In one Santa Monica parking lot a mushroom cloud made of chains heralds a message of peace.

An offbeat angle on the ocean viewed through an antiquated lens.

A sign at the end of the Santa Monica Pier marks the traditional end of the legendary American highway.

The 5.5-mile ring of steel posts around the Capitol Building is one of the largest (and most uniform) of its kind in the world.

This southwest-styled home in Santa Fe claims to be the oldest house in America thanks to an ancient bit of foundation.

Wedding chapel's mysterious spiral staircase said to be miraculously constructed.

An immersive environment that is part haunted house, part choose-your-own-adventure, and part jungle gym.

The bank that helped fund the Mexican-American War and the purchase of Alaska met its downfall after helping Augusto Pinochet launder money.

One critic described it as "middle Mussolini, early Ramses, and late Neiman-Marcus." Another called it an architectural "natural disaster."

The unique traffic pattern named for an influential urban planner is also known as the Pedestrian Scramble.

A creepy sculpture of a decapitated head invites viewers to see St. Louis through its empty eyes.

It was once the base for a series of domestic terror attacks.

A dramatic, 360-degree recreation of Pickett's Charge in the Civil War.

The key to turning shifting dunes into the green oasis of Golden Gate Park.

The most accurate timepiece in the world.

An almost life-sized elephant named Ms. Ellie greets visitors at this jumbo-themed museum.

The "lovely red Vega" of the legendary record-settling pilot.

Two mammoth statues inspired by equally tall tales lure tourists to this roadside attraction.

The semi-reclaimed ruins of this canal were once part of an ambitious plan to reroute the mighty potomac.

The world's largest collection of the world's largest objects is in one small Illinois town.

There must be a pun in this haystack somewhere...

Half-sized replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa built to honor Galileo.

This elaborate towering structure was once famed for its revolutionary height.

This massive roadside mascot was the first version of the giant to illustrate his butt.