A statue honors the genius who allegedly first took a meatball and made it into a hamburger.

The remnants of this Douglas fir predate Columbus's arrival in North America.

This abandoned 19th century orphanage started as a boarding school for children of Civil War veterans.

The carved remains of a 200-year-old oak tree memorialize the namesake of the iconic "Wizard of Oz" character.

This surprising gem is a world-class archeological museum hidden at the University of Chicago.

One of Chicago's last seafood smokehouses perfects a dying breed of fishcraft.

Four glass boxes hover over 1,000 feet in the air to give visitors an unparalleled view of Chicago.

This shop for all your super spy needs hides an educational secret.

Its eclectic exhibits range from the world’s first motorcycle to Luke Skywalker’s Land Speeder.

Legend says Dungeons and Dragons players can get their dice blessed at the creator of the game's memorial.

The birthplace of a titan of American cinema.

Behind a modern brick exterior lies the oldest continuously-operating lunch-car diner in the United States.

The spaceship-like theater, which is still in use, was one of the most popular exhibits at the 1964 New York World's Fair.

This whimsical sculpture garden is a local treasure.

The building was originally a gas station built to resemble a Japanese tea house.

A wonderfully curated used bookstore in an airport.

This quirky museum has a collection of more than 15,000 bobblehead dolls.

Built in 1933, this unique ballroom is nicknamed the "floating dance floor."

Giant six-pack could provide one person a six-pack a day for 3,351 years.

Small-town museum dedicated to outer space ... and bicycles.

A circus of light and sound forms a sensory ode to an iconic train that will never pass through town again.

Lone survivor from Custer's Last Stand forever preserved.

The quirky collection includes treasures like Elvis' underwear, Bob Barker's toothbrush, and hundreds of sock monkeys.

Step back in time at this 1950s display home, built to showcase once cutting-edge electric amenities.