The real faces of Venice beach captured on Romanesque columns.

A historic fort commemorating the United States' naval history.

An historic and oft-filmed spot for musclebound iron pumpers on the Pacific coast.

Legendary frontman of the Doors looms in this giant mural by famed Venice muralist, Rip Cronk.

There are lots of hands and feet stamped in the cement in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater, but Mel left behind something extra.

Pay your respects to a folk-punk legend.

One of the world's longest murals depicts the history of diversity in Los Angeles.

Two men, two visionaries of Venice Beach, one little hotel that smells like cookies.

The hotel room where Janis Joplin tragically died has now become a makeshift shrine to the singer.

Her final resting place was intended to be modest and private, but the power of her popularity continues to draw visitors.

Once strictly off-limits, this lower level housing curious and priceless vehicles of the Petersen Automotive Museum is now open to the public.

The L.A. Zoo has a secret garden of rare bootleg cycads, a palm specimen dating back 280 million years.

One man's vast collection of artifacts and ephemera from matchbooks and postcards to vintage neon signs and cars.

The final resting place of a space program monolith.

Hollywood's most famous landmark, the "temporary" sign that has stood for decades longer than intended.

A secretive collection featuring objects that were designed specifically for U.S. intelligence operations.

Enormous piles of historically significant stones, dumped by Congress in a forest, and abandoned for 60 years.

This isn't your average roadway—it's actually a National Park and a transportation pioneer.

The romance of early commercial flight still fills this Art Deco destination.

The U.S. Navy’s preposterously detailed mini battleship took 77,000 hours to complete.

The rogue roots are gradually consuming some of the historic marble grave markers.

A little marble compass above George Washington's (empty) tomb in the Capitol marks where D.C.'s four quadrants intersect.

Members of Congress have traveled between the buildings on Capitol Hill for a century hidden from tourists, press, and storm clouds.

After his presidency, George Washington planned to live only a few blocks from the Capitol building.