The former Naval shipyard is open for exploring - mostly.

San Francisco's newly reopened hands-on science museum.

A decommissioned Naval base now rents itself out for people who want to blow stuff up.

This controversial depiction of the "Founder of California" looks as though it was sculpted from mashed potatoes.

An expansive and intricately restored mansion remains from over a century ago--and so do its ghosts.

A classically inspired temple in Redwood City.

From the sky, a kaleidoscope of color brightens the grey landscape of the San Francisco Bay.

One of the largest free-standing structures ever built, this dirigible hangar is now simply a giant skeleton.

One of the largest Marian shrines on the West Coast stands rather unexpectedly in Silicon Valley.

A peculiar mansion built by the troubled heir to the Winchester Rifle Company fortune.

An extensive collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts and mummies.

Once America’s most beautiful army base, this abandoned military fort on the coast of Monterey Bay has been left to the elements.

The world's first permanently occupied mountain-top observatory continues to report on the stars.

A historic Civil War estate-turned-museum looks back on the Confederate States of America.

At this Minnesota state park you can easily wade across the source of the mighty Mississippi.

Daily jousts and dancing barrel makers in Munich's mechanical clock.

A bronze statue dating back as far as 1252, still has remnants of gold on its right cheek from ancient gilding.

The last remaining predreadnought battleship in the world has been a museum for nearly a century.

A gift from the Soviet Union in the 1980s, this is the only statue of the Soviet dictator in Southeast Asia.

A man-made island in scenic San Francisco Bay.

An enormous artwork that colorfully celebrates over 150 years of US military achievements.

In all of the 29 years it was in operation, no prisoners ever escaped successfully... or so they claim.

The oldest lighthouse on America's west coast no longer needs keepers, yet they maintain the site anyhow.

One of the most elaborate displays of Jellyfish is on display at the aquarium.