320 Cool and Unusual Things to Do in Massachusetts - Atlas Obscura

Unusual
Attractions
in Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts

Mapparium

An enormous, inside-out glass globe built in 1935.

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Added by michelle

Salem, Massachusetts

The Witch House of Salem

One of the only structures left with direct ties to the Salem witchcraft trials of 1692.

Dylan

Boston, Massachusetts

Warren Anatomical Museum

This Boston medical museum features the skull of the famous medical case of Phineas Gage.

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Danvers, Massachusetts

Danvers State Hospital

Basis for H.P. Lovecraft's horror stories and Batman's Arkham Asylum, now a horrifying condo.

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Boston, Massachusetts

Forest Hills Cemetery

A beautiful Victorian-era cemetery, complete with a miniature village.

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Added by Rachaelannmare

Boston, Massachusetts

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (The Gardner)

Two thousand artifacts from around the world collected by one woman with an addiction.

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Added by Nicholas Jackson

Boston, Massachusetts

Bodega

This upscale streetwear store is hidden behind a fake Snapple machine in the back of a deli.

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Boston, Massachusetts

Boston Athenaeum Skin Book

A morbid secret lies hidden within the beautiful walls of the Boston Athenaeum.

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See All 320 Things to Do in Massachusetts See All 320 Places

Atlas Obscura Trips

Fishing Traditions and Marine Ecology in Martha's Vineyard

Sep 12—Sep 15, 2019

Set sail, September 12–15, with a seasoned local fisherman, reel in the ocean’s freshest fare, and explore the history and ecology of Martha’s Vineyard’s beaches, hatcheries, and wildlife sanctuaries.

Atlas Obscura Trips

Fishing Traditions and Marine Ecology in Martha's Vineyard

Photo by Iker Urteaga

Unique
Food & Drink
in Massachusetts

Sugar on Snow

Gastro Obscura

Sugar on Snow

Where maple sap flows, all one needs to make taffy is snow.

Gastro Obscura

rachelrummel

Added by rachelrummel

Coffee Gelatin

Gastro Obscura

Coffee Gelatin

Leftover coffee plus Jello equals this vintage dessert.

Gastro Obscura

Anne Ewbank

Added by Anne Ewbank

Canned Bread

Gastro Obscura

Canned Bread

A New England tradition of steaming bread in coffee tins gave rise to this niche snack.

Gastro Obscura

Ike Allen

Added by Ike Allen

Clarified Milk Punch

Gastro Obscura

Clarified Milk Punch

Just so we’re clear, there is actually milk in this old English punch.

Gastro Obscura

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Added by rachelrummel

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Explore Massachusetts

Launch Map

Recent Massachusetts Activity

jeminiBones wants to go to The Edward Gorey House

vplockhart wants to go to Statue of Elizabeth Montgomery

eanstak wants to go to Paul Revere Lantern

shamblejess wants to go to Three Sisters Sanctuary

vplockhart wants to go to Rebecca Nurse Homestead and Graveyard

Stories
About Massachusetts

England, But New: How John Smith's 1616 Map Helped Define America

The name "New England" was like a colonial real estate ad.

by Sarah Laskow

November 20, 2018

The ripples are plainly visible beside dinosaur tracks. A new mural above showcases both.

Prehistoric Sand Is Full of Secrets

Petrified wave ripples can tell us about the weather that dinosaurs saw.

by Jessica Leigh Hester

October 18, 2018

Chef Deon in his restaurant.

How a Caribbean Chef Is Unearthing the Hidden Stories of Martha's Vineyard

Deon Thomas's unique eatery showcases another side of the island.

by Merissa Nathan Gerson

A balloon photo of the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn, string clearly visible at left.

Bringing Aerial Photography to the Masses—One Squid Kite at a Time

Public Lab's DIY tools help communities keep tabs on the environment.

Taxidermied frogs spend a day on the lake at Froggyland.

9 of the Strangest and Loveliest Dioramas You'll Ever See

Behold the intricate detail of these exquisite miniature worlds.

Poe's house in Philadelphia, where he composed "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Gold Bug."

10 Places That Rejected Poe in Life But Celebrate Him in Death

Edgar Allan Poe gets the recognition he deserves in the afterlife.

by Molly McBride Jacobson

February 09, 2017