March 29, 2020
New England Road Trip	27 February 7, 2020	5693	February 7, 2020
Liederkranz Cheese	10 August 29, 2019	3308	August 29, 2019
Try our NYC culinary scavenger hunt!	4 July 18, 2019	1623	July 18, 2019
Road Trip Creepy/ Cool things to see Traveling from New York to Salem, MA	7 August 18, 2019	2527	August 18, 2019

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Stories About Brooklyn

The Gowanus: kinda picturesque, but also terribly polluted since the 19th century.

Brooklyn's Putrid, Beloved Gowanus Canal Has Been a Horror for Centuries

A new $1.5 billion cleanup effort is underway, targeting its "black mayonnaise" of pollutants.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

January 14, 2021

The Notorious B.I.G. as the "King of New York."

For Sale: Biggie's Crown, and Other Icons of Hip-Hop History

There's lots to intrigue West Coasters, too.

by Matthew Taub

September 9, 2020

The shore of Dead Horse Bay, photographed in 2015, is known for its trash.

New York's Favorite Trash-Strewn Beach Is a Wee Bit Radioactive

The National Park Service has closed a portion of Dead Horse Bay.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

August 20, 2020

Cities such as San Francisco are full of history—but there's opportunities for discovery everywhere.

How to Dig Into the History of Your City, Town, or Neighborhood

Even a short local walk can hold countless stories.

by Lauren Vespoli

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.

by Sabrina Imbler

February 21, 2020

A community dinner to celebrate the "Meals as Collective Memory" project at Weeksville Heritage Center, which stands at the site of historic Weeksville.

The Culinary Legacy of Brooklyn's First Free Black Community

Weeksville residents set a precedent of self-determination that is still visible at Brooklyn restaurants.

by Reina Gattuso

February 4, 2020

Checking In on the Algae of a Brooklyn Reservoir With a Microbiologist

Sally Warring knows a lot about what we can't see.

by Sabrina Imbler

December 10, 2019

For Sale: A Relic From Babe Ruth’s Ill-Fated Year in Brooklyn

At the end of his career, the Bambino wanted the Bronx and got a different borough instead.

by Isaac Schultz

November 4, 2019

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