The Byzantine, pre-Columbian, and medieval art at this stately mansion are some of the most under-appreciated collections in D.C.

A terrific purveyor of natural history objects and curios.

Crushed coral and crystals give the sand its signature coloration.

Long-abandoned trolley tunnels just a mile away from the White House are turning into an art space.

This Native American settlement dates back to the Pueblo II period.

This poor little statue is the most vandalized memorial in Washington.

Open since 1938, this diner has kept its fountain, malt machine, and all the gum that greasers left beneath its counter.

Dodge prohibitionists and slide through the telephone booth in Crif Dogs.

New York's oldest magic store.

This lake in northwest Iran has started turning from green to red more frequently than scientists are comfortable with.

Trace the history of writing at this unusual North Carolina destination.

Off-limits and full of venomous pit vipers, Brazil’s Snake Island has a frighteningly apt nickname.

This cuddly rodent has a place of honor at a Russian institute for genetic research.

Resting place of Hollywood's immortals is also site of summer film screenings.

Roman ruins top white travertine terraces formed by ancient hot springs.

A desert that rolls right up to the ocean, where it's so dry animals live off the fog.

An exquisite tunnel of cascading flowers.

Woven tree art gives this towering Australian woodland a touch of mystical whimsy.

This gorgeous reading room houses the oldest and largest art history library in the Netherlands.

These ancient sunken lanes were naturally tunneled into the soft ground by countless footsteps.

Science fiction's grandfather has a fittingly marvelous tomb.

This quaint Italian town keeps losing ground as the sides of its plateau slowly erode.

Hundreds of stone stairs and a winding medieval bridge connect this haunting Spanish island to the mainland.

This ancient village and its adjoining cemetery have a beautiful history of death and remembrance.