The Atlas Obscura Podcast

SiriusXM and Atlas Obscura

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An audio guide to the world’s strange, incredible, and wondrous places. Co-founder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters explore a new wonder every day, Monday through Thursday. In under 15 minutes, they’ll take you to an incredible place, and along the way, you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Our theme and end credit music is composed by Sam Tyndall.

Times Square Hum (Classic)

Producer Johanna Mayer travels to Times Square in NYC,  in search of particular sound that may sometimes go overlooked. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-times-square-hum-new-york-new-york

Mar 29, • 11:57

President Heads (Classic)

What to do when you have 20-foot-tall busts of nearly every U.S. President and nowhere to put them?This episode was produced in partnership with Visit Williamsburg.

Mar 28, • 11:24

Dreamland Resort

Dylan visits a patch of Nevada desert known at times as Paradise Ranch, Dreamland Resort, or as most people know it, Area 51. His goal? To try and find out where The X-Files end, and the truth begins. And he falls deeper down the rabbit hole when he meets a man who is a German immigrant, a programmer, and possibly the premier Area 51 expert in the world: Joerg Arnu.Check out Joerg’s website, DreamlandResort.com.Special thanks to Ryan Broderick and the Panic World team. Panic World is a weekly po

Mar 27, • 23:00

Jeremy Bentham’s Auto-Icon

Jeremy Bentham began planning for his death at a young age. He wrote a will in 1769, at the age of 21. But how did this philosopher’s dead body wind up on display in a university student center?

Mar 26, • 15:32

Atlas Obscura Goes Off Assignment: 7 a.m. in Kelso and 10:30 a.m. in Choteau

Two small stories about early morning, otherworldly encounters with animals. 7 a.m. in Kelso was written by Emma Jones, and 10:30 a.m. in Choteau, Montana was written by Annika Berry. Both essays were edited by Aube Rey Lescure and originally appeared in Off Assignment.Plus: Order the audiobook of Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders today!

Mar 25, • 14:28

Dylan’s Mailbag: Illegal Edition

Dylan and producer Johanna take your questions about exploring abandoned ruins, where they want to carve their initials, and whether they should feel guilt for going on multiple trips to the same location. Have a question for Dylan? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com, or simply send your question via email.

Mar 24, • 14:23

Tell Us About the First Time You Left Home

We want to hear your stories about the first time you left home to live somewhere else. Why did you make the move? How did you choose your new home… and how did you feel when you arrived?  Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Our mailbox will cut you off after two minutes so please call in if you get disconnected. Or you can record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.

Mar 22, • 1:25

Gocta Waterfalls (Classic)

One of the world’s tallest waterfalls is nestled in Northwestern Peru, right where the Amazon rainforest crashes into the Andes Mountains. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/gocta

Mar 21, • 13:03

The Real Office Space Behind Apple TV’s Severance

Apple TV’s Severance takes a dystopian view of the middle management office space, where the sprawling corridors, overhead fluorescent lights hide the mysterious purpose of Lumen Industries. But that terrifying imagined office space is based on the real headquarters of Bell Labs – huge, incredible incubator of ideas in the 1960s with the aim of creating a corporate utopia.

Mar 20, • 19:02

Chapel Creek Ranch (Classic)

This ranch in Sanger, Texas trains people in jousting and sword-fighting with the goal of making them knights of the highest order - for the Medieval Times dinner theater chain. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/behind-the-scenes-at-medieval-times-where-knights-battle-and-pepsi-is-plentiful

Mar 19, • 13:56

The Sunken Pirate City at Port Royal

Off the southern coast of Jamaica, there are the underwater ruins of pirate city from the 1600s – a city that could be considered the Las Vegas of its time. But its days would come to an end when it faced three disasters in a single day.

Mar 18, • 12:21

What’s the Deal with Leprechauns?

For this St. Patrick’s Day, author and friend of the show Colin Dickey joins Dylan to demystify leprechauns. Where do they come from? Is there a Leprechaunland? What’s with the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? And why are they always wearing green? Are they just drunk mischievous creatures? Or is there something deeper there – perhaps leprechauns are even an immigrant story?If you want to learn more, check out Colin’s series called Monster of the Month.

Mar 17, • 16:09

America’s “Quiet Zone" (Classic)

Green Bank, West Virginia is free of wifi and cell signals due to the massive telescope nearby that requires radio silence.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/town-for-wi-fi-refugees

Mar 14, • 15:35

Pulau Tiga, The Island That Made “Survivor”

What happens when a real place becomes a reality TV set? Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker staff writer and author of “Cue The Sun: The Invention of Reality TV,” tells us about the tumultuous first season of Survivor. The island where the first season was filmed, Pulau Tiga, presented serious challenges for cast and crew alike… and then the production team added some of their own.

Mar 13, • 21:37

The Circus Capital of the World

The first time John Ringling and his brothers saw a circus come to town, it changed their lives forever. They’d go on to form their own circus company – which put them on top of the world. Today we trace John Ringling’s rise and fall, from his early days crisscrossing the Midwest in a wagon (dressed as a clown in wooden shoes) to his work establishing Sarasota, Florida as the circus capital of the world. This episode was produced in partnership with Visit Sarasota.If you’re curious about Florida

Mar 12, • 15:55

Atlas Obscura Goes Off Assignment: To the Kitchen Staff at 초밥 사랑 (Chobap Sarang)

A Black American living in Korea writes a letter to a restaurant worker, reckoning with race and the meaning of home. This essay was edited by Aube Rey Lescure and originally appeared in Off Assignment. Kat Lewis' debut novel, GOOD PEOPLE, is forthcoming from Simon & Schuster in 2026.

Mar 11, • 12:48

The Brutalist (Places Edition)

Diana Hubbell and Roxanne Hoorn from the Places team take us to two locations on opposite sides of the world that both evoke deep reverence – and an appreciation for an architectural style not usually associated with beauty.

Mar 10, • 15:21

A Gaga Tour of the Town (Classic)

Producer Manolo Morales – a verified Little Monster, gallivants around the Lower East Side, via an immersive, performance-art walking tour dedicated to an iconic pop star.

Mar 7, • 15:03

McAtlas with Gary He

James Beard award winning photographer and writer Gary He tells us about traveling to more than 50 countries across six continents, all to document and photograph one of the most popular fast food chains in the world: McDonald’s. His book McAtlas: A Global Guide to the Golden Arches is out now.

Mar 6, • 22:18

This Dog Stole Madrid’s Heart

In the 1880s, Madrid’s most famous resident was a medium-sized black and white dog called Paco who frequented cafes, parades, and even bullfights. Check out some of our favorite episodes about charismatic dogs: Hachiko, two beloved taxidermied dogs, and Brown Dog Statue.

Mar 5, • 10:26

Arizona’s Big, Big Souvenir

In the 1960s, London Bridge was falling down – specifically, it was sinking down under the weight of modern-day traffic. London decided to put the bridge up for sale, and it attracted all kinds of buyers, from casinos to major cities to entertainers. But the winning bid came from an unexpected place: a chainsaw-manufacturing millionaire in the Arizona desert. Learn more about London Bridge at Lake Havasu City, and check out the voodoo doll found under the bridge. This episode was produced in par

Mar 4, • 15:09

Trips We Couldn’t Miss

From a once in a lifetime natural event, to two very different Olympic experiences, to a special concert, we hear listener stories of trekking someplace for the joy of being there up close and in real life.Plus, we want to hear your stories of the first time you moved. Why did you make that move? What motivated you to leave your town? How did you choose your new home? What do you miss, and what are you glad to have left behind? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave us a message telling us you

Mar 3, • 12:20

Baobab Fare (Classic)

The story of Chef Hamissi Mamba, whose family sought asylum in the US and years later founded an East African restaurant that serves up a small slice of Burundi in the Motor City.

Feb 28, • 12:44

The Plotz Plot on… TLC’s Sister Wives?

A couple years ago, Josh Foer, the co-founder of Atlas Obscura, took us to a remote patch of land in the Arizona desert, where he built (and later rebuilt) a museum in honor of the company’s former CEO, David Plotz. And just a few weeks ago, this patch of land appeared on a reality TV show. In a strange collision, Dylan talks with one of the stars of TLC’s Sister Wives about her own experience at the Plotz Plot.  Learn more about Wow in the World family tours.

Feb 27, • 26:46

Dylan’s Mailbag: Overrated Landmarks, Exploring Your Own City, and Places We Secretly Love

Dylan and producers Amanda and Johanna take your questions. Have a question for Dylan? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com, or simply send your question via email.

Feb 26, • 15:50

Cuatro Ciénegas

The pools at Cuatro Ciénegas Basin are a portal into the ancient past – and they may soon disappear.

Feb 25, • 11:48

Are Wild Birds Singing Human Music?

In cool, misty forests along the coast of New South Wales Australia, a group of lyrebirds is suspected of singing human songs they learned in the 1920s. A team of researchers sets out to investigate.Read more about Hollis Taylor et al.’s investigation here.

Feb 24, • 17:37

Nasothek Noses (Classic)

We get up close and nosey about a peculiar exhibit in Copenhagen that reveals a lot about what artists and society considered beautiful throughout the years | READ MORE IN THE ATLAS https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/nasothek-nose-collection

Feb 21, • 11:04

Sam Sanders Is a Nature Girly

Host, reporter, and podcaster Sam Sanders talks with Dylan about the places that have shaped his life – from when he was a kid in a small town in Texas secretively listening to Stevie Wonder in the bathroom, to running along the Charles River, to exploring Joshua Tree National Park with Zora Neale Hurston (kind of).Check out Sam’s podcasts Vibe Check and the The Sam Sanders Show.

Feb 20, • 24:23

Martinique’s Doomsday and the Man Who Survived

On May 7, 1902, a man named Ludger Sylbaris was thrown in jail – and it saved his life.

Feb 19, • 13:01

The Snowy Owls of Boston Logan International Airport

Every year, a number of snowy owls (aka Arctic owls) find their way to an unlikely haven: Boston Logan International Airport. Owl expert Norman Smith has been leading the way to study these birds and figure out why they love to land at one of the busiest airports in the country.

Feb 18, • 11:46

Atlas Obscura Presents: A Trucker on Seeing the US by Road with Women Who Travel

Today we’re bringing  you an episode from our friends at the Women Who Travel podcast. Women make up just 7% of truckers in the United States—a number that shows no sign of increasing, even while the industry suffers from a huge shortage of workers. We hear from trucker Desiree Wood, whose job has taken her to 48 states, about the freedom of life on the road, the dangers that herself and women colleagues face, and the joys that come with the occasional return trip home.Listen to and follow Women

Feb 17, • 18:50

Unusual Love Stories Week: Post Office Bay

This week, we’re featuring unusual love stories – from couples who were introduced by a mule, to the world’s most loyal dog, to a post office sustained by the kindness of strangers. In today’s episode, we visit Post Office Bay, on the Galapagos Islands. The post office runs on luck and the goodwill of visitors, and has a knack for bringing strangers together.

Feb 14, • 13:36

Unusual Love Stories Week: Getting Lost with Susan Orlean

This week, we’re featuring unusual love stories – from couples who were introduced by a mule, to the world’s most loyal dog, to a post office sustained by the kindness of strangers. In today’s episode, Dylan talks with travel writer Susan Orlean, who is an admitted terrible tourist. But she’s an expert at getting lost – with a purpose. Today, she takes us to some of the places that have shaped her life. And she talks about throwing out the guidebook, opening herself up to these experiences, and

Feb 13, • 22:56

Unusual Love Stories Week: The Museum of Broken Relationships

This week, we’re featuring unusual love stories – from couples who were introduced by a mule, to the world’s most loyal dog, to a post office sustained by the kindness of strangers. In today’s episode, we visit a museum in Croatia that will break your heart. And that’s a good thing.

Feb 12, • 15:01

Unusual Loves Stories Week: Hachiko

This week, we’re featuring unusual love stories – from couples who were introduced by a mule, to the world’s most loyal dog, to a post office sustained by the kindness of strangers. In today’s episode, we visit the symbol of loyalty for an entire nation—a dog.

Feb 11, • 9:30

Unusual Love Stories Week: A Long Walk Home

This week, we’re featuring unusual love stories – from couples who were introduced by a mule, to the world’s most loyal dog, to a post office sustained by the kindness of strangers. In today’s episode, we meet back up with our pal Bernie Harberts, who trekked 19 million mule steps across the United States only to find himself, for the first time, a little homesick.

Feb 10, • 18:01

Send Dylan Your Questions!

We’re looking for questions for our next mailbag episode. Maybe you’re looking for travel advice, maybe you want to hear more about a weird thing that Dylan alluded to briefly in an episode, or maybe you want him to settle some sort of travel dispute with your partner. Anything goes! Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com. Or simply write your question in an email.

Feb 8, • 1:43

Songs of Ice with the Places Team (Classic)

Stories of how giant monuments built for a specific site sometimes need to go on a journey to get there.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/yakhchalshttps://www.atlasobscura.com/places/snowflake-bentley

Feb 7, • 17:28

Paul Scheer’s Life in Three Places

Dylan talks with actor and comedian Paul Scheer about three places that have shaped him. And to Dylan’s surprise, Paul doesn’t pick good memories. Instead he chooses three deeply embarrassing stories – because as he puts it, “trauma is the fire in which we are forged.”

Feb 6, • 24:45

Ben Franklin’s Musical Invention

Dylan tries his hand at playing a “glass armonica,” a musical instrument invented by Benjamin Franklin. Its high-pitched, eerie sounds were rumored to cure all kinds of illnesses – or even, sometimes, cause them.

Feb 5, • 17:29

Africville

Africville was a Black-Canadian community north of Halifax, Nova Scotia. But when the Canadian government decided it wanted the land the community sat on, Africville was forcibly removed in the 1900s. We’ve covered other stories of Black displacement on the show before, including Lake Lanier and District Six.

Feb 4, • 15:35

First Travel Dates

Listener stories of traveling with a significant other for the first time – for better or for worse. Plus: We want to hear your stories about traveling to see an event that you’ve been wanting to experience in person. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave us a message telling us your story. Or better yet, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.

Feb 3, • 13:10

Medfield State Hospital (Classic)

This abandoned hospital outside Boston, Massachusetts was originally conceived as a place to help people with mental health issues. But it wound up doing a lot of harm.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/medfield-state-hospital

Jan 31, • 11:00

Joe Magarac: The Other Man of Steel

Joe Magarac is a folk hero that allegedly was born from the stories of immigrant steelworkers in the early 20th century. He is the Paul Bunyan of Steel Country. But is the legend of Joe Magarac an American immigrant folk story or is he the product of the imagination of writers and the steel executives?

Jan 30, • 21:16

More First Trips Abroad

Last month, we asked you for stories about your first trips abroad. That really struck a chord – we got too many great stories to fit in a single episode. So today, we’re sharing MORE of your stories from your first international trips. This time we hear about traveling abroad for the first time to Italy, Slovenia, Canada, and Norway.Plus: We want to hear your stories about traveling to see an event that you’ve been wanting to experience in person. That could be last year’s Olympics in Paris or

Jan 29, • 14:07

The Diving Horses of Atlantic City

For half a century, horse diving was one of Atlantic City’s biggest attractions. One day in August 1964, a young girl attended one of these shows, and witnessed something that would change her life forever. Read Diana Hubbell’s story about horse diving in Atlantic City.

Jan 28, • 19:10

Dylan’s Mailbag: Tough Trips, Controversial Airplane Etiquette, and Tattoos

Dylan and producer Johanna take your questions.     Have a question for Dylan? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com, or simply send your question via email. And if you want to listen to Dylan’s episodes about getting shipwrecked in Antarctica, check out Beechey Island Graves Part I and Part II.

Jan 27, • 18:02

Buckley’s Cave (Classic)

One of Australia’s greatest stories of escape and survival centers around this rock formation in Point Lonsdale. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/buckleys-cave

Jan 24, • 16:20

The Mystery Man of Marree

In 1998, a giant drawing of an Aboriginal man mysteriously appeared in the Australian Outback. Some locals were thrilled. Others wanted it destroyed. Producer Elah Feder goes looking for the culprit, and is led to a key piece of the puzzle – but not one she expected.

Jan 23, • 24:18

Mobile Bay’s Tidal Wave of Fish

Every summer, along a 15 mile stretch of the Alabama coastline, an almost magical natural phenomenon washes up on the beaches. Hundreds of fish and sea creatures usually hidden in the deep swim towards the shore. Locals call it the Mobile Bay Jubilee – and the jubilees are hard to predict and activate a different side of these coastal communities.

Jan 22, • 13:58

Atlas Obscura Goes Off Assignment: To the Platinum Blonde DJ On Her Way to Laos

A traveler in Vang Vieng, Laos writes a letter to a fellow traveler. This essay was edited by Lenora Todaro and originally appeared in Off Assignment.

Jan 21, • 13:02

Atlas Obscura Presents: "Bigfoot is from North Carolina" with The Broadside

Sasquatch is Southern. And its cultural and economic impact in Appalachia is sizable.Appalachia is Bigfoot territory. In a big way. Today, we give you a taste of The Broadside, a podcast produced by WUNC in Durham, NC. In this episode, you'll hear about the mythical beast's legend, lore and sizable economic impact in the region. And follow one reporter’s journey through the mountains and foothills of western North Carolina in search of Sasquatch. Featuring Emily Cataneo, reporter for The Assembl

Jan 20, • 19:55

Brown Dog Statue (Classic)

This memorial marks the life of a pup who sparked riots over animal rights issues in London.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/brown-dog-statue

Jan 17, • 13:33

Don’t Ask Jacques Ze Whipper What He Does for a Living

If you’ve ever wondered what it was like to run away and join the circus, this episode is for you. Dylan talks with Jack Lepiarz, also known as Jacques Ze Whipper, about how he created a life for himself on the Renaissance Festival circuit.  Learn more on Jack’s website.

Jan 16, • 20:54

The Town That Moved a Windmill

When Peter James first stumbled on the Lowfield Heath Windmill, it was falling apart. Determined to save it, he embarked on a years-long effort with the town that would lead to its complete deconstruction before being rebuilt somewhere new.Find out how you can visit the Lowfield Heath Windmill or donate to its ongoing restoration efforts.

Jan 15, • 13:37

The Kola Superdeep Borehole

In the 1980s, a team of Soviet scientists dug a hole in the Earth’s crust so deep that they reached Hell… complete with high temperatures, unexplained happenings, and even the tortured screams of damned souls. At least, that’s what a popular urban legend at the time claimed. Dylan and producer Amanda McGowan explore the origins of this legend – and the real-life scientific quest that inspired it.  We don’t know what the Kola Borehole really sounds like, but Dutch sound artist Lotte Geeven has re

Jan 14, • 17:03

First Trips Abroad

Listener stories about traveling abroad for the first time – from a trip to Germany in 2020, to a chalet in Switzerland in 1986, to a trip to Iran just before the Shah revolution. Plus, we want to hear your stories of traveling with a significant other for the first time. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave us a message telling us your story. Or better yet, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.

Jan 13, • 12:24

Endangered Wolf Center (Classic)

The Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri was founded by zoologist and wildlife TV host Marlin Perkins and was home to an extraordinary wolf who gives us hope for the future of wolf survival.

Jan 10, • 15:09

Zach Stafford’s Life in Five Places

Zach Stafford found great career success at a very young age – he’s a writer, producer, and co-host of the news & culture podcast Vibe Check. His intense work schedule has taken him all over America, and each of the cities and towns he found himself in has shaped him in some way. And through it all, Zach has been searching for a very specific feeling.

Jan 9, • 26:55

Christine's Cell

In the year 1329, a woman named Christine Carpenter was enclosed in a tiny cell in the walls of a church in Shere, England. She was expected to spend the rest of her life praying in almost complete isolation. But the reason we know her name is that she did something very unusual – she broke out.Learn more about our guest Professor Diane Watt’s work about the lives of medieval women in England, and about St. James’s Church in Shere.

Jan 8, • 15:40

Art on Wheels

Dylan and producer Gabby Gladney dive into the colorful world of art cars, from Houston’s epic parades to DIY creations in Minneapolis. Then, Dylan talks to his own father about the multiple art cars they’ve had over the years.

Jan 7, • 18:13

Cabbage Patch BabyLand General Hospital

Writer Joshua Rigsby takes a very strange journey into the birthplace of Cabbage Patch Kids. After he returns, he can never look at the dolls the same way again.  Read Joshua’s essay about his trip to BabyLand General Hospital, and check out his bookstore, Pretty Good Books.

Jan 6, • 16:00

New Year, New Travel Resolutions

We’re (almost) back! And we want to hear your New Year’s travel resolutions. Send a voice memo to hello@atlasobscura.com. Or, give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message.

Jan 4, • 1:36

The Divorce Colony (Holiday Classic)

For a brief period the small frontier city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota drew in socialites and celebrities who were desperate to end their marriages.

Jan 3, • 16:06

In the Doldrums with Bernie Harberts (Holiday Classic)

Ultimate slow travel adventurer (and friend of the show) Bernie Harberts returns to tell us what happened when he spent months floating alone at sea. Bernie is also an author and filmmaker. You can read more about Bernie's travels at his website www.riverearth.com.

Jan 2, • 22:51

Broken Angel (Holiday Classic)

The 1980s birthed a gleaming creature that spread its wings of scrap wood and glass over the intersection of two iconic Brooklyn, NY neighborhoods for thirty years. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/broken-angel

Jan 1, • 15:40

Beishan Broadcast Wall (Holiday Classic)

On the tiny Kinmen Island, a bow-tie-shape strip of land between China and Taiwan, sits a giant weaponized wall of sound that still stands--and still broadcasts--today.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/beishan-broadcast-station-art

Dec 31, 2024 • 14:17

Anne Spencer’s Garden (Holiday Classic)

This garden in Lynchburg, Virginia is the key to unlocking the writing and mind of Harlem Renaissance poet Anne Spencer.

Dec 30, 2024 • 13:58

A Quick Hello from Dylan. Plus: We Want Your Dating Travel Stories!

Just a little check in. Plus: We want to hear your stories of traveling with a significant other for the first time – the good, the bad, and the strange.You can send an email or voice memo to hello@atlasobscura.com. Or, give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message.

Dec 28, 2024 • 1:21

Milo Bitters (Holiday Classic)

A listener in Lawrence, Kansas takes us on his journey of discovering the secrets of his hometown.

Dec 27, 2024 • 12:37

Exploring the Abandoned with Blake Pfeil (Holiday Classic)

Dylan sits down with guest Blake Pfeil about what inspired him to begin exploring abandoned spots, what those spaces have taught him about escapism, sobriety and the sometimes blurry line between real and unreal that he finds there. MORE: Blake is an artist and adventurer. He’s also the creator and host of the podcast “Abandoned: All-American Ruins.” Check it out here.

Dec 26, 2024 • 24:19

The Shrek Donkey of Barron Park (Holiday Classic)

We visit a park in Palo Alto, California, home of the world’s most famous donkey. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-donkeys-of-barron-park-palo-alto-california

Dec 25, 2024 • 14:13

The Tank (Holiday Classic)

An industrial water tank-turned-concert hall in the high deserts of Colorado is nothing less than a sonic wonder of the world. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-tank-rangely-colora

Dec 24, 2024 • 13:42

The Timbuktu Manuscripts

These documents highlight the intellectual legacy of an ancient civilization based in Timbuktu, Mali.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/timbuktu-manuscripts-mali

Dec 23, 2024 • 12:56

A Message from Dylan. Plus: Send Us Your Questions!

A small bit of news, and a request. To ask Dylan your question, send an email or voice memo to hello@atlasobscura.com. Or, give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message.

Dec 21, 2024 • 1:55

The Portland Treasure Map

A map in the archives of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library in Portland, OR may be the key to finding buried treasure that has yet to be found. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/buried-treasure-portland-oregon

Dec 20, 2024 • 14:42

Atlas Obscura Presents: A Tour de Stumps with Terrestrials

Today, we’re sharing an episode from our friends at Terrestrials, a Radiolab spinoff show for families that explores strangeness on Earth. In this episode, host Lulu Miller visits some of our planet’s most magical tree stumps – which are anything but dead.   Plus: Cast your vote in Radiolab’s quasi-moon naming contest! Voting is open until January 1.

Dec 19, 2024 • 30:31

Christmas Monsters with Colin Dickey

Writer and friend of the show Colin Dickey tries to destroy Dylan’s holiday cheer with arguments about why Christmas is actually full of monsters from around the world. (Just a note for parents listening with little ones, Dylan and Colin talk frankly about Santa and his surrounding lore.)  Check out Colin’s Atlas Obscura column, Eerie Feeling.

Dec 18, 2024 • 22:33

Art We Love to Hate

Places editors Michelle Cassidy and Diana Hubbell take us on a tour of two mildly disturbing yet lovable works of art.  Plus: If you have a piece of public art that you love to hate – or if you’ve created a work of public art that’s caused a stir – we want to hear from you. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.

Dec 17, 2024 • 14:20

Dylan's Mailbag: strange things packed, authentic adventures, road trip eats and more

Dylans answers a slew of questions from staff and listeners

Dec 16, 2024 • 19:04

What Was Your First International Trip?

Our first international trips can be hugely influential. We want to hear your stories about leaving your home country for the first time. Where did you go?  How did you prepare? What memories do you have from the trip? Maybe you loved it… or maybe you hated it! Either way, we want to hear about it. And if you are about to take your first trip this coming year, we want to know how you’re feeling leading up to it. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave us a message, or better yet, record a voice

Dec 14, 2024 • 1:44

Larry Spring Museum of Common Sense Physics (Classic)

Larry Spring’s Museum of Common Sense Physics in Fort Bragg, California begs the question: what do you do with a science museum where the science preserved inside is a kind of folk art?READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/larry-spring-school-common-sense-physics

Dec 13, 2024 • 12:25

The Witch’s Gear

As the winter solstice and Yule are upon us, we are celebrating these Pagan holidays by talking about the iconic image of the witch, with Pam Grossman -- friend of the show, curator, writer and host of the podcast The Witch Wave.

Dec 12, 2024 • 22:45

Palace of Depression

How one man made someone else's trash into his own treasure ... and how it became a storied part of a New Jersey town.

Dec 11, 2024 • 10:51

Circling The Great Loop on a JetSki

Every year, hundreds of boats circle the waterways of the eastern United States on The Great Loop. But Mike Straub took a different approach, riding over 6,000 miles alone on a JetSki.Check out Mike’s YouTube channel and his book, Y WAIT: Experience America's Great Loop.

Dec 10, 2024 • 16:56

Hello, Stranger

Listeners share stories of memorable encounters with strangers – for better or for worse.Plus: We want to hear your stories about your first international trip. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave us a message telling us about the first time you traveled abroad. Or better yet, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.

Dec 9, 2024 • 12:22

Atlas Obscura Presents Sound Influence: Andrea Cruz and Miguel Arteta

This week, we’re presenting Sound Influence: The Art and Soul of Puerto Rico. Rising singer-songwriter Andrea Cruz shares how she fell in love with folk music as a young girl in Aibonito. We hear about how the plants, birds and animals of Puerto Rico have shaped the fabric of her work, and the profound ways in which her art connects her to the island she calls home. Hollywood film director Miguel Arteta recalls his colorful childhood in Río Piedras, shares the Puerto Rican role model who inspire

Dec 6, 2024 • 21:24

Atlas Obscura Presents Sound Influence: José Rivera

This week, we’re presenting Sound Influence: The Art and Soul of Puerto Rico.   Oscar-nominated screenwriter and playwright José Rivera shares with us his rich memories, both old and new, of his time in Puerto Rico: of spiders, thunderstorms and a deep sense of community in his childhood town of Espino. We hear about the joy of watching one of his plays performed in Santurce alongside the family members who inspired it, and how the island has been a constant source of inspiration that has enrich

Dec 5, 2024 • 16:11

When a Bitcoin Mine Moves Next Door

Many people moved to Granbury, Texas for the peace and quiet. Then, a noisy neighbor moved in – and strange things began happening in town.  Read Andrew’s original reporting about the bitcoin mine and Granbury, Texas.

Dec 4, 2024 • 19:39

The Ether Dome

The Ether Dome in Boston was once filled with the screams of patients undergoing painful surgeries. In 1846, everything changed with the first successful use of anesthesia, transforming medicine forever. Dylan explores the room where pain-free surgery began. The Ether Dome is part of the Innovation Trail, which highlights four centuries of world-changing breakthroughs from Boston.

Dec 3, 2024 • 19:00

Little Caughnawaga

Mohawk ironworkers built many of New York City’s iconic skyscrapers. But simultaneously, they were also building a lesser known neighborhood of their own in downtown Brooklyn – one that would become home to hundreds of Mohawk families.    Learn more about Reaghan Tarbell’s documentary, Little Caughnawaga: To Brooklyn and Back.

Dec 2, 2024 • 14:59

Atlas Obscura Presents Sound Influence: Los Rivera Destino and Jaquira Díaz

This week and next, we’re presenting Sound Influence: The Art and Soul of Puerto Rico. The Río Piedras-based comedy band Los Rivera Destino talk about their musical childhoods, how making a music video in Bayamón changed their lives and careers forever, and the extremely unlikely place that has become their source of inspiration. Award-winning author Jaquira Díaz shares how salsa, bacalaítos and coquís defined her time growing up in the east coast towns of Humacoa and Fajardo. We also hear the w

Nov 29, 2024 • 26:13

Atlas Obscura Presents Sound Influence: Rita Moreno and Pachyman

Today and tomorrow, we’re presenting Sound Influence: The Art and Soul of Puerto Rico.  Legendary actress, singer, dancer and EGOT winner Rita Moreno shares memories of sugar cane, coquís and parrandas during her idyllic childhood in Humacao and Juncos. We hear about her recent trips back with Lin-Manuel Miranda, and how she almost turned down West Side Story because of her loyalty to the island. Dub star innovator Pachy García (aka Pachyman) opens up about growing up in Guaynabo’s vibrant regga

Nov 28, 2024 • 29:08

Riding with Dilla

Producer Gabby Gladney sees her South Side Chicago neighborhood in a new light thanks to Mahogany Bus Tours, a local company sharing hidden histories around the city.Read a profile of Dilla, and check out his TikTok.

Nov 27, 2024 • 14:03

Is This America’s Ugliest Statue?

In the 1880s, an eccentric California dentist gave away free public water fountains in the hopes they would encourage people to drink less alcohol. One of them went to the small town of Rockville, Connecticut, where it was… not well received. In fact, it was torn down, thrown in a local lake, torn down again… and so on.Check out the Atlas entry for the Cogswell Fountain.

Nov 26, 2024 • 15:46

The Places We’re Thankful For

Listener stories about the places we’re thankful for – from a beloved neighborhood, to an odd and out-of-place house down the block, to a library that inspired one listener to become a writer herself.    Plus, we want to hear your stories of memorable encounters with strangers. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave us a message telling us your story. Or better yet, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.

Nov 25, 2024 • 10:46

The Blue Whale of Catoosa (Classic)

Catoosa, Oklahoma is the cite of a massive landlocked whale - and possibly the greatest anniversary gift everREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/catoosa-whale

Nov 22, 2024 • 13:51

Bohemians, Bootleggers, and Bogus Bottles: A History of Absinthe

Journalist and food writer Evan Rail considers himself a beer guy, but when a mysterious bright green spirit started shaking up the scene in the Czech Republic (where he lives) in the 1990s, he knew he had to learn more. His latest book “The Absinthe Forger: A True Story of Deception, Betrayal, and The World’s Most Dangerous Spirit” looks back at the history of absinthe, why it was banned across Europe almost 100 years ago, and how its return to the market has inspired collectors, connoisseurs…a

Nov 21, 2024 • 20:40

The Integratron

In August 1953, airstrip operator George van Tassel claimed he was woken up in the middle of the night by an intelligent lifeform from outer space named Solganda. George says Solganda told him to build an energy rejuvenation machine – so that’s exactly what he spent the rest of his life doing…For more information on visiting the Integratron check out their website. Plus, take a look at some photos from one of George van Tassel’s UFO conventions. If you want to learn more, George tells his versio

Nov 20, 2024 • 16:50

St. Paul Island vs. the Rat

On a remote island 200 miles off the coast of Alaska, a community hunts for a single, elusive rat. Read Daniel Wu’s original reporting on the rat strike team. Thanks to Freesound user mmiron for the wave sounds in this episode.

Nov 19, 2024 • 12:45

The Internet, IRL

Places editors Michelle Cassidy and Diana Hubbell tell us about two real-world places that have been shaped by the internet.

Nov 18, 2024 • 14:37

We want your stories of places you're grateful for!

Blame it on this time of year, but we've been ruminating a lot on the places we're thankful for. And we want to hear your thoughts for a future episode. What's a place that played a pivotal role in shaping your life? It can be a place you grew up, or a place you live in now. Maybe it's a park bench, or another place of community. Tell us about it, any stories behind it, and when and why you go there. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Just so you k

Nov 16, 2024 • 2:00

The Wren’s Nest (Classic)

The Wren’s Nest in Atlanta is both a museum and former home of journalist Joel Chandler Harris and a hub for modern storytellers.

Nov 15, 2024 • 13:50

Nate DiMeo’s Personal Memory Palace

Nate DiMeo, host and creator of The Memory Palace podcast, walks us through some of the rooms in his own personal memory palace. We visit his grandfather’s old nightclub outside Providence, a beloved family home, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Visible Storage Unit, and a one-of-a-kind collection of glass flowers at Harvard University. Preorder a copy of Nate’s new book, The Memory Palace: True Short Stories of the Past.Check out the Memory Palace podcast, and listen to the episodes Nate made w

Nov 14, 2024 • 20:51

Malaria Bat Roosts

During the early 20th century, malaria was ravaging the world. We hear the story of Dr. Charles Campbell, who had a plan to cure it. But as it turns out, his big idea was… rather batty.

Nov 13, 2024 • 15:22

The Sul Ross Desk

In the 1980s, a group of friends on the track team at Sul Ross State University hauled a discarded dorm room desk to the top of a mountain. They left a notebook there to keep track of their run times and leave little notes for each other. Then… other people found it. And then… it started a tradition.Visit the Atlas entry for the Sul Ross desk, and learn more about the archives containing the Sul Ross desk notebooks.

Nov 12, 2024 • 14:16

San Juan Sounds (Classic)

San Juan Sounds is an iconic studio where musicians, engineers, and quite possibly a music-loving ghost carry on the island’s musical traditions, which date back hundreds of years. This episode is produced in partnership with Discover Puerto Rico.

Nov 11, 2024 • 13:35

Weed Week: The International Church of Cannabis

Travel to Denver Colorado and meet Steve Berke who helped found the first International Church of Cannabis in 2015. Learn more about it here.

Nov 8, 2024 • 9:54

Weed Week: San Francisco Cannabis Buyers’ Club

The San Francisco Cannabis Buyers’ Club was one of the first marijuana dispensaries in the country. Its members were people with AIDS, cancer, and other serious illnesses, and inside the club had stages, TV lounges, puzzles, and other things that would bring people together. Today, we meet the unexpected mix of gay rights organizers and cannabis advocates behind the club, and we hear about their unorthodox route to opening it – including why they tried to get busted by the police.

Nov 7, 2024 • 20:58

Weed Week: Jirzankal Cemetery

An ancient cemetery in western China may hold the answer to a question asked by many a stoner: where on Earth did humans first smoke weed to get high? Learn more about the cemetery in this 2019 paper in Science Advances. Keep up with Rob Spengler’s archaeobotany lab here.

Nov 6, 2024 • 13:11

Weed Week: Dope Lake

In 1976, an airplane carrying 6,000 pounds of smuggled weed crashed into a remote lake in Yosemite. A group of climbers had a heyday. Read John Long’s account of the crash, and check out Greg Nichols’ reporting on the same subject.  Plus: Where is the weirdest place you’ve ever cast a vote? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and tell us about your local unusual polling location. Or, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.

Nov 5, 2024 • 16:07

Weed Week: Get Inside the CannaVan

Cannabis is now legal in more than half of U.S. states, but it remains federally illegal – which makes doing research on the plant extremely difficult. Today, we meet a clever group of scientists who found their way around these laws… by literally driving around them.    Learn more about the CannaVan, and check out some of Rasha and Emma’s original reporting.

Nov 4, 2024 • 16:07

Spooky Week: The Gray Man (Classic)

A South Carolina ghost story is a harbinger of hurricanes and a window into history. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/south-carolina-hurricane-ghost

Nov 1, 2024 • 12:17

Spooky Week: The Story of the Mad Gasser with Colin Dickey

In 1944, a strange spate of “gas attacks” in a small Midwestern town reveals what was really lurking in mid-century America. Read Colin Dickey’s article about the mad gasser, and check out his Monster of the Month series.

Oct 31, 2024 • 23:04

Spooky Week: Places That Give Us the Creeps

Listener stories about places that give off big creepy vibes – from an abandoned ice factory to a haunted university music building.If you want to hear more about Luz Fleming’s ghost story, there’s a whole episode about it called Bennington Ghost Stories on a podcast called Yard Tales.

Oct 30, 2024 • 12:25

Spooky Week: No More Scary Stories at Camp

To avoid traumatizing kids, many summer camps are banning scary stories. But can a little fun with fear be a good thing? Check out Roxanne Hoorn’s article about this fading tradition.

Oct 29, 2024 • 17:26

Spooky Week: Elmer McCurdy’s Nine Lives

In 1976, a television crew filming an episode of the show “The Six Million Dollar Man” descended on a rundown funhouse in Long Beach, California. While filming, they accidentally broke the arm off a wax dummy. Except...it wasn't a wax dummy. It was a real body. The body of a notorious train robber from the early 1900s, named Elmer McCurdy. Check out the Atlas entry for Elmer McCurdy’s grave.  For more information on Elmer, we recommend Mark Svenvold’s book “Elmer McCurdy: The Misadventures in Li

Oct 28, 2024 • 17:20

The Smallest Mollusk Museum (Classic)

The Smallest Mollusk Museum in New York City is part of a fleet of tiny museums that might just have a big impact on the world.

Oct 25, 2024 • 14:58

Living on Mars

Kelly and Zach Weinersmith walk Dylan through the practicalities of making a home on the red planet. Check out their book A City on Mars everywhere books are sold.

Oct 24, 2024 • 20:52

The South's Hidden Confessional

Outside the French Quarter lies Hidden South, an antique shop like any other. And hidden amongst the oddities is a bathroom full of secrets.

Oct 23, 2024 • 10:32

Aftel Archive of Curious Scents

Producer Alexa Lim visits a collection of natural aromas in Berkeley, California. She gets a whiff of some of the world’s lesser known smells, and stumbles down the rabbit hole of the hidden world of scents.

Oct 22, 2024 • 14:46

Bessie Stringfield, Motorcycle Queen of Miami

In the 1930s and 1940s, a young Black woman named Bessie Stringfield decided she’d strike out on her own and hit the road – and ended up crisscrossing the United States eight times, and becoming the first Black woman to ride a motorcycle through each of the lower 48 states. If she ran out of money, she’d join a circus. If she couldn’t find a place to stay, she’d sleep out under the stars. Read more about Bessie Stringfield in this Atlas Obscura article by Natalie Zarrelli. Check out the work of

Oct 21, 2024 • 13:12

The Divorce Colony (Classic)

For a brief period the small frontier city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota drew in socialites and celebrities who were desperate to end their marriages.For more stories from the Divorce Colony, check out April White's book: The Divorce Colony: How Women Revolutionized Marriage and Found Freedom on the American Frontier.

Oct 18, 2024 • 16:06

The Hogs of Ossabaw Island

Reporter Diana Hubbell brings us to an island off the coast of Georgia, and tells Dylan the story of ​​an eccentric heiress, a daring mission, and the fight for North America’s most unusual pig.Read Diana’s James Beard Award-winning article called “Saving the Hogs of Ossabaw Island.”

Oct 17, 2024 • 22:12

Skinny Houses

Producer Talon Stradley takes us on a tour of three skinny houses – each with a big story inside. Do these skinny houses have you curious about spite houses? Check out that episode here.

Oct 16, 2024 • 15:55

A Visit to the Reptile Super Show with Jacob Wysocki

Comedian, actor, and podcaster Jacob Wysocki takes Dylan on a tour of a very special expo: The Reptile Super Show! Listen to Jacob’s full experience at the Reptile Super Show (and his journey to other expos) here.

Oct 15, 2024 • 14:59

The Places We Loved and Lost

We’re bringing you stories about places that you can no longer visit – this time we have stories about a hometown hangout spot, a beloved amusement park, a mural building in Queens, and a disappearing natural wonder. Plus: We want to know about places that give you the creeps. Places that get under your skin and give you that eerie feeling. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.

Oct 14, 2024 • 14:17

The Stanley Hotel (Classic)

We go inside a place that some paranormal investigators call the most active haunted location in the world. Before it was known as the inspiration for Stephen King...the Stanley Hotel had a reputation -- and ghosts --  of its own.  This episode was produced with Visit Colorado. From culinary delights at world-class restaurants to unforgettable outdoor adventures, there's something for everyone to discover. Visit Colorado.com to start planning your getaway.

Oct 12, 2024 • 18:03

Phone Booth on a Roof (Classic)

The City Hall in Lincoln, Illinois has an unusual architectural appendage with a curious history. Read about it here.

Oct 11, 2024 • 10:49

The Most (and Least) Accessible Travel Destinations with Cory Lee

Traveling as a wheelchair user comes with some unique accessibility challenges, but Cory Lee has managed to visit 48 countries and all 7 continents. Cory is a travel blogger who shares his stories and tips for disabled travelers. He shares some of the most (and least) accessible destinations, hurdles he has encountered, and a few of his favorite memories from around the world. You can find Cory’s blog and group trips at CurbFreeWithCoryLee.com

Oct 10, 2024 • 23:09

Spruce Pine, Global Chokepoints, and the Future of Manufacturing

The small mountain town of Spruce Pine provides nearly all of the ultra-pure quartz used to make the world’s semiconductors. When Hurricane Helene nearly wiped out the mines, it provided a stark wake-up call. Journalist Ed Conway joins Dylan to discuss what we can learn from this near-miss. Check out more of Ed Conway’s reporting and subscribe to his Substack here. To support disaster relief efforts in North Carolina, you can donate to vetted organizations here or here.

Oct 9, 2024 • 14:54

Screeching Like Seagulls

A group of seagull lovers in Belgium wants you to sympathize with these birds… by sounding just like them.

Oct 8, 2024 • 12:15

Spacing Out in South Korea

After experiencing burn out, South Korean artist WoopsYang decides to take a rest and create an environment for others to space out… by having a competition.

Oct 7, 2024 • 15:20

It's Spooky Season! We want to hear your stories

We want to know about places that give you the creeps. Places that get under your skin, give you that eerie feeling. And why? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Just so you know, our mailbox will cut you off after two minutes so please call back in  if you get disconnected. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com

Oct 5, 2024 • 1:45

Mini Golfing in Myrtle Beach (Classic)

In Myrtle Beach, mini-golf is not so mini. They’re hosting the Mini-Golf Masters, where titans of the tiny game will compete to see who rises to the top. This episode was produced in partnership with Visit Myrtle Beach. Whether you’re a golfer or just looking to relax, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is 60 miles where you belong. Learn more at VisitMyrtleBeach.com

Oct 4, 2024 • 14:27

Studying the World’s Largest Parrot Colony with Juan Masello

We head to the cliffs of Balneario El Condor in Argentina to visit a parrot city… and the parrot suburbs. And we meet the biologist who risks his life to study them. Learn more about the parrot colony and Juan Masello’s work.

Oct 3, 2024 • 22:21

The Diefenbunker

How 78 toilets exposed a Cold War secret in Carp, Ontario.

Oct 2, 2024 • 13:44

The Goose Who Wore Nikes

In the late 1980s, a goose named Andy was born without webbed feet. A local Nebraskan inventor made him a pair of customized baby shoes and grew to care for the goose. But then – Andy was murdered. Twenty years later, the inventor's granddaughter picks up the pieces.

Oct 1, 2024 • 17:07

An Update on California’s Jurupa Oak

This summer we learned about a 15,000-year-old oak tree in California that was facing a potential housing development. Today, we learn its fate. Listen to our original episode about the Jurupa Oak here.

Sep 30, 2024 • 11:40

Carhenge (Classic)

This experimental automotive replica of Stonehenge has become a symbol of the town of Alliance, Nebraska. But residents haven’t always been fans.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/carhenge

Sep 27, 2024 • 12:22

Small Town, Big Story: The Pennsic Wars of Slippery Rock, PA

Every summer, more than 10,000 people flock to this Pennsylvania town for two weeks for the largest gathering of medieval arts and culture anywhere in the world. This episode was produced in partnership with GoUSATV based on a video series we do with them called Small Town Big Story. To see this massive battle for yourself, check out our video about Slippery Rock.

Sep 26, 2024 • 18:54

Small Town, Big Story: Heating Up in Thermopolis, WY

We go to a central Wyoming town, just a couple hours from Yellowstone, that's appropriately named Thermopolis. City of Heat. It’s home to one of the largest mineral hot springs in the world. But it turns out this town of less than 3,000 is also home to so much more. It’s a literal melting pot — of boiling water, rich rock formations, bath robes and dinosaur bones. This episode was produced in partnership with GoUSATV based on a video series we do with them called Small Town Big Story.  To see so

Sep 25, 2024 • 15:20

Small Town, Big Story: The Giant Omelet of Abbeville, LA

We’re visiting a town 150 miles west of New Orleans in the absolute heart of Cajun country, where every year, thousands of people come from across the country to march through the streets, play music, celebrate French culture, and cook up an absolutely enormous omelet. This episode was produced in partnership with GoUSATV based on a video series we do with them called Small Town Big Story. To see the giant omelet for yourself, check out our video about Abbeville.

Sep 24, 2024 • 17:40

Small Town, Big Story: The Storytellers of Jonesborough, TN

Every October, amateurs and professionals alike gather in this small town in the Appalachian Mountains to hone their storytelling chops and share them with crowds of thousands. In this episode, host Dylan Thuras takes his turn at the mic during the National Storytelling Festival.This episode was produced in partnership with GoUSATV based on a video series we do with them called Small Town Big Story. To check out the storytelling capital of the world for yourself, check out our video about Jonesb

Sep 23, 2024 • 16:08

Enchanted Hart Haus (Classic)

Steve and Amy Hartbauer have turned their home in residential Denver, CO into a massive mosaic and decade’s long expression of inner inspiration. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/enchanted-hart-haus

Sep 20, 2024 • 10:07

Our Material World with Ed Conway

Dylan talks with journalist and author Ed Conway about three materials that our entire civilization depends on: salt, copper, and sand. They visit the biggest man-made hole on Earth, a salt mine large enough to fit the Eiffel Tower inside it, and a single mine in North Carolina that is essential to nearly all the world’s computer chips. If you want to learn more, check out Ed’s book: Material World: The Six Raw Materials That Shape Modern Civilization.

Sep 19, 2024 • 23:37

Pining for the Places We Can No Longer Eat

We asked you to send us stories about places you can no longer visit – and nearly everyone wrote in about a beloved closed restaurant. So today, we hear your stories of places you can no longer EAT.             We still want to hear your stories about other places you can no longer visit (beyond restaurants). Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Or, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.

Sep 18, 2024 • 9:55

Smith Court

In Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood, there was once a revolutionary community for African Americans willing to do whatever it took to maintain their own freedom – and help others achieve theirs.

Sep 17, 2024 • 15:41

The Hidden History of Eyeliner with Zahra Hankir

Zahra Hankir is the author of the book Eyeliner: A Cultural History. She brings Dylan to three places across the globe where eyeliner plays a key cultural role: Egypt, Chad, and Los Angeles.

Sep 16, 2024 • 15:49

Roger Williams Root (Classic)

The hunt to memorialize Rhode Island’s founder created one of the state’s strangest and most enduring myths. Learn more about Roger Williams relationship to local indigenous tribes here.

Sep 13, 2024 • 13:03

A Pasta Tour of Italy with Dan Pashman

Cookbook author and Sporkful host Dan Pashman sets out on a research trip across Italy in search of highly regional pasta dishes that he can’t find anywhere else. Along the way, he learns a shocking truth about Italy and pasta, and ponders innovation and authenticity in one of the world’s most popular cuisines.  Check out Dan’s new cookbook, Anything's Pastable: 81 Inventive Pasta Recipes for Saucy People.

Sep 12, 2024 • 23:16

The Day the Tractors Stood Still

In May 2024, tractors across the American Midwest stalled. But that was only the first piece of a much larger story. Journalist Jason Koebler takes us to Nebraska and Illinois to find out what is going on with American tractors – and what Ukrainian hackers have to do with it. Read more of Jason’s reporting on John Deere and the Right to Repair movement.

Sep 11, 2024 • 18:10

Wood Island Lighthouse

Over the course of its 200 year history, the lighthouse on Wood Island in Maine has been home to a celebrity dog, a grisly murder, some mischievous ghosts, and a monster storm that may or may not have been brought on by a pickpocket’s curse.Learn more about Wood Island Lighthouse on their website (here’s Richard’s book.)Want to hear more stories of mega storms, heroic sea rescues, and maybe even some more lighthouse ghosts? Here’s some information about Maine’s 60 historic lighthouses. This epis

Sep 10, 2024 • 17:06

The Wave Organ

Producer Luz Fleming takes his son to revisit a special childhood spot that just happens to be a San Fransisco gem hiding in plain sight ... in the middle of the bay!

Sep 9, 2024 • 17:34

Wild Life Week: Rae Wynn-Grant and the Bear (Classic)

Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, Ph.D. is a wildlife ecologist specializing in large carnivores. And in this episode she unfolds a mystery for listeners.

Sep 6, 2024 • 17:02

Wild Life Week: Why Would a Researcher Pull a Lion’s Tail?

Producer Abbey Perrault takes a trip into the Kenyan savanna, where she meets researchers who are studying how people share space with unlikely neighbors: lions. Along the way, she learns why a researcher would possibly pull the tail of a lion, and gets *extremely* up close and personal with two massive lionesses. For more information, check out Lucrecia Aguilar's website, Sam Kiuna’s Twitter and Instagram, and Lion Landscapes. Preorder your copy of Wild Life today!

Sep 5, 2024 • 25:19

Wild Life Week: Celery Makes A Nature Documentary

We all love to zone out to a soothing nature documentary. But what you’ll learn about them in this episode will make you watch – and listen! – a lot more carefully. Reporter Abigail Keel tells Dylan about her conversation with sound designer and mixer Graham Wild about the not-as-real-as-you-may-think sounds that bring nature documentaries to life.Preorder your copy of our new book, Wild Life, today!

Sep 4, 2024 • 17:01

Wild Life Week: The Female Alphas of Yellowstone

Decades after eradicating its wolves, Yellowstone National Park decided to reintroduce them. In the 1990s, the wolves were thriving—until one wolf decided to make life hell for everyone around her. Our guest in this episode, Rick McIntyre, has written several books about the wolves of Yellowstone. His latest is Thinking Like a Wolf, which will be out in late October 2024.Preorder your copy of Wild Life today!

Sep 3, 2024 • 18:24

Wild Life Week: Exploring Our Alien Planet with Cara Giaimo

The natural world is weird. Dylan talks with Cara Giaimo, co-author of our forthcoming book Wild Life, about the world’s tiniest chameleon, an acrobatic fog catching beetle, and how shellfish hold the keys to Poland’s water supply.Preorder your copy of Wild Life today, and get a free luggage tag!

Sep 2, 2024 • 15:00

Ottoman Bird Palaces (Classic)

These miniature mansions and luxurious homes were built for the feathered residents of Istanbul. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ottoman-bird-palaces

Aug 30, 2024 • 10:08

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is dedicated to telling the stories of the league’s greatest players, its impact on communities, and the game-changing innovations it brought to baseball.

Aug 29, 2024 • 23:18

Auctioning off Roadside America

Pegged as the “world’s greatest indoor miniature village,” Roadside America was a beloved roadside attraction in Shartlesville, Pennsylvania. The creator Laurence Gieringer and his family ran the business for 85 years until its closure in 2021. Today, the pieces of this miniature village have been auctioned off to past visitors all over the country. And there may yet be more auctions this year.

Aug 28, 2024 • 12:39

Atlas Obscura Goes Off Assignment: Sa Cabaneta & Provincetown

Saying farewell to summer with a lazy day in Mallorca, and a blustery night in Massachusetts. “3 p.m. in Sa Cabaneta” and “7:10 p.m. in Provincetown” were edited by Aube Rey Lescure. Both essays originally appeared in Off Assignment.

Aug 27, 2024 • 11:45

The Wimbledon Queue

Producer Emma Morgenstern spends nearly 6 hours waiting in a famous line. Will she get into the most exclusive tennis tournament in the world – or face bigtime disappointment?

Aug 26, 2024 • 13:01

Seven Keys Lodge (Classic)

The world’s largest random, assorted key collection located outside Denver, CO, was inspired by a literary infatuation and includes keys to danger and memory.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/baldpate-inn-key-collection

Aug 23, 2024 • 12:14

Are Cemeteries…Dying?

In 2023, 60% of Americans chose to be cremated instead of having a traditional burial. If that trend continues, do cemeteries need to be worried about the future? Loren Rhoads, author of 222 Cemeteries To See Before You Die (which is coming out on August 27), explains how old cemeteries are working to bring in the living…and tells us about new and experimental ways to be buried and memorialized.

Aug 22, 2024 • 22:21

District Six

District Six is a neighborhood in Cape Town South Africa that was destroyed under the apartheid regime. Today, a museum stands as a  monument to the people who once called the neighborhood home.

Aug 21, 2024 • 13:35

Atlas Obscura Goes Off Assignment: To the Swimmer in the Borneo Rainforest

Writer Meghan Gunn meets a stranger in the jungle, and writes him a letter.This essay was edited by Aube Rey Lescure and originally appeared in Off Assignment. It was also included in The Best American Travel Writing 2021. If you have had a memorable encounter with a stranger, we want to hear about it. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, or record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com

Aug 20, 2024 • 11:04

Oh, the Places We Can’t Go

The Atlas Obscura Places team brings us to a dazzling aquarium and a small town in the heart of what was once eastern Pennsylvania’s coal country. The catch? Neither place exists anymore. Do you have a place that you love that no longer exists? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, or send a voice memo to Hello@AtlasObscura.com.

Aug 19, 2024 • 14:41

Tell Us Your Story: Places To Remember

Maybe it was a mom and pop shop that closed down. Maybe it was a facility that you often used and shut down. Or an art space that was replaced by a housing development. We want to hear about places that YOU can no longer visit. What was there before disappearing? Why was it important to you? How were you connected to this place? What do you remember about it? What did it look like? What is left of this place NOW? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story.

Aug 17, 2024 • 1:45

The Lost Boys of Robber’s Cave (Classic)

In 1954, two groups of boys thought they were going to summer camp. But they’d been recruited for a different kind of summer experience.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-corn-palace-mitchell-south-dakota

Aug 16, 2024 • 16:17

What’s Happening to the Benin Bronzes?

An update on the thousands of masks from the former Kingdom of Benin. These pieces of art and culture are spread in museums across the world, but a new discussion has reignited about if they should stay put.

Aug 15, 2024 • 21:40

The Wizard of Wamego

The story of how a former nuclear missile silo in Wamego, Kansas became the site of the largest LSD bust in US history (allegedly). Fore more information, check out author Dennis McDougal’s website and Rolling Stone’s interview with Leonard Pickard.

Aug 14, 2024 • 14:58

Atlas Obscura Goes Off Assignment: The Selinsgrove Speedway and Muriwai

An evening visit to a racetrack, and a late night walk on the beach. “8:45 p.m. at the Selinsgrove Speedway” was edited by Aube Rey Lescure and “10 p.m. in Muriwai” was edited by Tusshara Nalakumar Srilatha. Both essays originally appeared in Off Assignment.

Aug 13, 2024 • 12:09

A (Store) for the Birds

Mike O’Connor’s Cape Cod store provides supplies for birders, gives away thousands of pounds of free potatoes, and inspires April Fools’ Day-related hijinks. For more information, check out the Bird Watcher’s General Store website.Preorder your copy our new book,Wild Life, today!

Aug 12, 2024 • 14:52

Travels with Steve and Datsun (Classic)

Today we hear from an Atlas Obscura user who, when he isn’t aboard an icebreaking warship for the Canadian Navy, spends weeks at a time road-tripping with his dog. Check out Steve’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puppercycle/?hl=en

Aug 9, 2024 • 15:25

On the Hunt for Government Treasure with Mitch Yockelson

Investigator Mitch Yockelson, a historian and academic turned archival bounty hunter, has a job that makes for pretty interesting dinner party discussion: tracking down the people who steal government property.

Aug 8, 2024 • 21:47

The Museum That Began in One Woman’s House

Mary Maschal set out to document women’s history, unintentionally becoming part of it herself. Learn more about the Women's Museum of History here.

Aug 7, 2024 • 9:31

Atlas Obscura Goes Off Assignment: To the Father on the Bicycle

A visitor in Cajicá, Colombia sees a stranger on a bicycle, and writes him a letter. This essay was edited by Carey Baraka and originally appeared in Off Assignment.If you have had a memorable encounter with a stranger, we want to hear about it. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, or record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com.

Aug 6, 2024 • 17:10

The Red Book

In the early 1900s, influential psychologist Carl Jung spent more than a decade documenting the strange images that popped up in his unconscious mind and documenting them all in a beautiful illustrated manuscript. After his death, his family thought the book was too bizarre to be made public and locked it away in a Swiss bank vault for decades. MORE:Learn more about the Jung House Museum (and visit the study where Jung wrote the Red Book) https://www.cgjunghaus.ch/en/A link to the New York Times

Aug 5, 2024 • 15:53

Road Trip Week: Meramec Caverns (Classic)

This giant limestone cave outside of St. Louis, MO. is home to a combination of kitsch and world-class scenery.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/meramec-caverns

Aug 2, 2024 • 15:48

Road Trip Week: Exploring the Borscht Belt with Marisa Scheinfeld

Dylan is joined by Marisa Scheinfeld, a photographer who has dedicated years to exploring the lost and abandoned properties of the Borscht Belt. A stretch of hundreds of hotels, resorts and summer camps where Jewish Americans would go to escape. Check out more of Marisa’s work here, including her book, The Borscht Belt: Revisiting the Remains of America’s Jewish Vacation Land.

Aug 1, 2024 • 20:46

Road Trip Week: Listener Stories

You bring us road trip stories from all over the globe. Along the way, we hear about encounters with wild boars, a visit to a famously large ball of twine and a lifelong friendship that began on the back of motorcycles.

Jul 31, 2024 • 12:35

Road Trip Week: Alone with a Camera in the Desert

Strap on your hiking boots and say goodbye to your spouse. We’re pulling off the highway and going on a trek through Dinosaur National Monument with photographer Randy Fullbright. To see Randy’s photos for yourself, check out his website or stop by his shop, Fullbright Studios, in Vernal, UT.

Jul 30, 2024 • 15:41

Road Trip Week: Where to Go

It’s Road Trip Week! Dylan hops in a (virtual) car and embarks on a Great American Road Trip. Along the way, Atlas Obscura staffers recommend their favorite road trip stops – from a strange doll hospital, to a massive sculpture only visible during certain times of year, to a magical desert oasis. Learn more about our recommendations: Babyland General HospitalRoadside AmericaSpiral JettyDrummond Basin

Jul 29, 2024 • 16:01

The Theater of Electricity (Classic)

Step inside the Theater of Electricity in Boston and learn about the World’s Largest Air-Insulated Van De Graaff Generator.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/worlds-largest-airinsulated-van-de-graaff-generator

Jul 26, 2024 • 15:15

Our Lives Through Hollywood’s Eyes

Writer and journalist Walt Hickey joins Dylan for a conversation about the different ways film and television have impacted us and our real world surroundings, a topic that’s the subject of his new book You Are What You Watch.

Jul 25, 2024 • 22:52

The Arrow Stork

The story of a stork, a spear and a scientific mystery that led to breakthroughs in the way we understand bird migration.

Jul 24, 2024 • 11:41

A 15,000 Year Old Tree and a Housing Development

In the California’s Jurupa Valley, residents discovered a treasure in their backyard: a 15,000 year old tree. Now, it may disappear.Read Shannon Osaka’s article about the Jurupa Oak.

Jul 23, 2024 • 15:52

Meet the Man Who Sets America’s Living Rooms on Fire

Today we visit the ATF Fire Research Laboratory where investigators recreate arson attacks and analyze burn patterns. Read more about John Allen and his work at the world's largest fire research laboratory.

Jul 22, 2024 • 19:06

Discovery Hut (Classic)

Atlas Obscura's Gemma Tarlach shares what it's like to step inside a relic from the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, and to find traces of a famous lost party of explorers.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/discovery-hut

Jul 19, 2024 • 12:53

Hunting for Meteorites with Steve Arnold

Today we're powering up our metal detectors and keeping a very close eye on the surface of the earth as we set out in the hunt for meteorites with Steve Arnold, who’s been in the game for more than three decades. If you want to learn more, check out Steve’s website, and read this profile of the meteorite hunting community.

Jul 18, 2024 • 22:17

This 80s Icon Has A Shrine In A Berlin Hostel

In the basement of a Berlin hostel – in a corridor connecting their brewery to the luggage storage area – is a shrine to a pop culture icon with a surprising connection to the city’s history. (Hint: It’s David Hasselhoff.) Plus: Atlas Obscura has a new book coming out! Pre-order your copy of Wild Life today.

Jul 17, 2024 • 16:54

My Life in Three Places: Dylan Thuras

Dylan takes us on a tour of three places that have shaped his life.Listen to our episodes about the Corn Palace, House on the Rock, and Gold Medal Flour.

Jul 16, 2024 • 18:01

Mother Jones and the Battle of Blair Mountain

How a woman in her 70s inspired some of the biggest labor uprisings in American history.

Jul 15, 2024 • 14:52

Pigeon Towers of Iran (Classic)

This elaborate architecture throughout Iran served a very unique purpose - gathering pigeon guano. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pigeon-towers-iran

Jul 12, 2024 • 10:19

Getting Lost with Susan Orlean

Travel writer Susan Orlean is an admitted terrible tourist. But she’s an expert at getting lost – with a purpose. Today, she takes us to some of the places that have shaped her life. And she talks about throwing out the guidebook – opening herself up to these experiences – and the art of getting lost.

Jul 11, 2024 • 22:56

A Walk Through Sandwich History with Barry Enderwick

Barry Enderwick has made and tasted more than 1000 sandwiches from across history. Today, he and Dylan make – and eat three sandwiches that each tell us something about history, culture, and ourselves. Pre-order Barry’s book, Sandwiches of History: The Cookbook, today!  We also have a new book coming  Pre-order a copy of Wild Life today!

Jul 10, 2024 • 21:09

The Mysterious Origins of Virginia’s Swimming Ponies

For one day every July, the Assateague Channel on Virginia’s marshy eastern shore is filled with the bobbing heads of swimming ponies. These feral horses are celebrities in the area, but nobody actually knows exactly how they got there. Atlas Obscura senior editor Gemma Tarlach tells us the story and wrote about it here.

Jul 9, 2024 • 15:13

How Caribou Gave Us a Peek at Life 9,000 Years Ago

In 2008, a researcher floating in a boat in Lake Huron had an idea for how to learn more about our prehistoric ancestors. It involved sonar, a lot of patience, and some very bumbling AI caribou. Listen to Morgan Springer’s original story here. For more stories about the land, water, and inhabitants of the Great Lakes, check out Points North wherever you get your podcasts.

Jul 8, 2024 • 17:44

We Want to Hear Your Unusual Road Trip Stories

We're working on another listener-led episode and want to know: What is your favorite unusual road trip destination? The weirdest road trip memory holed deep in your subconscious. Where was it? What did it look like? What do you remember? Maybe there is a place you have taken a friend, or your own kids and just thought. Oh man, they are going to freak out… It can be a good memory, a bad memory, or just a weird one. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, or send a voice memo to Hello

Jul 6, 2024 • 0:59

House the Giants Built (Classic)

Anna Swan had an adventurous life before settling in Seville, Ohio and building a house large enough to fit her large life.

Jul 5, 2024 • 14:52

Double Header for the Fourth

Today we have two classic episodes to share about hidden histories of America. In one, we’ll hear the story of an unconventional Revolutionary patriot – an enslaved woman who sued her enslaver. And in the other, we’ll learn about a group of Native American veterans who developed an unbreakable secret code during World War II – and the unlikely location where their legacy is preserved.

Jul 4, 2024 • 27:44

The Big Duck

The story of a big idea, and a big duck – and how this duck would go on to become an important architectural landmark that would influence buildings all around the world.   READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/big-duck

Jul 3, 2024 • 13:27

New York City’s Black Oyster King

Thomas Downing, who arguably invented fine dining in New York City, had a secret going on underneath the floor of his popular oyster house. Writer Briona Lamback tells us the story. If you want to read the full article, check out the link here. And if you’re looking for an oyster experience, Briona recommends Brooklyn-based The Real Mother Shucker, the city’s only oyster cart.

Jul 2, 2024 • 16:22

The Gilbert Baker Mural

Gilbert Baker’s pride flag design is now a worldwide symbol for LGBT freedom and liberation. Now, his former stomping grounds remember his efforts with a beautiful mural. But there’s more to this pride-filled house than meets the eye. SEE the mural for yourself here and learn more about the artist here.

Jul 1, 2024 • 14:42

Jadeite Cabbage (Classic)

This tiny stone cabbage has a big backstory stretching from the rich, treasure-laden halls of Beijing’s Forbidden City...through a harrowing wartime escape...to its prized place at the National palace museum in Taipei, Taiwan.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/jade-cabbage

Jun 28, 2024 • 14:21

Roop Kund

Author Doug Preston brings us back into the world of his latest book, The Lost Tomb, with a story of a remote lake in the Himalayas where hundreds of human skeletons were discovered – puzzling scientists and researchers for years.

Jun 27, 2024 • 28:47

The Glove Museum

This museum in New York is a recreated 19th century glove making workshop complete with sizing tools, cutting blocks, and irons. It’s also  part studio, part exhibition space and the brainchild of a craftsman who dedicated his life to the art of glove-making.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-glove-museum

Jun 26, 2024 • 15:20

Grizzly Adams: America’s Mythic Mountain Man

In the 1850s, one anonymous Massachusetts shoemaker became a national celebrity – all by exhibiting his “family” of captured grizzly bears.

Jun 25, 2024 • 16:18

In The Heart Of NYC, A Refuge For Birds

A hospital and rehab center for birds in Manhattan started with a woman who just wanted to do all she could to help an injured goose. Decades later, it has become an institution.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/wild-bird-fund

Jun 24, 2024 • 11:40

The Start of a Language

Places editors Michelle Cassidy and Jonathan Carey bring us stories about two specific languages that were created by people who gave us a glimpse into their worlds and cultures – real and imagined.

Jun 21, 2024 • 17:04

Nerding Out on Ancient Queens with Torri Yates-Orr

History buff Torri Yates-Orr gives us the tea on Nefertiti, Cleopatra, and Amanirenas – and explains why we often don’t hear their full stories in history class.

Jun 20, 2024 • 25:40

For Keeps Books (Classic)

In Atlanta, on this historic Auburn Avenue, sits a small bookstore and reading room that’s been called “an interactive art museum of Black Thought” LEARN MORE: https://www.forkeepsbooks.com/

Jun 19, 2024 • 16:22

The Last Baldwin House

James Baldwin’s former home in the South of France is a site that many visit hoping to feel the essence of the great African-American writer. But should it be?

Jun 18, 2024 • 14:43

America’s First Celebrity Bartender And The Book That Changed Bars Forever

In the early days of drinking in America, bartenders passed down drink recipes simply via word of mouth. Then, a suit-wearing, itinerant bartender decked out in diamonds changed everything. Plus, big news! “Atlas Obscura: Wild Life” is coming soon to bookstores near you. Pre-order your copy now!

Jun 17, 2024 • 17:24

Tell us your road trip stories & get travel advice from Dylan

What is your favorite unusual road trip destination? Plus, Dylan wants your travel questions. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, or send a voice memo to Hello@Atlas Obscura.com.

Jun 15, 2024 • 4:51

The Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum (Classic)

Noah Purifoy was a pugilistic LA artist who eventually filled a 10 acre plot of land in Joshua Tree, CA with his off-kilter art. Noah Purifoy’s Outdoor Museum: http://www.noahpurifoy.com/joshua-tree-outdoor-museumLearn more about Dale Davis: https://dalebdavis.com/Listen to our episode about Leimert Park: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/podcast-leimert-park-iiListen to our episode about the Watts Towers Art Center: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/podcast-watts-towersREAD MORE IN THE

Jun 14, 2024 • 17:12

In the Doldrums with Bernie Harberts

Ultimate slow travel adventurer (and friend of the show) Bernie Harberts returns to tell us what happened when he spent months floating alone at sea. Bernie is also an author and filmmaker. You can read more about Bernie's travels at his website www.riverearth.com.

Jun 13, 2024 • 22:51

Your Stories Of Traveling With Parents

Listener stories of hitting the road, parents in tow. We’ll hear about an unexpected run-in with a group of lumberjacks, a rare road trip with parents visiting from Thailand, and a heart-pounding incident in Istanbul. If you have a suggestion about our next call out episode or a place you would like us to look into, please write us an email at hello@atlasobscura.com. Or call us and leave us a message at 315-992-7902.

Jun 12, 2024 • 12:25

Black Cultural Archives

We visit a London neighborhood that’s the epicenter of Caribbean culture and a place that aims to be the home for Black British history. Learn more about the Black Cultural Archives here.

Jun 11, 2024 • 13:45

The Secret Nazi Weather Station Named Kurt

During the 1970s, archaeologists and fishermen stumbled across an abandoned military weather station on the coast of Labrador. It was labeled “Canadian Meteor Service.” The problem was: the Canadian Meteor Service didn’t put it there. In fact, the Canadian Meteor Service didn’t even exist.MORE: You can visit Weather Station Kurt at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, which is only about 980 miles from its original location!

Jun 10, 2024 • 14:37

The Rotary Jail Museum (Classic)

The only remaining operational Rotary Jail, found in Crawfordsville, Indiana, shows visitors how inmates were once locked within the building’s walls. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/rotary-jail-museum

Jun 8, 2024 • 10:33

Ruins of Le Jardin d'Agronomie Tropicale (Classic)

This garden park in Paris, France contains the ruins of a colonial exhibition from 1907.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/le-jardin-d-agronomie-tropicale

Jun 7, 2024 • 16:57

Controlled Cold with Nicky Twilley

We get a crash course in the fascinating temperature-controlled ecosystem we’ve created to keep our food fresh – and available – all year round. Our guide is Nicky Twilley, co-host of the Gastropod podcast and author of the new book called Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves.

Jun 6, 2024 • 28:51

Welcome To Wall Drug

In the South Dakota badlands, a small pharmacy employed an ingenious marketing gimmick, and boomed into a business that draws millions of visitors every year. It’s a story that involves giant dinosaurs, a mythological jack rabbit, and lots and lots of donuts.

Jun 5, 2024 • 17:45

Traveling With Kids: Please Send Help

We’ve got a fun collaboration with podcasters SuChin Pak and Kulap Vilaysack, hosts of Add to Cart. Hear them chat with Dylan about traveling with kids – the good, the bad, and the vomit-y times. Pick up tips if you’re about to make your first or 10th trip with young people this summer.

Jun 4, 2024 • 24:14

Blue Spring State Park

We head to Florida, the wintertime refuge for many, for a glimpse of a rehabilitation effort aimed at some very distinct creatures known for being gentle giants – manatees. This episode was produced in partnership with VISIT FLORIDA.

Jun 3, 2024 • 13:34

The Last Sears in New York City (Classic)

Producer Johanna Mayer takes a trip to the last Sears in New York City, and a Brooklyn landmark, with two people whose lives were shaped by the department store.

May 31, 2024 • 15:49

Looking Toward the Sky with Summer Ash

Telescope tourist, rocket scientist and STEAM educator Summer Ash gives us the nitty gritty on the V.L.A. - a 22-mile telescope in New Mexico whose formal name is literally “Very Large Array.” We talk about how this observatory works and what cosmic wonders it’s detected.

May 30, 2024 • 25:43

Canada Obscura: The Giant Orange Sphere

CANADALAND host Jesse Brown introduces Dylan to a strange and decaying Quebecois fast food institution… housed inside a giant orange sphere. Today, the orange is a relic of a bygone era. But decades ago, this odd establishment was on track to become the McDonalds of Canada. We hear about the rise and fall of Montreal’s Orange Julep, and how its eccentric founder envisioned a Canada scattered with glowing orange spheres.    This week, we’re celebrating Canada’s strange, incredible, and wondrous p

May 29, 2024 • 24:20

Canada Obscura: The Feral Horses of Sable Island

Host Dylan Thuras brings us to a remote island off the coast of Nova Scotia. On Sable Island, we learn how – against all odds – a group of beloved feral horses have not only survived, but thrived. There’s only one problem: Some people want them gone. This week, we’re celebrating Canada’s strange, incredible, and wondrous places. This is the second story in our collaboration with CANADALAND. If you want to hear more stories from their great show, we recommend starting here: The Truth About Polkar

May 28, 2024 • 18:38

Canada Obscura: The Real Life Winnie-The-Pooh

CANADALAND host Jesse Brown tells Dylan the story of a Canadian man who adopted a black bear in the woods of Winnipeg – and how that bear became the inspiration for one of the most beloved children’s characters of all time.This week, we’re celebrating Canada’s strange, incredible, and wondrous places. This is the first story in our collaboration with CANADALAND. If you want to hear more stories from their great show, we recommend starting here: An Oral History of Just for Laughs GagsThe Newfound

May 27, 2024 • 24:03

Maillardet’s Automaton (Classic)

This mechanical boy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was a mystery - until it began to write. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/maillardets-automaton

May 24, 2024 • 13:42

A Daring Story of Freedom with Edda Fields-Black

Historian and author Edda L. Fields-Black tells us the fascinating and action-packed story of one of the most daring spy operations and raids of the entire Civil War – led by Harriet Tubman.

May 23, 2024 • 26:18

A Rogue Trip with Amir Siraj

We catch up with Amir Siraj – friend of the show, scientist and world wanderer – who visited a new observatory in a Chilean desert that could help his search for rogue planets Check out other episodes we’ve done Amir here and here.

May 22, 2024 • 15:46

From Seed to Significance

Earlier this spring we shared the story of the city of Melbourne’s program to track trees, which morphed into a love fest. In this episode, we hear from YOU and your love letters to trees that play a special role in your life. MORE: Want to be in an upcoming Atlas Obscura episode? We’re collecting listener stories right now about traveling with your parents. Tell us about a place you went with your parents that was special to you. Maybe it was the annual trip to Niagara Falls or a national park.

May 21, 2024 • 13:41

The Ludlow Massacre Site

The Ludlow colony in southern Colorado was once a bustling tent city and haven for miners and their families. But it was also the site of one of the country’s most monumental –and violent – clashes of the labor movement.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ludlow-massacre-site

May 20, 2024 • 15:31

Shipwrecked Doritos (Classic)

In 2006 a massive haul of Doritos was shipwrecked on Hatteras Island on the Outer Banks, leaving its mark on the town forever.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/shipwrecked-doritos

May 17, 2024 • 12:59

Gabbing Goblins with Colin Dickey

Author Colin Dickey tells us the story of a Kentucky family who, in 1955, claimed to be in a wild gunfight with unidentified creatures who may or may not have been aliens. And we learn how this event had a mysterious, surprising, and shockingly long legacy that eventually inspired one of Hollywood's greatest movie makers to create multiple films about aliens and monsters and family.MORE: Check out Colin’s column on Atlas Obscura, or check out his website here.

May 16, 2024 • 23:59

Underwater Sculpture Gardens

Jason deCaires Taylor takes intentional art to another level with his sculptures that can be visited by humans and fish.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/underwater-sculpture-garden

May 15, 2024 • 19:31

Reppin MORE of our Weird Hometown Traditions

From a rubber duck contest to hypnotizing chickens, listeners share stories about annual customs, events and practices that set their hometowns apart from others. MORE: We're going to be bringing you more listener-led stories this year, and we need your help. Tell us about a place you went with your parents that was special to you. Maybe it was the annual trip to Niagara Falls or a national park. Or maybe it was just a one-time thing but had an outsized impact. Call and tell us at 315-992-7902 o

May 14, 2024 • 11:06

Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Museum

We visit the Louisiana town where the infamous – but often misunderstood – couple’s story came to an end. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bonnie-and-clyde-ambush-museum

May 13, 2024 • 12:13

Tell us your stories of traveling with your parents!

We're going to be bringing you more listener-led stories this year, and we need your help. Tell us about a place you went with your parents that was special to you. Maybe it was the annual trip to Niagara Falls or a national park. Or maybe it was just a one time thing but had an outsized impact. Call and tell us at 315-992-7902 or email us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com.

May 11, 2024 • 3:22

The Livestock Living at the End of the World (Classic)

The pigs once plopped on an uninhabited Auckland Island known for capturing castaways now play an important role in modern medical research. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-lives-on-auckland-islands

May 10, 2024 • 17:29

To the Moon and Back with Rebecca Boyle

Science writer and journalist Rebecca Boyle has a new book about all about the ways in which the moon has impacted nearly every aspect of human life – including our conception and invention of time.MORE IN THE ATLAS: Rebecca is a regular contributor to Atlas Obscura and you can find more about her work here and check out her book here.

May 9, 2024 • 22:11

Musée Mécanique

We empty out our change purse and visit Dan Zelinsky - the owner and head mechanic of the Musée Mécanique - one of the few remaining vintage arcades in the country. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/musee-mecanique-san-francisco

May 8, 2024 • 13:32

Beauly Priory Wych Elm

A gnarly looking elm tree rumored to be older than Britain itself was the anchor in a community – until beetles got to it and it was suddenly gone one day. Thanks to the magic of technology, you can see a 3D scan of the Beauly Elm here.READ IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/wych-elm-of-beauly-priory

May 7, 2024 • 10:46

Sans-Souci Palace

We go to Haiti, and visit a royal residence once called the Versailles of the Caribbean. But though Sans-Souci Palace, once home to Haiti’s only king, is now ruins and rubble, it remains a large symbol – just as its creator intended. | Read about this in the Atlas HERE

May 6, 2024 • 14:15

Rhubarb Triangle (Classic)

Farmers in Yorkshire, England take years to coax their rhubarb plants into a world-renowned delicacy using a century-old technique. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/rhubarb-triangle

May 3, 2024 • 12:37

Checking Into Hotel Imperial with Deborah Cohen

On the eve of the Second World War, there was one place that was the source for all good stories — the Hotel Imperial in Vienna. It exuded luxury and power, and also was the converging spot for foreign correspondents in the 1920’s and ‘30s who were warning the world about the rise of dictatorship. Historian and author Deborah Cohen takes us back in time and into the lives of these influential journalists.MORE Check out Deborah’s book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/576473/last-cal

May 2, 2024 • 24:25

Exotic Feline Rescue Center

Long before Joe Exotic got the country talking about big cats, there was Joe Taft – regular guy – who began raising and rescuing these types of felines in Indiana. MORE: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/exotic-feline-rescue-center-2

May 1, 2024 • 12:42

Old Cahawba

The Old Cahawba Archeological Park is perhaps one of Alabama's most famous ghost towns. But it once was the center of life in this southern state. We unravel the surprising tale of this onetime capital city.SEE IT IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/old-cahawba-archeological-park

Apr 30, 2024 • 14:16

Atlas Obscura Presents: “Windsor Hum” from Twenty Thousand Hertz

Today’s episode comes from Twenty Thousand Hertz, a podcast that reveals the stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds. On their show, they’ve explored topics like the sounds of other planets, the mind blowing ways that insects communicate, and secret spy messages that are broadcast on the radio.In this episode, they take you to the US-Canadian border, where, in 2011, residents of Windsor, Ontario started experiencing a strange rumbling hum that rattled dishes and kept

Apr 29, 2024 • 14:30

Tree Week: Forty Fruit Tree (Classic)

The Tree of 40 Fruits in San Jose California is an horticultural marvel of 40 types of stone fruit trees grafted together to form a living work of art. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tree-of-40-fruit

Apr 26, 2024 • 13:32

Tree Week: Killer Trees with Mary Roach

We promise, this is not another sappy (pardon the pun) story about trees. Instead, author and science writer Mary Roach takes us deep into an ancient forest grove on Vancouver Island, in search of the danger trees and the people who seek them out.Learn more about danger trees in Mary’s book, Fuzz.

Apr 25, 2024 • 23:23

Tree Week: Oh, the places you will go... to see these notable trees

We spend some time with some celebrity trees – one in Washington, DC and one in Berlin – that have left an impact on all who visit them. Today’s stories are brought to you by Michelle Cassidy and Diana Hubbell, of the Atlas Obscura Places Team.

Apr 24, 2024 • 15:52

Tree Week: Love Letters

In 2012, the city of Melbourne gave every tree a barcode and email address so people could report when it needed maintenance or attention. But, a funny thing started happening. Instead of reporting problems, people began emailing love letters to the trees.MORE: Is there a special tree in your life? One worthy of a love letter? Let us know!  Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and your love letter to a tree. Just so you know, our mailbox will cut you off after

Apr 23, 2024 • 11:52

Tree Week: A Tasty Tale about Meyer Lemons

Meyer lemons are so special that restaurants go out of their way to call them out on menus. Martha Stewart loves to bake with them. And yet, Meyer lemons also have a fascinating and kinda tragic backstory. Tune in for a very fun episode about this very particular fruit. Our guest in this episode is Mandy Naglich, professional taster and author of “How To Taste.”READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/meyer-lemon

Apr 22, 2024 • 18:22

Musk Ox Farm (Classic)

The Musk Ox Farm in Palmer, Alaska aims to domesticate a species that used to roam the earth at the same time as the wooly mammoth.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/musk-ox-farm

Apr 19, 2024 • 8:18

How to make the best show about New York with John Wilson

IN THIS EPISODE OF THE ATLAS OBSCURA PODCAST, Dylan sits down with “How To” creator and narrator  John Wilson about his travels, his favorite places and his HBO series that is part documentary, part memoir, part essay — and unlike any other show on TV. MORE: In their conversation, a few places come up that we’ve made episodes about. So if you want to hear about the Chrysler Building eagles, the House on the Rock or Organ Stop Pizza, click here, here and here.

Apr 18, 2024 • 29:24

Atalaya

Just outside of Myrtle Beach sits a medieval castle that would feel out of place if not for its charm. We tell the story of the eccentric couple who, nearly a hundred years ago, built this fortress — which was turned into a popular part of the state park system. This episode was produced in partnership with Discover South Carolina.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/atalaya

Apr 17, 2024 • 18:46

Showgirl Magic Museum

A one-room museum located in the basement of a church-turned-community arts center is crammed with mementos from a pretty spectacular period in history. We hang with some retired dancers who recall the time when Chinatown in San Francisco was filled with late night cabarets famed for their showgirls.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/showgirl-magic-museum-san-francisco-california

Apr 16, 2024 • 12:56

Reppin our Weird Hometown Traditions

From Tractor Day to an Italian style wedding to the streets of New York City to throwing water into the air in negative 20 degree weather, we take a tour of some quirky hometown traditions. Does the place you grew up have any unique traditions? We would love to hear from you! Tell us about your hometown’s weird or unique local tradition. Walk us through what goes down—who’s there and what’s happening? Is there an interesting history behind it? What was your relationship to this tradition like wh

Apr 15, 2024 • 13:14

Atlas Obscura Live: Two Places And A Lie

This week wasn't special only because of the eclipse. We also recorded our first live show, during the Atlas Obscura Ecliptic Festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas. In this episode, hear host Dylan Thuras try to stump guests --  astrobiologist Dr. Graham Lau and science writer Rebecca Boyle -- and get them to guess which strange, incredible place is real or fake. Then, the tables are turned and Dylan has to guess. Special thanks to everyone who made this possible!

Apr 12, 2024 • 22:09

My Life in Three Places with Rick Steves

Rick Steves has seen a lot of strange, incredible and wondrous places over his decades-long career as the leading authority on European travel. And today he is going to guide us through three places that helped shape his life.

Apr 11, 2024 • 26:12

Brown Mountain Lights

We’re heading to the mountains of western North Carolina, where for more than a century, people have witnessed unusual displays of shimmering and sometimes even exploding lights. And we hang with a skeptical scientist who’s spent years trying to solve the mystery. This episode was produced in partnership with Visit North Carolina.

Apr 10, 2024 • 16:23

Minister’s Treehouse (Classic)

The world’s biggest treehouse was inspired by a message from God.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ministers-tree-house

Apr 9, 2024 • 12:23

Total Eclipse of Our Hearts

Today, millions of people across North America donned solar glasses, and looked up. And since our show is all about wonder and curiosity and incredible places — a moment like the Great American Eclipse is something we take very seriously. If you missed it, or weren’t in the path of totality when the moon passed in front of the sun, we have you covered. Listen to this and sink into our shared once-in-a-generation experience, powered by voices across the continent.Special thanks to everyone who co

Apr 9, 2024 • 16:40

Stay Tuned: A special eclipse episode is coming tonight!

Millions of people will be getting in their cars, breaking out the cardboard glasses and looking to the sky for today's Great North American Eclipse… which won’t occur again for another TWENTY years. Host Dylan Thuras will be smack dab in the path of totality in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where Atlas Obscura’s Ecliptic festival has been in full swing for the past few days. And for the first time ever, our podcast team will be marking this monoculture event by making and releasing an episode all in o

Apr 8, 2024 • 2:02

Nevada Week: The Martin

At The Martin, family-style dining is rooted in a very specific history and cultural experience that began with Basque sheepherders in the 1800s and has been carried on and celebrated ever since. This episode was produced in partnership with Travel Nevada and is part of Nevada Week, where we bring you stories all week from the Silver State.LEARN MORE about The Martin and  Travel Nevada

Apr 5, 2024 • 15:03

Nevada Week: How I Learned to Love Las Vegas

A spectacular art installation is hidden inside an all-luxury shopping mall in Las Vegas. As of April 2024, the exhibit appears to be closed. This episode is part of Nevada Week, where we bring you stories all week from the Silver State. Find out more about cool things to see, do and experience in the state by visiting Travel Nevada.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/akhob

Apr 4, 2024 • 8:25

Nevada Week: National Atomic Testing Museum

Las Vegas was once the preferred tourist destination for watching weapons of mass destruction explode. This episode is part of Nevada Week, where we bring you stories all week from the Silver State. Find out more about cool things to see, do and experience in the state by visiting Travel Nevada.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/national-atomic-testing-museum

Apr 3, 2024 • 16:13

Nevada Week: The Office of Collecting and Design

Jessica Oreck has spent the last 30 years collecting odd and forgotten objects. Now, they’re all beautifully curated and on display in the Office of Collecting and Design in Las Vegas.  This episode is part of Nevada Week, where we bring you stories from the Silver State. Find out more about cool things to see, do and experience in the state by visiting Travel Nevada.LEARN MORE about The Office of Collecting and Design

Apr 2, 2024 • 15:00

Nevada Week: Molossia

This micronation about an hour outside of Reno draws visitors from all over the world. This episode was produced in partnership with Travel Nevada and is part of Nevada Week, where we bring you stories all week from the Silver State.LEARN MORE about Molossia and Travel Nevada

Apr 1, 2024 • 14:13

A Journey Through Death with Joanna Ebenstein

Friend of the show Joanna Ebenstein tells us about her enduring fascination with death, how it led her to create the Morbid Anatomy Museum and, after some setbacks, why she eventually settled on her new home of Mexico City.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: If you are interested in mortality and death and medical images and anatomical presentations, check out Morbid Anatomy. Joanna is also working on a new book called Memento Mori: The Art of Contemplating Death to Live a Better Life. Pre-order it here.

Mar 29, 2024 • 15:35

A Journey Around the World with Sebastian Modak

For one year, this journalist had the coolest assignment – as the New York Times “52 Places” reporter. Its charms and challenges were more than he ever imagined.

Mar 28, 2024 • 30:56

The Cincinnati Subway (Classic)

There are two miles of abandoned tunnels beneath the streets of Cincinnati, OH. A relic of an attempt to establish underground transportation in the city. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-cincinnati-subway-cincinnati-ohio

Mar 27, 2024 • 11:26

Ganvie Lake Village

A producer sits down with Dylan and recounts his trip to a place referred to as “The Venice of Africa.”READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/gavie-benin

Mar 26, 2024 • 15:45

Vent Haven Museum

This museum in Kentucky is either your dream place or your nightmare, depending on how you feel about dummies. Because there are more than 500 of them there, resting in peace.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-worlds-only-ventriloquism-museum-in-northern-kentucky

Mar 25, 2024 • 13:46

Tell us your plans for the Great North American Eclipse!

The Great North American Eclipse will be April 8, 2024. Where will you be watching it? Who will you be with? And why is it important to you to see this marvelous event? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, or send a voice memo to Hello@AtlasObscura.com.

Mar 24, 2024 • 1:23

Arrows Across America (Classic)

An adventurous couple sets out to document and unearth the arrow’s of America’s past, once used to help pilots find their way across the skies.GET MORE You can learn more about Charlotte and Brian’s journey – and see photos of the arrows they’ve documented – at their website: dreamsmithphotos.comWATCH THE ECLIPSE WITH US! The Great North American eclipse is April 8, and we're throwing a festival to celebrate. This is the last one in the U.S. for 20 years! So, we're inviting you to Hot Springs, A

Mar 22, 2024 • 12:26

Marching through the galaxy with Dr. Moiya McTier

Author, astrophysicist, folklorist, and science communicator Dr. Moiya McTier guides Dylan through the galaxy, and along the way reveals why she loves space so much, how folklore helps people understand things bigger than themselves, and the origins of her award-winning book, Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy.MORE: If this conversation really got you into thinking about space and mythology, Moiya will be teaching a facts-based fictional worldbuilding course online with us starting May 14

Mar 21, 2024 • 25:13

Arecibo Observatory (Classic)

This site, and the enormous telescope that sits on it, is loved and lost to both scientists and everyday Puerto Ricans.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/arecibo-observatory

Mar 20, 2024 • 13:32

A Mission to find a Meteor with Amir Siraj

Friend of the show Amir Siraj tells us the wild tale of his search for an interstellar object – a journey that led the astrophysicist to the bottom of the ocean floor.

Mar 19, 2024 • 20:42

Goblin Valley State Park (Classic)

Today the story of how a street lamp, a tangle with municipal government, and a love of the stars led a man to Goblin Valley, Utah a “dark sky certified” place for lovers of the night sky.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/goblin-valley-state-park

Mar 18, 2024 • 12:59

The Last Big Mac in Iceland (Classic)

Take a trip to a hostel in Iceland to visit the country’s last Big Mac, where the burger’s existence  unfolds a story about economics and national identity. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/iceland-mcdonalds

Mar 15, 2024 • 12:54

Law of the Tongue

Atlas Obscura writer Roxanne Hoorn brings us the story of an extraordinary relationship between people and killer whales. And, through conversation with Dylan, we learn how to better cohabitate as species on this planet. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/killer-whales-work-with-humans

Mar 14, 2024 • 19:58

Introducing Sound Detectives from LeVar Burton

LeVar Burton presents SOUND DETECTIVES – a funny, engaging, and thought provoking podcast that invites elementary school-aged kids to explore the magic and mystery of sound.Equal parts fun and informative, SOUND DETECTIVES encourages listeners to engage with the sound mysteries that surround us, while unlocking the door to people and cultures around the globe. Join the team on this semi-improvised comedy caper, and help return the mystery sounds before the world falls silent!Listen to SOUND DETE

Mar 13, 2024 • 11:55

The Lighthouse Keeper

We go to Fayerweather Island, off the coast of Connecticut, and get the story of Kate Moore, one of the first recorded woman lighthouse keepers. Over several decades, she poured her heart and soul into a task and defied common expectations of what a keeper should be.

Mar 12, 2024 • 15:55

The Grave of XYZ

We go to Deep River, Connecticut – where the story of a botched bank robbery more than 100 years ago has taken on a life of its own as an urban legend.MORE: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-grave-of-xyz-deep-river-connecticut

Mar 11, 2024 • 11:23

Organ Stop Pizza (Classic)

The largest theater pipe organ in the world lives in a restaurant in Mesa, Arizona. Phenomenal musicians play requests while diners feast on pizza.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/organ-stop-pizza

Mar 8, 2024 • 13:48

Exploring the Abandoned with Blake Pfeil

Dylan sits down with guest Blake Pfeil about what inspired him to begin exploring abandoned spots, what those spaces have taught him about escapism, sobriety and the sometimes blurry line between real and unreal that he finds there. MORE: Blake is an artist and adventurer. He’s also the creator and host of the podcast “Abandoned: All-American Ruins.” Check it out here.

Mar 7, 2024 • 24:19

Mr. Kaor’s Letters

We visit a quaint Dutch fishing village and attempt to unravel the mystery that unfolded there… a mystery that involved strange and curious letters and a voyage to the other side of the world. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mr-kaors-portrait

Mar 6, 2024 • 15:51

GALS Gone Wild

On our second day with Sporkful senior producer Andres O’Hara, we see what happens when invasive creatures that have made their way to the US refuse to leave… even when they’re slow and slimy. MORE: If you like these episodes, and are looking for more surprising and fascinating food stories, check out The Sporkful, which just released a new series called Deep Dish, which looks at the surprising history of dishes like bagels, tacos al pastor, and tamales.

Mar 5, 2024 • 15:02

What Happens to the Food You Try To Sneak into the Airport?

With the help from a podcast friend (Andres O’Hara of The Sporkful), we go inside one of the busiest airports on earth. And we find out the fate of all the food that gets confiscated by customs. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t get eaten. If you like these episodes, and are looking for more surprising and fascinating food stories, check out The Sporkful, which just released a new series called Deep Dish, which looks at the surprising history of dishes like bagels, tacos al pastor, and tamales.

Mar 4, 2024 • 15:46

Madame Tussaud (Classic)

Dylan braves one of New York’s most touristy sites to bring listeners the lesser-known history of Madame Tussaud’s origins.

Mar 1, 2024 • 16:12

Black History in Plain Sight with Places Editors Jonathan and Michelle

For years, contributions from Black Americans to public spaces like beaches and museums have been hard to detect. Places Editors Jonathan and Michelle Cassidy take us to New Jersey’s Chicken Bone Beach and Chicago’s Field Museum to highlight a couple of these stories.

Feb 29, 2024 • 16:23

Jerry’s Hat Museum

We visit Jerry’s Hat Museum, where a retiree has turned to an old chapel to house a collection of thousands of hats, pens, odds, ends and other artifacts from his Illinois hometown.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/jerrys-hat-museum-illinois

Feb 28, 2024 • 12:30

Hints of Home

Listeners share their stories of places that made them feel at home, from the beaches of Australia to a ubiquitous coffee shop.WE WANT YOUR STORIES! We’re working on a new slate of episodes that will feature listener stories, and want to hear yours. Tell us about your hometown’s weird or unique local tradition. Walk us through what goes down—who’s there and what’s happening? Is there an interesting history behind it? What was your relationship to this tradition like when you were growing up—did

Feb 27, 2024 • 9:46

Hotel Theresa (Classic)

The Hotel Theresa in Harlem, New York played a pivotal role in the influential neighborhood’s cultural identity.

Feb 26, 2024 • 12:41

Eastern State Penitentiary (Classic)

The founders of this prison in Philadelphia aimed to revolutionize incarceration for the better - and unintentionally created new horrors.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/eastern-state-penitentiary

Feb 23, 2024 • 14:28

Buffalo Soldiers National Museum

A producer revisits her hometown (Houston) and goes to the Buffalo Soldiers Museum, learning about the contributions of Black members of the armed forces and one man in particular, who started the collection years ago in his garage.

Feb 22, 2024 • 11:49

Stone of Destiny

This giant rock has been used in the coronation of every English monarch since the 1300s, but is it authentic? Or could the real one be in a Scottish bar? We parse through the evidence and debate!READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/glasgows-stone-of-destiny

Feb 21, 2024 • 18:43

World’s Loneliest House

We visit the misnamed “world’s loneliest house” and visit the flocks of puffins who live there. Some people want to eat them, some want to protect them. And these two groups collide here. If you want to learn more about the puffin situation in the Westman Islands, check out our episode called Puffin Patrol – about a community that sweeps the streets each night looking for lost pufflings and helping them find their way back to the beach.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/

Feb 20, 2024 • 17:59

Boston’s Blue Hill

We take a hike up Great Blue Hill in Boston and get more than a stunning view of the city. A visit to the peak reveals the story of a weather observatory with the longest continuous daily weather record in the United States.

Feb 19, 2024 • 12:25

The Goiter Belt (Classic)

A public health crisis plagued the Midwest until a simple solution was introduced to a ubiquitous cooking ingredient.

Feb 16, 2024 • 13:15

Damanhur

A mysterious religious community founded by an insurance agent-turned spiritual leader in northern Italy spent 15 years constructing an underground temple covered in intricate paintings, mosaics, trippy colors and images inspired by Roman, Greek and Egyptian mythology. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/temple-of-damanhur

Feb 15, 2024 • 18:01

Owamni

Award-winning chef Sean Sherman, aka the Sioux Chef, has dedicated his Minneapolis restaurant to decolonized food and honoring indigenous meal traditions READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/owamni

Feb 14, 2024 • 13:00

Toy Story

Mexico City is known for its museum and art scene. The collection at El Museo del Juguete Antiguo – The Antique Toy Museum – encourages visitors to lean into their imaginations – and reflect on the rich history and culture in this city.

Feb 13, 2024 • 12:16

Robert Is Here

We go to south Florida and hear the story of a family that took a gamble on a humble roadside stand that blossomed into a fruit emporium and community staple. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/robert-is-here

Feb 12, 2024 • 8:55

Library of Congress Hair Collection (Classic)

This collection, preserved by the United States Library of Congress, features locks of hair from cultural icons from Beethoven to General Ulysses S. Grant.

Feb 9, 2024 • 14:12

Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum

This museum in John Day, Oregon, was once a Chinese general store and medicine shop that dates back to the 1800s. But these days it’s a perfectly preserved time capsule, down to the fruit – down to the orange its former owner left on the counter in the 1950s. Tours of the shop are offered seasonally, but you can get a virtual look inside here.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS HERE

Feb 8, 2024 • 15:06

Welcome Home

Hear staff stories about places in the world that made them instantly feel at home, from the Big Easy to the Magic Kingdom. WE WANT YOUR STORIES: We’re working on a new slate of episodes that will feature listener stories, and want to hear yours. Tell us about a place that makes you feel at home. What made it special? Have you returned there? What sticks out about this place that makes it unique to you?  Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Just so y

Feb 7, 2024 • 12:21

Moynaq

A city in Uzbekistan used to be the site of one of the world’s largest seas. Now it’s a dusty reminder of one of the largest and most forgotten environmental disasters.READ MORE: Visit the Stihia website here to learn more about the music festival that happens in Moynaq, including where it may be this year. And this news article is a good primer on some of the current conflicts and issues in the region.

Feb 6, 2024 • 15:44

Taquile Island

This tiny island off the coast of Peru is an UNESCO World Heritage site for having the finest textile art. It’s also the place where a knitted hat represents and symbolizes a man’s code of honor, marital status, and love for life. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/taquile-island

Feb 5, 2024 • 11:19

Père Lachaise Cemetery (Classic)

Producer Baudelaire Ceus searches for the resting place of famed author Richard Wright among the graves of other cultural icons like Gertrude Stein, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, and Sadegh Hedayat.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pere-lachaise-cemetery

Feb 2, 2024 • 15:40

Seeking the (Minnesota-shaped) Forest Through the Trees - Part 2

We pick up the ball from internet sleuths and journalists and find the mysterious maker of a Minnesota-shaped forest, who’s never spoken about his secret project – until now.

Feb 1, 2024 • 14:54

Seeking the (Minnesota-shaped) Forest Through the Trees - Part 1

We follow one man’s journey down an internet rabbit hole that becomes a search for a one-of-a-kind forest and its mysterious creator.

Jan 31, 2024 • 10:44

Hello From The Otter Side

At one time, sea otters had an enormous historical range—from Baja California, up the West Coast, through Alaska, Russia, and Japan. But these days, their levels are low. In this episode, we get an inside look at a groundbreaking program at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is helping to reverse that by getting rescued sea otter pups back to the wild. We produced this episode in partnership with the aquarium. To learn more about the program or get info on visiting, click here.

Jan 30, 2024 • 15:23

The Guerrero

We follow a man’s quest to find the remains of a shipwrecked slave ship off the coast of the Florida Keys, and learn about its forgotten history, mysterious remains, and vital legacy.LEARN MORE: Check out a documentary Karuna Eberl made about the ship – called “ The Guerrero Project.”  She wrote an article about it. A local Florida historian named Gail Swanson wrote a book about the ship, called Slave Ship Guerrero. And of course, you can always get involved with Ken’s organization, Diving With

Jan 29, 2024 • 16:40

Moon Trees (Classic)

These trees sprang from seeds that were brought to outer space.  Moon Tree Website: https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/moon_tree.htmlREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/categories/moon-trees

Jan 26, 2024 • 14:30

A Giant Spectacle in Goffstown

We go to New Hampshire – but not for politics. Instead, we visit Goffstown, the pumpkin boat capital of New England, and meet the man who came up with an annual, improbable regatta.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: See a video of the annual pumpkin boat race here

Jan 25, 2024 • 13:30

Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern

We go to Houston, where a gigantic underground vessel that used to be a water source is now an enchanting – and echo-filled – part of the downtown park system.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/buffalo-bayou-park-cistern

Jan 24, 2024 • 13:51

Slowjamastan

We get out our passports and visit The Republic of Slowjamastan, a nation built on good vibes, good music and a dream of eliminating one very popular type of footwear.

Jan 23, 2024 • 11:13

Whimzeyland

We go to Safety Harbor, Florida – where two artists have made their house into a magnet for creativity and culture, and where Troll Dolls, Jello molds, and bowling balls reign. This episode was produced in partnership with Visit St. Pete/Clearwater.LEARN MORE: Visit kiaralinda.com to see pictures of some of the art at Whimzeyland and for information about getting a tour. And go to visitstpeteclearwater.com to learn about other fun and artsy things to do in the Tampa Bay region.

Jan 22, 2024 • 14:49

Forest of the Future Library (Winter Wonder Classic)

This forest in Oslo, Norway will provide the trees for paper as part of a century long art project featuring famed contemporary authors. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/forest-of-the-future-library

Jan 19, 2024 • 15:39

Ark Two Shelter (Winter Wonder Classic)

Forty-two school buses have been buried in Horning’s Mills, Ontario - covered in concrete, they can house up to 500 people in case of nuclear fallout. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ark-two-shelter

Jan 18, 2024 • 15:10

Congo Square (Winter Wonder Classic)

Congo Square in New Orleans is the heart of where African drumming found its way into American music and the birth of Jazz.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/congo-square

Jan 17, 2024 • 14:54

The Complaint Tablet of Ea-Nasir (Winter Wonder Classic)

Turns out, complaining about bad service really is as old as time. Hear the story of an ancient Babylonian clay tablet that has launched a slew of modern memes. Click here for more.

Jan 16, 2024 • 18:35

Dmanisi (Winter Wonder Classic)

An archeological site in the country of Georgia, which features the oldest, human skull fossils found outside of Africa, challenges what we think we know about our deep past.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/dmanisi-hominins-brain-shape

Jan 15, 2024 • 16:31

Monkey Island (Winter Wonder Classic)

An island off the coast of Puerto Rico is home to more than 1500 imported monkeys, which have been studied by researchers for decades.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cayo-santiago-monkey-island

Jan 12, 2024 • 11:05

Cranes of the DMZ (Winter Wonder Classic)

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea has become an accidental bird sanctuary for one of the world’s most endangered crane species. Learn more about the International Crane Foundation at savingcranes.org.

Jan 11, 2024 • 17:58

Mafra Palace Library Bats (Winter Wonder Classic)

A grand library in Portugal has some unexpected nighttime caretakers -- tiny bats. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mafra-palace-library-bats

Jan 10, 2024 • 15:48

Parrots of Green-Wood Cemetery (Winter Wonder Classic)

These Argentinian parrots have made an unlikely home in a Brooklyn, NY cemetery.

Jan 9, 2024 • 15:43

Luomus Spiders (Winter Wonder Classic)

Finnish Museum of Natural History in Helsinki has had an infestation of Chilean recluse spiders for more than 50 years.

Jan 8, 2024 • 15:03

Micropia (Winter Wonder Classic)

Take a trip to Micropia, the world’s only museum dedicated to microscopic organisms and learn about our invisible life companions.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/micropia

Jan 5, 2024 • 15:49

Milky Seas (Winter Wonder Classic)

Join host Dylan Thuras, a satellite scientist, and a ship captain in search of gigantic swaths of bioluminescence that radiate up from the surface of the sea over thousands of square miles.

Jan 4, 2024 • 18:28

Laguna Del Diamante (Winter Wonder Classic)

A toxic lake high in the Andes mountains in Argentina is home to microbes that provide a window to our planet’s past — and a key to securing its future.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/laguna-del-diamante

Jan 3, 2024 • 15:24

Relampago del Catatumbo (Winter Wonder Classic)

There’s an everlasting lightning storm in Northwestern Venezuela that appears in the night sky nearly every night.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/relampago-del-catatumbo

Jan 2, 2024 • 14:41

The Various Ends of the World (Winter Wonder Classic)

Science writer Peter Brannen takes listeners on a tour of the world’s five major mass extinctions.

Jan 1, 2024 • 19:31

Spacecraft Cemetery (Winter Wonder Classic)

Where does space stuff go after it dies? To this spot deep, deep in the Pacific ocean.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/spacecraft-cemetery

Dec 29, 2023 • 18:38

Fun and Funny Science with Mary Roach (Winter Wonder Classic)

Author Mary Roach takes us into the hidden corners of the scientific world. From training to poop in space to the surprisingly pleasant Common Cold Unit, all the way to the inside of Elvis’s colon. If you want to check out her work, we recommend starting with Packing for Mars.

Dec 28, 2023 • 18:22

The Grave of Miss Baker (Winter Wonder Classic)

Visitors leave bananas on the grave of “America’s First Lady of Space,” an early astronaut whose incredible life was forgotten. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-grave-of-miss-baker-huntsville-alabama

Dec 27, 2023 • 14:07

The Tunguska Event (Winter Wonder Classic)

We head to a remote region of Russia, to the epicenter of what would become known as the Tunguska Event. An event that may seem unfathomable… except we have firsthand accounts from people who witnessed it.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tunguska-event-epicenter

Dec 26, 2023 • 11:27

Amir Siraj and the Interstellar Object (Winter Wonder Classic)

Amir Siraj was a sophomore in college when he discovered what may be the first documented interstellar object to hit Earth.

Dec 25, 2023 • 16:53

Tumbleweed Christmas Tree (Winter Wonder Classic)

Chandler, Arizona creates a Christmas Tree made entirely of the diaspore of this Western plant. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tumbleweed-christmas-tree

Dec 24, 2023 • 13:00

A Holiday Announcement

Over the last two and a half years, the Atlas Obscura podcast has published well over 500 original episodes. For the next few weeks, we're taking a holiday break  -- but not leaving you without wonder. Over the course of 20 episodes, host Dylan Thuras is going to take you on a journey starting in the cosmic reaches of space, to the earliest days of life on earth, through a tour of our fellow earthly creatures, and finally arrive at us, the great apes who record podcasts. We'll be back in late Ja

Dec 23, 2023 • 3:02

President Heads (Classic)

42 giant busts of U.S. presidents are slowly crumbling in a field in Virginia. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/president-heads

Dec 22, 2023 • 11:24

Sniffing out What’s Special with Saskia Wilson Brown

Specific smells have been linked to specific geographies, cultures, and mythologies for THOUSANDS of years. Today, we hear from Saskia Wilson-Brown about fragrance, power, and the power of scent. MORE: Saskia is the founder of the Institute of Art and Olfaction, a nonprofit to expand access and education around scent. She also teaches a 3-part online class with us here at Atlas Obscura, and it runs a couple of times a year. Head to the online courses page on our website, and you can use code AMB

Dec 21, 2023 • 17:36

Nightwalking with Bianca Giaever

We learn about an age-old practice of nightwalking, with the help of two women who took it on as an experiment in the early chaotic days of the pandemic. Joining the conversation is Bianca Giaever, creator of one of our favorite podcasts of the year, Constellation Prize. MORE: To hear Constellation Prize for yourself, you can head to thebeliever.net or anywhere podcasts are available. And if you want to learn more about nightwalking, check out this article Bianca wrote.

Dec 20, 2023 • 16:58

A Return to Recipe Graves

Gastro Obscura’s senior editor Sam O’Brien returns to the podcast to go deeper with us on her strange beat – recipes etched into gravestones. We probe how food can help heal and remember those we’ve lost. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: Sam has written a bunch about recipe gravestones, and has even been on the podcast before. Read and listen to more of her work at these links:The Family Recipes That Live On in CemeteriesPodcast: The Spritz Cookie GravestonePodcast: Grandma Ida’s Nut Rolls Gravestone

Dec 19, 2023 • 17:08

Old City Hall Station

A producer takes a detour for a glimpse of what some call New York’s worst kept secret – a train station that’s been shut down and sealed away for nearly a century. MORE: Visit the New York Transit Museum’s website to learn how to become a member and book a tour of the station.

Dec 18, 2023 • 17:27

Pando the Trembling Giant (Classic)

Fishlake National Forest is home to the biggest organism by mass on the planet - but this giant is shrinking and an usual group has banded together to help defend it.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:  https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pando-the-trembling-giant

Dec 15, 2023 • 13:21

Gourdlandia

This magical wonderland in Ithaca, New York is devoted entirely—almost spiritually—to this unusual and versatile fruit. It's also the brainchild of Graham Ottoson, who is teaching an Atlas Obscura course on gourds. Listeners get 15% off by using code GOURDLOVE during registration. End credit music in this episode is from Alexander Fals (ngoni + vocals), Hayley Dayis (vocals), and Manuel Solarte (percussion). If you like what you heard, you can listen to more of their songs here.READ MORE IN THE

Dec 14, 2023 • 17:40

New Bedford Whaling Museum

An oozing whale skeleton isn't the only attraction at this Massachusetts museum. Hear how a producer’s visit revealed some surprising facts about an industry that helped enrich a city and was inclusive well before diversity became a buzzword. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-oozing-whale-skeleton-of-new-bedford-new-bedford-massachusetts

Dec 13, 2023 • 14:48

Knoxville Weather Kiosk

Back in the day, people were so hungry for info about the weather that they would stand in line all day to get a glimpse of a series of kiosks placed in towns across the country. We go to Tennessee to hear the story of one.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/knoxville-weather-kiosk

Dec 12, 2023 • 13:26

Ol Pejeta Rhino Cemetery

A small cemetery in the grasslands of Kenya serves as a way to honor one of the most endangered animals in the world – the rhino – and elevate the plight of a species on the brink. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ol-pejeta-rhino-cemetery

Dec 11, 2023 • 10:22

The Super Museum

A midwest city has embraced what it means to be the namesake hometown of one very famous superhero. And at its center is a museum that holds the carefully cultivated collection of one superfan. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/super-museum-metropolis

Dec 8, 2023 • 12:06

Sunny Jim Cave (Classic)

We follow a long set of wooden stairs deep underground to a sea cave with a mysterious and colorful past, and take in a spectacular, hidden view of the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla. Learn more about The Cave Store: https://www.cavestore.com/READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/sunny-jim-cave-store

Dec 7, 2023 • 14:10

The Great Stalacpipe Organ (Classic)

The Luray Caverns in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia are home to an instrument that draws out the secret sounds of millenia-old stone. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-great-stalacpipe-organ-luray-virginia

Dec 6, 2023 • 14:44

The Naica Cave (Classic)

Professional Adventurer George Kourounis knew he needed to visit  the Cave of the Crystals, located nearly a 1000 feet beneath northern Mexico, the moment he saw a photograph from inside the cave.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/giant-crystals-naica

Dec 5, 2023 • 14:01

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My

We got so many responses to our question about listener experiences with animal encounters that we made a second episode. Experiences include a woman who touches a tiger’s tail, a man who plays peek-a-boo with a bear and a chance meeting of a herd of elk. WE WANT YOUR STORIES: We’re working on a new slate of episodes that will feature listener stories, and want to hear yours. Tell us about a place you’ve been to that made you instantly feel at home. What made it special? Have you returned there?

Dec 4, 2023 • 14:15

Museum of Broken Relationships (Classic)

This episode will break your heart. And that’s a good thing. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/museum-of-broken-relationships

Dec 1, 2023 • 15:01

Aurora Alien Gravesite

A small town in Texas has embraced the story of the visit and demise of an otherworldly being from the 1800s… and what many say is America’s only alien gravesite. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/1800-s-alien-gravesiteIf you can’t make it out to Texas, check out this documentary about the incident which is online.

Nov 30, 2023 • 13:41

Travel Ups and Downs

A few weeks ago, our staff here at Atlas Obscura put out an episode about our traveling expectations – places that either blew us away… or were a major letdown.  And today - we are hearing YOUR stories.WE WANT YOUR STORIES: We’re working on a new slate of episodes that will feature listener stories, and we want to hear yours. Tell us about a place you’ve been that made you instantly feel at home. What made it special? Have you returned there? What sticks out about this place that makes it unique

Nov 29, 2023 • 10:53

They Also Ran Gallery

An art gallery in Kansas celebrates the losers of presidential elections.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/they-also-ran-gallery-norton-kansas

Nov 28, 2023 • 11:11

Nue

A Seattle restaurant pushes diners to eat beyond their borders through its embrace of global street foods.

Nov 27, 2023 • 15:04

Elephant Clock (Classic)

The Elephant Clock, a replica of an ancient invention, sits in Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai, surrounded by stores like The Gap and H&M. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/elephant-clock

Nov 24, 2023 • 12:40

The Family Tree (Classic)

A listener’s voicemail sent us searching for the story of a very special -- and giant -- oak tree in Peoria, Illinois, and the family of arborists who cared for it.

Nov 23, 2023 • 12:31

Dyatlov Pass Part 2

For decades, rumors and conspiracy theories swirled after nine people disappeared in the Ural mountains of the Soviet Union in 1959. But just a few years ago, the case was solved – even though many don’t accept the explanation. Journalist and author Doug Preston guides us through the second half of the story. MORE: The mountain where the people disappeared has since been renamed Dyatlov Pass and is today a popular hiking destination. If you’re into this case and want to learn more – check out Do

Nov 22, 2023 • 17:48

Dyatlov Pass Part 1

Journalist and author Doug Preston guides us through the first half of a cliffhanger story about the mysterious disappearance of a group of hikers in the Soviet Union... and the myriad conspiracy theories that sprouted up afterward.

Nov 21, 2023 • 17:12

A Gaga Tour of the Town

Producer Manolo Morales, a devoted Little Monster, gallivants around the Lower East Side via an immersive performance-art walking tour dedicated to an iconic pop star.

Nov 20, 2023 • 15:03

Martian Meteorites and Greek Columns (Classic)

Places editors Jonathan and Michelle are back again with a few new standout entries to the Atlas … including a spot in Antarctica that’s home to the oldest Martian meteorite and a column in Greece that symbolizes the fear and ritual past generations embraced when faced with their own plague.

Nov 17, 2023 • 11:06

The Lightning Field

For art nerds, the Lightning Field installation in the New Mexico desert is a bucket-list destination. It’s also a testament to the extraordinary control the artist who created it was able to exert, even after death. To reserve your spot to stay at the Lightning Field, sign up at the Dia Foundation's website.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lightning-field

Nov 16, 2023 • 17:25

Tiny Bread Box

A couple created what is perhaps the cutest and most filling micro-store to pop up during the pandemic. But to find it, you’ll have to trek through rural Vermont and look for the phone-booth sized box filled with baked goods.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tiny-bread-box

Nov 15, 2023 • 11:13

Montezuma Well

A mysterious sinkhole in Arizona has befuddled an exclusive group of divers who’ve gotten a glimpse of a strange world underneath its sandy bottom.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/montezuma-well-arizona

Nov 14, 2023 • 14:34

Café 't Mandje

We’re in Amsterdam, learning about a bad-ass woman who championed queer folx and provided a safe haven throughout World War II via her quirky bar in the red light district.MORE: Schedule a visit of Cafe Mandje with Badass Tours, which runs tours in Amsterdam focusing on women’s history, LGBTQ+ history, BIPOC history, Jewish history, or one tour tailored to your interests.

Nov 13, 2023 • 12:36

Brooklyn Latrine (Classic)

A listener tells us about a treasure buried in his literal backyard, and the two strange men who showed up on his doorstep and asked to dig it up.

Nov 10, 2023 • 13:57

Dolly Parton’s Dreambox

We will always love Dolly Parton, who’s installed a “dreambox” time capsule at her amusement park. In it, there’s a secret song that no one will hear until the legendary artist turns 100. LEARN MORE about Dolly’s songwriting prowess in Unlikely Angel, a book by Hamilton College professor Lydia Hamessley.

Nov 9, 2023 • 14:41

A Long Walk Home

We meet back up with our pal Bernie Harberts, the beast whisperer, who trekked 19 million mule steps across the United States only to find himself, for the first time, a little homesick. MORE: To keep up with Bernie and to hear more about his travels, be sure to sign up for his newsletter – you can do that at his website: riverearth.com.

Nov 8, 2023 • 18:01

Gregynog Hall

We go to the former estate of the Davies sisters, two unusually wealthy Welsh women who traveled the world, fell in love with art, served their country, and then dedicated their home to culture and community.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/gregynog-hall

Nov 7, 2023 • 13:07

The Immovable Ladder

In a place where multiple world religions intersect, this unassuming little ladder is a symbol of the very delicate balance that keeps a church in Jerusalem running.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/immovable-ladder-church-holy-sepulchre

Nov 6, 2023 • 12:43

The Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft (Classic)

Reporter Eric Grundhauser recounts a memorable visit to an unusual museum in Iceland, where he explored the ancient lore of the occult, learned how to steal milk from his neighbors, and laid his eyes upon a pair of pants… made of human flesh. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-museum-of-icelandic-sorcery-witchcraft-holmavik-iceland

Nov 3, 2023 • 14:53

Yemrehanna Kristos Church (Classic)

Photographer and author Paul Koudonaris brings listeners to this Ethiopian Church and explores ossuaries, jeweled skeletons, and death practices throughout the world. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/yemrehana-krestos-church

Nov 2, 2023 • 15:28

Scary Stories from Real Places (Classic)

Atlas contributors bring listeners stories from spooky locations they’ve visited, and which continue to haunt them.

Nov 1, 2023 • 18:25

Spooky Sites with the Places Team (Classic)

With Halloween just around the corner Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring you two spooky legends of The Mothman from Point Pleasant, West Virginia and a potentially ghoulish forest in the Transylvanian Region of Romania.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mothman-museum-2 and https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hoia-baciu-forest

Oct 31, 2023 • 15:45

Bloody Island (Classic)

This island between Missouri and Illinois was a preferred meeting place for duels to the death in the early 1900’s.

Oct 30, 2023 • 14:27

Abandoned Chacaltaya Ski Resort (Classic)

Hear from the caretakers of a ghost town in Bolivia that was once the world's highest ski resort. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/abandoned-chacaltaya-ski-resort

Oct 27, 2023 • 12:50

The Art of the Heist with Noah Charney

We chat with one of the leading experts on art theft – professor and author Noah Charney, who unpacks the cultural fascination with this type of crime. Charney also tells us the story of one of the most notorious real life art thieves.MORE: Charney is teaching a course in art crime that begins Nov 7, 2023. To enroll, visit the courses page on our website and use code ARTCRIMEPOD for 15% off.

Oct 26, 2023 • 15:37

Great Plains Dinosaur Museum

We visit a museum in Montana that’s a dream for dinosaur nerds, and home to bones that are the real deal, locally sourced and sustainably foraged.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/great-plains-dinosaur-museum

Oct 25, 2023 • 11:48

Venturing Into the Twilight Zone with Susan Casey

Journalist Susan Casey takes us to the deep deep ocean, where she explores the relationship between humans and this mysterious underworld.READ MORE: Find out more about Susan’s work here, including her new book.

Oct 24, 2023 • 14:40

Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame

A basketball fan goes to the hall of fame – and no, it’s not the big one in Massachusetts that you may be thinking about. Hear the story behind a Midwest state’s special link to the sport.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/indiana-basketball-hall-of-fame-museum

Oct 23, 2023 • 10:35

Science that Doesn’t Stop (Classic)

Host Dylan Thuras riffs on a subject that has long fascinated him: The world’s longest-running science experiments.

Oct 20, 2023 • 14:01

The Wishing Tree

There’s a special tree in Portland that’s full of a city’s hopes, dreams, and wishes.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/portland-wishing-tree

Oct 19, 2023 • 10:10

The Golem

We peek into the life and work of the oft-understood artist Niki de Saint Phalle, who was behind a strange and wildly popular playground sculpture in Jerusalem.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-mifletzet-jerusalem-israel

Oct 18, 2023 • 12:13

Robot Saints

We meet the robot saints – sculptures made of wood and wire, of cams and pulleys during medieval times – that might just help us understand this new AI age we all find ourselves living in.LEARN MORE about these inventions by reading City University of New York Professor Christopher Swift’s 2015 paper about these automated figures.

Oct 17, 2023 • 16:03

Nasothek Noses

We get up close and nosey about a peculiar exhibit in Copenhagen that reveals a lot about what artists and society considered beautiful throughout the years READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/nasothek-nose-collection

Oct 16, 2023 • 11:04

The Plotz Plot (Classic)

Josh Foer, the co-founder of Atlas Obscura, takes us to a remote patch of land in the Arizona desert, where he built (and later rebuilt) a museum in honor of the company’s former CEO, David Plotz.The Plotz Plot is accessible from Adamana Road, off of I-40 exit 300, at 35.025639, -109.8195. The lock code is 4444.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/plotz-plot

Oct 13, 2023 • 17:28

The Stanley Hotel

We go inside a place that some paranormal investigators call the most active haunted location in the world. Before it was known as the inspiration for Stephen King...the Stanley Hotel had a reputation -- and ghosts --  of its own.  This episode was produced with Visit Colorado. Find more information about the Stanley Hotel and its ghost tours online.

Oct 12, 2023 • 17:34

Our Travel Expectations

Travel is sometimes like a box of chocolates – never know what you’re going to get. In this episode, we share stories of places that blew us away, and those that didn't live up to the hype.We want to hear YOUR stories about the places you've visited that far exceeded--or failed to meet your expectations. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. (Just so you know, our mailbox will cut you off after two minutes so please call again if you get disconnected)

Oct 11, 2023 • 17:34

The Tunguska Event

We head to a remote region of Russia, to the epicenter of what would become known as the Tunguska Event. An event that may seem unfathomable… except we have firsthand accounts from people who witnessed it.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tunguska-event-epicenter

Oct 10, 2023 • 10:18

Tolkien Takes Us Places

This fall marks 50 years since JRR Tolkien’s death. In honor of the writer’s life and legacy, we want to take you back to the places where it all began.

Oct 9, 2023 • 12:19

La Piedra Movediza (Classic)

A huge rock, teetering on the edge of a hill for thousands of years, brought tourism, fame, and what’s said to be a 100-year curse to the town of Tandil, Argentina.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/la-piedra-movediza

Oct 6, 2023 • 16:12

Grave Bells

We go to Bonaventure Cemetery in Georgia to the grave of one Charles F. Mills to learn about a distinct – but at one time widespread – phobia –  and the hope to be saved by a bell.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/charles-f-mills-grave-bell

Oct 5, 2023 • 10:29

Baobab Fare

The story of Chef Hamissi Mamba, whose family sought asylum in the US and years later founded an East African restaurant that serves up a small slice of Burundi in the Motor City. Find out more here.

Oct 4, 2023 • 12:44

Enchanted Woods

We go to Wilmington, Delaware, to a 4-acre garden with characters and exhibits created using castoff materials and greenery that invites kids to drop screens and rules – and instead give in to a state of play.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/enchanted-woods-winterthur-gardens

Oct 3, 2023 • 11:12

Searching for Squids with Dr. Sarah McAnulty

We go on a journey through the depths of the ocean, meeting a different squid deity at each stop along the way. Our guide is cephalopod expert, biologist and science educator, Dr. Sarah McAnulty.LEARN MORE: Sarah is teaching a course this fall about the creatures that live in the deep sea. It starts October 3, 2023 and you can find more information here. If you want to sign up, you can use promo code CEPHALOPODCAST to take 15% off!

Oct 2, 2023 • 16:07

Secret Places with Ashley Ray (Classic)

Podcaster Ashley Ray has more than a soft spot for her Midwest hometown. Hear why she thinks it may just be the best kept secret. HEAR MORE FROM OUR GUEST: Ashley has her own podcast all about TV and culture. Check it out here: https://www.stitcher.com/show/tv-i-say-w-ashley-rayGREAT NEWS: We’re up for an award - and you can help us win!  Our podcast has been named a finalist for the Signal Awards! Go to vote.signalaward.com and vote for us in the best commute podcast category through Oct 5!

Sep 29, 2023 • 16:38

The 49th Parallel (Classic)

A listener takes us to a town on the edge of the longest undefended border in the world. Note: US-Canada border regulations have been updated since this episode first aired.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/uscanada-border-slashGREAT NEWS: We’re up for an award - and you can help us win!  Our podcast has been named a finalist for the Signal Awards! Go to vote.signalaward.com and vote for us in the best commute podcast category through Oct 5!

Sep 28, 2023 • 14:24

Lake Karachay (Classic)

Lake Karachay in Ozersk, Russia is the site of a former secret Soviet Union nuclear facility - that’s inspired art despite the little that’s publicly known of the site.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lake-karachayGREAT NEWS: We’re up for an award - and you can help us win! Our podcast has been named a finalist for the Signal Awards! Go to vote.signalaward.com and vote for us in the best commute podcast category through Oct 5!

Sep 27, 2023 • 10:08

The Dedan Kimathi Post Office Tree (Classic)

The Dedan Kimathi Post Office played a notable role in Kenya’s struggle for Independence.GREAT NEWS: We’re up for an award - and you can help us win!  Our podcast has been named a finalist for the Signal Awards! Go to vote.signalaward.com and vote for us in the best commute podcast category through Oct 5!

Sep 26, 2023 • 19:05

Twin Oaks

An intentional community in rural central Virginia has been testing an interesting  premise for decades — that maybe three, or four, or more parental figures are even better than two. This episode is part of a collaboration we did with Freakonomics. You can find a larger episode on this topic here.

Sep 25, 2023 • 19:47

Moses Gates and the Chrysler Building Eagles (Classic)

Urban planner, Moses Gates, shares his unlikely experience with the residents of the 61st floor of one of New York City’s most iconic buildings..

Sep 22, 2023 • 15:00

The Fear Lab

At Denmark’s largest haunted house attraction, it’s not just about the screams. Researchers are studying the effects – good and bad – that fear has on humans READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-science-of-horror-fear

Sep 21, 2023 • 15:43

The Ark of Citrus

There are thousands of varieties of citrus, many more than just the navel oranges. And they’re all being preserved in a collection at the University of California Riverside. Learn more here.

Sep 20, 2023 • 13:30

Getting lost in Golden Gate Park

Many of us rely on digital maps and GPS to get anywhere these days. Hear what happens when Producer Amanda McGowan finds herself lost in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park for a sport you may have never heard of – orienteering – which forces participants to navigate checkpoints with old fashioned maps and compasses.MORE: If you think you might want to try orienteering, find a local group here.

Sep 19, 2023 • 14:09

Italy’s Bomb Squad

We chat with writer Alessio Perrone about what he learned from the people who hunt for Italy’s unexploded bombs, leftover from times of war. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/italy-unexploded-ordnance

Sep 18, 2023 • 12:28

Harvard Bridge Smoots (Classic)

How an MIT fraternity pledge instituted a new, unique unit of measurement. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:  https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/harvard-bridge-smoot-measurements

Sep 15, 2023 • 15:03

The Atomic Clock

How do we determine the time? Believe it or not, there is an official clock. It’s located in Boulder, Colorado at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and we go there to visit.LEARN MORE: NIST doesn’t give public tours. But if you want to watch the seconds go by as precisely as humanly possible, dial (303) 499-7111.

Sep 14, 2023 • 10:59

Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center

We go to the Allegany territory of the Onödowá'ga people to learn about "The Creator's Game” – which evolved into the sport now known as lacrosse – and their constant fight to be recognized.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/onohsagwe-de-cultural-center

Sep 13, 2023 • 12:17

Bridget Cleary

We explore the power of myth and folklore through the story of an Irish woman, whose husband murdered her because he believed she’d become a fairy. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/bridget-cleary-changeling-murder-ireland

Sep 12, 2023 • 12:54

Fenway Victory Gardens

One of the last remaining World War II Victory Gardens in the U.S is quietly growing across from Boston’s Fenway Park.

Sep 11, 2023 • 11:22

Rites of Passage

School is back in session. So for this episode, Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring two stories - one from the campus of Gallaudet University and the other from Cornell University to tell us about usual traditions that take place in these universities.

Sep 8, 2023 • 13:15

Mini Golfing in Myrtle Beach

In Myrtle Beach, mini golf is not so mini. It’s over the top! This episode was produced in partnership with Visit Myrtle Beach, and to find a list of all mini golf courses, go to VisitMyrtleBeach.com.

Sep 7, 2023 • 14:16

Face to Face Yet Again

Our team has shared memorable encounters they’ve had with animals, and some were very unexpected. So this time we asked YOU about those experiences – and some of them are wild! TELL US YOUR STORY We want to hear your stories too! Give us a call at (315) 992-7902, and leave a message telling us your name, and about the places you've visited that far exceeded--or failed to meet your expectations. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com. Looking forward to hear

Sep 6, 2023 • 16:01

Kennett Square

Just an hour west of Philadelphia, there’s a charming town in Pennsylvania that produces about two thirds of all the mushrooms sold in the US. We visit during the town’s annual festival and check out the mycelium madness. This Small Town, Big Story episode is produced in partnership with Go USA TV. Check out our video series featuring Kennett Square here.

Sep 5, 2023 • 16:29

Carousel of Happiness (Classic)

A music box given to Scott Harrison while he served in Vietnam inspired him to hand-carve all the animals for the Carousel of Happiness in Nederland, Colorado.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/carousel-of-happiness

Sep 4, 2023 • 15:17

Maine Windjammers

We go back in time to another era of travel and take a trip on the oldest commercial sailing vessel in the United States. Click here to learn more about windjammers and here to book a trip with Captain Becky. This episode was made in partnership with the Maine Office of Tourism.

Sep 1, 2023 • 16:47

The Last White Deer of Mount Madonna (Classic)

The story of the white deer on Mount Madonna, the two robber barons who put them there, and the last survivor of the herd.

Aug 31, 2023 • 15:02

How to Quarantine in a Ghost Town

Back in 2020, a lot of people moved to faraway places to escape urban life amid a global pandemic. Brent Underwood bought and moved to an abandoned town. We check in, three years later. To learn more about Brent Underwood and Cerro Gordo, you can check out their instagram @brentunderwood and their youtube channel named Ghost Town Living.

Aug 30, 2023 • 14:10

It’s Getting Hot in Here

Let’s all go to hell. Seriously. Hell, Michigan, that is :)READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hell-michigan

Aug 29, 2023 • 9:25

Villa de Vecchi

An abandoned mansion in Italy has become the source of rumors about ghost activity that some believe is justified by its very real gothic past. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/villa-de-vecchi

Aug 28, 2023 • 10:53

Dead Companions (Classic)

We nearly stump host Dylan Thuras with a seemingly simple question: Who are the top five dead people he would like to go on a road trip with?

Aug 25, 2023 • 15:00

Arthurdale

The New Deal is known for ushering a string of social safety net programs. But in this episode, we tell the saga of an ambitious, government-backed homestead project in West Virginia that never quite lived up to its hype. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/arthurdale-historic-district-west-virginia

Aug 24, 2023 • 16:14

Mysterious Sinkholes of Mt Baldy

One family’s regular day of exploring some sand dunes at the edge of Lake Michigan turned into a wild tale of a little boy being sucked into a sinkhole, and the discovery of underground tunnels.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mysterious-sinkholes-of-mt-baldy

Aug 23, 2023 • 11:53

Embracing Adventure in Fayetteville

A tiny town in West Virginia takes “living lift to the fullest” to a different level, with its embrace of extreme adventure activities. Like, for instance, a day where people sign up to jump off a bridge.  This Small Town, Big Story episode is produced in partnership with Go USA TV. Learn more about Bridge Day here.

Aug 22, 2023 • 17:11

A Whale of a Tale with Daniel Kraus

We chat with writer Daniel Kraus, who let his imagination run deep into the ocean after hearing a wild news story about an encounter between kayakers and a whale. And we get the backstory to Kraus’ new novel Whalefall, about a man who finds himself in the belly of a sperm whale.

Aug 21, 2023 • 15:19

Spacecraft Cemetery (Classic)

Where does space stuff go after it dies? To this spot deep, deep in the Pacific ocean.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/spacecraft-cemetery

Aug 18, 2023 • 17:00

Demon Wall

A small church in a village in Norway is home to an unusual and perplexing mural that’s become known for its demonic illustrations. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/demon-wall-norway

Aug 17, 2023 • 12:19

APOPO Rats

This episode may have you reconsidering what you think about rats. That’s because at this training and research center in Tanzania, African Giant Pouched Rats are being raised up to sniff out landmines and disease, proving to be the heroes we all need. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-best-secret-weapon-against-landmines-and-tuberculosis-is-a-rat

Aug 16, 2023 • 12:56

Texas Painted Churches

A series of churches in Texas that look unassuming from the outside in fact have some of the most intricately painted interiors. And for one of our listeners, these churches mean home – religiously and culturally.

Aug 15, 2023 • 12:04

Snake Island

A tiny island off the coast of Brazil is known for being a dangerous place … purely because its inhabitants are, well, snakes. But we speak to a researcher who’s seen it up close and says it’s time for this place to shed its reputation. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/snake-island-ilha-de-queimada-grande

Aug 14, 2023 • 13:55

Winchester Mystery House (Classic)

Does this sprawling mansion in San Jose, California live up to its reputation as one of the most haunted places in the world?READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/winchester-mystery-house

Aug 11, 2023 • 14:23

Hartsdale Pet Cemetery

The oldest operating pet cemetery in the world is just north of NYC, and it’s where dearly departed four-legged friends come to rest – and sometimes, even their owners. Grab your tissues. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hartsdale-pet-cemetery

Aug 10, 2023 • 13:45

Gullah Museum

We visit a museum in Georgetown, SC that’s dedicated to preserving and prioritizing the rich and historic Gullah Geechee culture.READ MORE: http://www.gullahmuseumsc.com/

Aug 9, 2023 • 13:59

Burj Al Babas

An incomplete luxury housing development in Turkey is a mashup of fairy tale and ghost town, and almost everyone has an opinion of (or wants to see) this place.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/turkey-castle-ghost-town

Aug 8, 2023 • 9:52

Pā‘ula‘ula / Russian Fort Elizabeth

Producer Johanna Mayer and Atlas Obscura associate editor Sarah Durn tell us the story of a fort in Hawaii with two names – and how those names both preserve and erase its history.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/hawaiian-history-russian-fort-elizabeth

Aug 7, 2023 • 14:55

Sunny Jim Cave (Classic)

We follow a long set of wooden stairs deep underground to a sea cave with a mysterious and colorful past, and take in a spectacular, hidden view of the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla. Learn more about The Cave Store: https://www.cavestore.com/READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/sunny-jim-cave-store

Aug 4, 2023 • 14:10

Jacko Steps

We go to the Caribbean island of Dominica and hear the story of Jacko, a formerly enslaved man who became a national hero for his ingenious escape and emancipation efforts READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/jacko-steps

Aug 3, 2023 • 16:43

Dmanisi

An archeological site in the country of Georgia, which features the oldest human skull fossils found outside of Africa, challenges what we think we know about our deep past.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/dmanisi-hominins-brain-shape

Aug 2, 2023 • 14:12

Heating things up in Hatch

Today we're headed just a couple hours south of Albuquerque to Hatch, New Mexico, a town where the heat doesn’t just come from the sun. It also comes from the signature crop: Hatch, New Mexico chiles. This Small Town, Big Story episode is produced in partnership with Go USA TV. Learn more about New Mexico here.Learn more about this story here.

Aug 1, 2023 • 18:13

Bone Vinyl

In the Soviet Union, x-rays didn’t just give you a look inside the human body. They also gave you a glimpse of the outside world, thanks to music that was imprinted onto this unassuming medical tool.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/soviet-scenesters-used-xrays-to-record-their-rock-and-roll

Jul 31, 2023 • 14:17

Beale Treasure (Classic)

Grab your pickaxes, your shovels, and your code breaking supercomputers because today we’re going on a treasure hunt.

Jul 28, 2023 • 15:06

Knight’s Spider Web Farm

The family behind this farm relies on itsy bitsy helpers to produce one-of-a-kind art. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/knight-s-spider-web-farm

Jul 27, 2023 • 18:51

Amazon Night Hikes

Hear how a trip to the jungle, and a series of nighttime hikes, cured producer Chris Naka’s bug-phobia, once and for all.

Jul 26, 2023 • 14:03

Spaces for Spies

Places editors Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy bring us two stories about two particular places whose histories intersect with real world American espionage. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: Check out our entry on the FBI House here and on the Wertheim Study in the NY Public Library here.

Jul 25, 2023 • 14:02

Mapping the Gay Guides

For decades, a one of a kind travel guide opened up the world for gay travelers. Today, historians are using them to create an interactive map of LGBTQ spaces in midcentury America.LEARN MORE: https://www.mappingthegayguides.org/

Jul 24, 2023 • 13:47

Rödstensgubben (Classic)

A trip to Sweden prompts former show producer Sarah Wyman to dig into a superstitious story passed through generations about the Red Stone Man

Jul 21, 2023 • 12:41

Face to Face

Our show often focuses on interesting people and places. But in this episode, the team shares memorable encounters they’ve had with animals – everything from parakeets to a very special opossum. TELL US YOUR STORY: We want to hear your stories too! Give us a call at (315) 992-7902, and leave a message telling us your name, and about your own animal encounter. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Jul 20, 2023 • 13:20

Darién Gap

An infamous break in the road that links North and South America has been in and out the news for more than 100 years – for good reason. This stretch of jungle has been a magnet for adventure junkies, but also is the site of a growing humanitarian and migration crisis. Learn More Info About The Gap: https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/15/americas/darien-gap-migrants-colombia-panama-whole-story-cmd-intl/index.html How to help/advocacy groups: https://www.nrc.no/feature/2023/the-jungle-may-swallow-you-sur

Jul 19, 2023 • 12:47

A house move like no other

Author Dave Eggers has an enduring affinity for Idaho. In this episode, he chats with Dylan about a unique family that undertook what is perhaps one of the strangest, slowest moves in history. The fascinating tale provided inspiration for the writer’s new children’s book, Moving the Millers’ Minnie Moore Mine Mansion. Get the book here and learn more about Eggers' work here.

Jul 18, 2023 • 15:26

The Coffee Palace

A majestic building in Santos, Brazil used to be the center of the coffee trade. LEARN MORE: Go deeper with Professor Ian Read’s work here and read more in the Atlas here.

Jul 17, 2023 • 12:29

The Capitoline Wolf (Classic)

Blind Guy Travels host Matthew Shifrin discusses a formative encounter with a wolf tied to the origins of Rome. Listen to Blind Guy Travels: https://radiotopiapresents.fm/blind-guy-travels

Jul 14, 2023 • 12:53

Man’s Best (Stiff) Friends

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring us two charming stories of some very special canines who have been (literally) preserved for the ages. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: Learn about Sergeant Stubby here and Owney here

Jul 13, 2023 • 14:43

The Complaint Tablet of Ea-Nasir

Turns out, complaining about bad service really is as old as time. Hear the story of an ancient Babylonian clay tablet that has launched a slew of modern memes. Click here for more.

Jul 12, 2023 • 17:25

A Friendly Town With An Ax To Grind

Every year, lumberjacks and lumberjills from around the world flock to Hayward, Wisconsin – a couple hours north of Minneapolis – to compete in the Lumberjack World Championships. Join us as we get our hands dirty alongside the world’s most skilled in all-things chopping…and rolling. This episode is produced in partnership w ith GoUSA TV. If you want to see more Small Town, Big Story, watch now on GoUSA TV or on YouTube. You can learn more about visiting Hayward here: https://haywardareachamber.

Jul 11, 2023 • 17:12

Gunnar Schonbeck Exhibit

For years, students at Bennington College snuck into a locked room for a glimpse of strange and magical instruments created by professor Gunnar Schonbeck. Today, we join his orchestra.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/no-experience-required

Jul 10, 2023 • 13:59

Magical Summer Memories Vol. 4 - The Magic of Water (Classic)

In this final installment of summer stories we tackle a topic that transcends the seasons—the captivating magic of water during travel. If you’d like to share a story about your summer, record a voice memo and send it to hello@atlasobscura.com or leave a voicemail at 315-992-7902.

Jul 7, 2023 • 9:14

Magical Summer Memories Vol. 3 - The Cardiff Giant (Classic)

In this installment we hear a listener’s tale of a theological dispute that became a real money-maker known to some as “Old Hoaxy.” This is the third of a series of listener-powered episodes about summer travel stories. If you’d like to share a story about your summer, record a voice memo and send it to hello@atlasobscura.com or leave a voicemail at 315-992-7902.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cardiff-giant

Jul 6, 2023 • 12:05

Magical Summer Memories Vol. 2 (Classic)

This is the second of a series of listener-powered episodes about summer travel stories. If you’d like to share a story about your summer, record a voice memo and send it to hello@atlasobscura.com or leave a voicemail at 315-992-7902.

Jul 5, 2023 • 12:38

Magical Summer Memories Vol. 1 (Classic)

This is the first of a series of listener-powered episodes about summer travel stories. If you’d like to share a story about your summer, record a voice memo and send it to hello@atlasobscura.com or leave a voicemail at 315-992-7902.

Jul 4, 2023 • 13:57

Special Episode: Witches and Ritual Around the Globe from Women Who Travel

The nights in the northern hemisphere are drawing in, which means whispering stories of witches and spirits are top of mind for many of us. Lale chats with Mexico City-based author Brenda Lozano, whose new novel Witches looks at the lives of Mexican women who inherit gifts, and draws inspiration from the true story of a Mazatec Indigenous healer, or curandera, in Oaxaca who worked with psilocybin mushrooms in the 1950s and 60s. Plus, we revisit a recent conversation with author Dorthe Nors to le

Jul 3, 2023 • 25:21

Museum of Quackery and Medical Fraud (Classic)

We visit what might be the world’s largest collection of fraudulent, nefarious, or otherwise ineffectual medical machinery -- and meet the founder who brought it all together. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/museum-quackery

Jun 30, 2023 • 18:02

No Taste Like Home

Asheville is a well-known foodie destination. In this ep we hear about a group that takes visitors into the wild – to learn all about North Carolina’s incredible biodiversity and to enjoy the foods that grow all around them. This episode is coproduced with Explore Asheville.LEARN MORE about No Taste Like Home here. And find more cool things to do when you visit Asheville here.

Jun 29, 2023 • 12:45

We Heart Disasters… with John Marr

Host Dylan Thuras meets a teenage hero: author John Marr, who created the infamous Murder Can Be Fun zine and chronicled tales of unusual amusement park ride deaths and other odd disastersREAD MORE: You can see back issues of MCBF here.

Jun 28, 2023 • 14:34

Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai

Created by a volcanic eruption in 2015, this island in the South Pacific no longer exists… but we chat with a person who got to see it before it disappeared.LEARN MORE about Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai in this Reuters article and see it in the Atlas here

Jun 27, 2023 • 17:53

The Italian War on Pasta

Gastro Obscura Writer Sam Lin-Sommer tells us the story of the fascist war on pasta and its surprisingly delicious legacy.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/italian-futurist-pasta

Jun 26, 2023 • 19:54

Bone Wars

You’ve probably heard about the Gold Rush. But what about the bone rush of the 1870s? Hear the story of a bitter rivalry between two paleontologists – and how this epic feud unearthed an epic amount of fossils we still admire today.

Jun 23, 2023 • 14:57

The Hand Collection

You can learn a lot about a person from their hands. In this episode, we hear the story of a doctor who made it possible for us to hold onto the stories of presidents, astronauts, musicians, artists and more… through bronze molds of their hands. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/adrian-e-flatt-m-d-hand-collection

Jun 22, 2023 • 8:49

Secret Places with Ashley Ray

Podcaster, TV critic and comedian Ashley Ray has more than a soft spot for her Midwest hometown. Hear why she thinks it may just be the best kept secret. HEAR MORE FROM OUR GUEST: Ashley has her own podcast all about TV and culture. Check it out here: https://www.stitcher.com/show/tv-i-say-w-ashley-ray

Jun 21, 2023 • 16:00

Flavor Graveyard

Behind the Ben & Jerry's factory in Vermont sits a very peculiar graveyard... one dedicated to dearly departed ice cream flavors.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ben-jerry-s-flavor-graveyard

Jun 20, 2023 • 11:48

Josephine Baker’s Chateau (Classic)

Writer and travel educator Tracey Friley tells the story of the glamorous life of entertainer, French Resistance agent, and civil rights activist, Josephine Baker and the pilgrimages women still make to her chateau.Learn more: www.traceyfrileytravel.com

Jun 19, 2023 • 15:56

Forbes Pigment Collection (Classic)

A repository in Cambridge, Massachusetts holds over 2,700 pigments that’ve been quietly coloring the world around us since the beginning of human history. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/forbes-pigment-collection

Jun 16, 2023 • 16:15

World Famous Crochet Museum

Step inside the cutest, most cuddly museum for handmade crafts. This museum, set near Joshua Tree National Park, has been called “a vortex of love and joy and peace.”LEARN MORE about the museum and schedule your own visit by clicking here.

Jun 15, 2023 • 14:00

Reed College Reactor

Students at Reed College study things like philosophy, history and English. But for the past 50 years they’ve also had access to a scientific instrument many people have never seen. We visit the World's only nuclear reactor operated by liberal arts undergraduates. LEARN MORE about the reactor here.

Jun 14, 2023 • 12:53

The Greenbrier

You’d never guess that beneath a historic, genteel southern resort sits a massive bunker that the US government built in case of catastrophic events. Hear the story of the Greenbrier Resort that was kept secret for decades.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/congressional-fallout-shelter-at-the-greenbrier-resort

Jun 13, 2023 • 15:22

Close to the Edge PART 2

We asked, you answered. Hear listener stories of near death travel experiences.

Jun 12, 2023 • 14:26

Maine’s Burning Blueberry Fields (Classic)

Travel to Penobscot, Maine, where one farmer maintains the tradition of burning his crop each year to rejuvenate it the next. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/why-do-people-burn-blueberry-fields

Jun 9, 2023 • 12:44

Tabor Opera House

Colorado is known for being a music and performance hub. And that history goes way back – all the way to a theater that staged high dramas, tragedies, tales of star-crossed lovers, and even inspired an opera of its own. This episode was co produced with Visit Colorado.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tabor-opera-house-2 | Learn more about the shows happening at the opera house this summer by clicking here

Jun 8, 2023 • 18:55

Frozen Dead Guy

Atop a mountain in a picturesque Colorado town is the frozen corpse of a Norwegian grandpa. We get the tale of how this came to be, from the person who for years has trekked up and down the mountain for this unique preservation mission. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/frozen-dead-guy-days

Jun 7, 2023 • 17:01

Temple of Pythons

We visit southern Benin to hear the story of the Temple of Pythons and clear up some misconceptions about one of the world's most misunderstood spiritual systems.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-temple-of-pythons-ouidah-benin

Jun 6, 2023 • 12:59

Fairy Castle

A famous movie actress from the 1920s left the world a lasting piece of art — a remarkable miniature home that could be considered Chicago’s cutest piece of real estate. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS https://www.atlasobscura.com/videos/see-chicago-s-million-dollar-fairy-castle

Jun 5, 2023 • 15:35

Hitler’s Toilet (Classic)

It roamed the seas, served an evil dictator, survived a war, and ended up in a New Jersey auto-repair shop bathroom.

Jun 2, 2023 • 9:53

Tonopah Mining Camp

We step into the shoes of the miners who once labored in the Nevada mountains, via a trip to the Tonopah Historic Mining Park. This episode was produced in partnership with Travel Nevada.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tonopah-mining-parkLEARN MORE about the Tonopah Historic Mining Park and Travel Nevada

Jun 1, 2023 • 15:17

Koutammakou

A race is on to save this world heritage site that straddles the border of Togo and Benin. It’s home to remarkable earth tower homes called Takienta, and the Batammariba people, whose existence is threatened by climate change and migration.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/koutammakou-batammariba

May 31, 2023 • 12:26

Woman with the Handbag

We go to Sweden, where some people are intent on making a woman a permanent symbol of resistance, whether or not she would have wanted it. Check out some of Samuel Merrill’s research work on the photo here.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/woman-with-the-handbag-statue

May 30, 2023 • 12:03

Tick Collection

We go to Statesboro, Georgia to the US National Tick Collection to learn what ticks, often thought of as little monstrosities, can teach us.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/us-national-tick-collection

May 29, 2023 • 11:00

Tina Turner Museum (Classic)

The Flagg Grove School in Brownsville, Tennessee has become a museum dedicated to its most famous student. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tina-turner-museum

May 26, 2023 • 13:22

Micropia (Classic)

Take a trip to Micropia, the world’s only museum dedicated to microscopic organisms, and learn about our invisible life companions.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/micropia

May 25, 2023 • 14:42

American Chestnut Foundation (Classic)

The story of the unimaginable destruction of the American Chestnut tree and the group of scientists, academics and tree lovers who are desperately trying to bring them back from the edge of extinction.LEARN MORE: Visit https://acf.org/ to find out more about this massive conservation effort

May 24, 2023 • 13:19

The Mirror Lab (Classic)

A spinning furnace tucked under the football stadium at the University of Arizona is building giant telescope mirrors. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/richard-f-caris-mirror-laboratory

May 23, 2023 • 15:56

Åtvidaberg Sun Cannon (Classic)

Sun cannons have been around since the 1600s. But as far as we know, there’s only one left that’s still up and running. We pay it a visit. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/atvidaberg-sun-cannon

May 22, 2023 • 12:35

Chile Pepper Institute

Habaneros!  Jalapenos! Green! Red! These days, an appreciation for chiles is pretty mainstream. But that wasn’t always the case. We head to New Mexico to learn how this food became such a huge part of our culture, and visit an institute dedicated to its continual improvement.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/chile-pepper-institute

May 19, 2023 • 12:36

Fugitive Train Wreck

A North Carolina town has become a draw for people who want to see the wreckage of the train wreck from the movie “The Fugitive.” But a more interesting – and true – story happened just a pistol shot away.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-fugitive-train-wreck-sylva-north-carolina

May 18, 2023 • 12:09

Theatricum Botanicum

A once-blacklisted Hollywood star created a magical theater in Topanga Canyon, California, that still endures and inspires today.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/theatricum-botanicum

May 17, 2023 • 11:57

Voynich Manuscript

One of the oldest books in the world is also the most misunderstood. A medievalist tells us about the Voynich, which is in the collection of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/beinecke-rare-book-manuscript-library

May 16, 2023 • 17:48

Big Bertha Drum (Classic)

She’s about 8 feet wide and 500 pounds. And her history spans all the way from the stockyards of Chicago... to a nuclear test during the Manhattan Project...to a stadium at the University of Texas at Austin. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/big-bertha-drum

May 15, 2023 • 10:21

Kilwa Kisiwani (Classic)

We dig through more than 1,000 years of dirt, history,  colonialism, and myth on the Swahili Coast.Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/kilwa-kisiwani-ruins

May 12, 2023 • 15:38

Butter Sculptures

Where can you find the smoothest, most scrumptious edible art? If you ask our host, Dylan, it’s in the Minnesota State Fair butter sculpture room. He’s joined in this episode by Gastro Obscura writer Sam O’Brien, who got the scoop on the yummy centerpieces.

May 11, 2023 • 16:49

Close to the Edge

We all dream of the perfect vacation when everything goes right. This episode is about the opposite. Hear stories of people having near death travel experiences.TELL US YOUR STORY: We want to hear your stories too! Give us a call at (315) 992-7902, and leave a message telling us your name, and about your own near-death travel experience. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com. Looking forward to hearing from you.

May 10, 2023 • 15:30

Iowa Remnant Prairies

Elusive patches of land in America’s Midwest can show us what the environment was like 150 years ago and tell us about the future.

May 9, 2023 • 14:28

National Poo Museum

We spend time with the world’s foremost poo enthusiasts, who operate a museum in England where poo is elegant, elevated and celebrated.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/national-poo-museum

May 8, 2023 • 11:27

Mississippi River Basin Model (Classic)

A walk through this scale model has you feeling like a giant, and striding from Baton Rouge to Omaha in an hour. LEARN MORE about the model and the group trying to revive it, here: https://friendsofmrbm.org/

May 5, 2023 • 13:08

The Nutmobile

The next time you go out on a road trip, keep your eyes peeled for a peanut-shaped car that got its start as an advertising play during the Great Depression

May 4, 2023 • 13:21

Okomfo Anokye’s Sword

Nestled in a hospital courtyard in Kumasi, Ghana, you’ll find the strength of the Asante people: the sword of Okomfo Anokye, planted in the ground over 300 years ago. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/sword-of-okomfo-anokye

May 3, 2023 • 8:29

Hurricane Hunters

We go on a bumpy ride with the Hurricane Hunters – the government’s team of scientists who fly into storms so the rest of us can have accurate info and research about massive weather events. Our guide is Nick Underwood, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

May 2, 2023 • 16:02

Distant Relatives

At a food truck in Austin, tried and true barbecue favorites meet unexpected spices and flavor profiles. Here, chef Damien Brockway’s journey into family history led him to weave the flavors of the African diaspora into his food. This episode was produced in partnership with Travel Texas. LEARN MORE about Distant Relatives and Travel Texas.

May 1, 2023 • 13:54

The Deadliest Lake (Classic)

In 1986 an unknown natural disaster at Lake Nyos in Menchum, Cameroon left more than 1700 people dead in one night - and puzzled scientists. Listen to learn how they solved the mystery. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lake-nyos-the-deadliest-lake-in-the-world

Apr 28, 2023 • 15:00

Moose Boulder

How far would you go to find the largest island in the largest lake on the largest island in the largest lake on the largest island in the largest lake in the United States? READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/moose-boulder-debunked

Apr 27, 2023 • 13:58

The Last Wild Apple Groves

The variety of apples we enjoy today have a common ancestor that lies in the forests of Kazakhstan, where scientists are studying the wildest version of the fruit.

Apr 26, 2023 • 12:06

Caring for Canids

Welcome to the Judith A Basset Canid Education & Conservation Center, where a California couple has dedicated their lives to showing folks man has even more best friends than previously thought.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-jab-canid-education-and-conservation-center-jabcecc

Apr 25, 2023 • 14:24

Telling Time through the Trees with the Places Team

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring us stories about the trees that have witnessed history. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: Read the story of Emancipation Oak in Hampton, VA and the Travel Log from California.

Apr 24, 2023 • 16:10

International Cryptozoology Museum (Classic)

It’s easy to dismiss Bigfoot, the yeti, the Loch Ness monster, and other cryptids as far-fetched X-Files fodder. But the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine aims to show that when investigations into unknown creatures are done right, they involve real science, and have real scientific value.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/international-cryptozoology-museum

Apr 21, 2023 • 15:17

John Brown’s Farm

In the Adirondacks of northern New York sits John Brown's Farm, a monument to the famous abolitionist, and the last vestige of Timbuctoo, an ambitious but failed settlement that some hoped could help African Americans secure the right to vote. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/john-brown-farm

Apr 20, 2023 • 11:49

For Keeps Books

In Atlanta, on this historic Auburn Avenue, sits a small bookstore and reading room that’s been called “an interactive art museum of Black Thought.” LEARN MORE: https://www.forkeepsbooks.com/

Apr 19, 2023 • 16:22

Pack Your Bag(pipes) with Ross Jennings

Ross Jennings, aka the First Piper, has been on a world-spanning quest to play the bagpipes in every country of the world. LEARN MORE: https://www.thefirstpiper.com/

Apr 18, 2023 • 15:33

Bete Giyorgis of Lalibela

We go to Northern Ethiopia and learn about an ancient King who left a great legacy to his people and the world: the rock hewn church known as St. Giyorgis, where religious services are held to this day. See a virtual rendering of all the rock hewn churches of Lalibela at the Zamani Project.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bete-giyorgis-lalibela

Apr 17, 2023 • 12:10

Red Sea Blue Hole (Classic)

This stunning geological marvel just north of Dahab, Egypt has been called the deadliest dive spot in the world. But is that reputation deserved?READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/red-sea-blue-hole

Apr 14, 2023 • 13:44

Fun and Funny Science with Mary Roach

Author Mary Roach takes us into the hidden corners of the scientific world. From training to poop in space to the surprisingly pleasant Common Cold Unit, all the way to the inside of Elvis’s colon. If you want to check out her work, we recommend starting with Packing for Mars.

Apr 13, 2023 • 17:19

Fairy Circles

We head to the Namib Desert in Africa, where the landscape is dotted with mysterious, pimple-like indents known as fairy circles. Where do these things come from? Scientist Walter Tschinkel has spent the last several years studying and experiencing a natural occurrence so enchanting, locals describe it as “The footprints of the gods.”READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/fairy-circles-southern-africa

Apr 12, 2023 • 11:34

Ashley House

For decades, the Ashley House in Sheffield, Massachusetts preserved and promoted the story of Col. John Ashley, a wealthy businessman who opened his home to those fighting against British rule on the eve of America’s war for independence. But in this episode we hear a new narrative, about an enslaved woman and true patriot who tested the rhetoric of the revolution.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ashley-house

Apr 11, 2023 • 13:13

Places Our Families Took Us

Hear tales of our team’s most memorable family trips – like going on vacation with Thomas Jefferson, getting thrown in the ocean and meeting Klingons. TELL US YOUR STORY: We want to hear your stories too! Give us a call at (315) 992-7902, and leave a message telling us your name, and about your own memorable family trip. Whatever it is, wherever you went, we want to hear about it. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Apr 10, 2023 • 15:19

Yemrehanna Kristos Church (Classic)

Photographer and author Paul Koudonaris brings listeners to this Ethiopian Church and explores ossuaries, jeweled skeletons, and death practices throughout the world. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/yemrehana-krestos-church

Apr 7, 2023 • 15:28

Lady Liberty’s Little Sister

In 1986, something really weird happened in Pennsylvania – a replica of The Statue of Liberty mysteriously appeared through the fog on the Susquehanna River. We unravel the mystery. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mini-statue-of-liberty-harrisburg

Apr 6, 2023 • 14:02

Yellowstone Zone of Death

A 50 square mile patch of Yellowstone National Park in Idaho might just be the perfect place to commit a crime. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/yellowstones-zone-of-death

Apr 5, 2023 • 14:38

Arrows Across America

An adventurous couple sets out to document and unearth the arrows of America’s past, once used to help pilots find their way across the skies. You can learn more about Charlotte and Brian’s journey – and see photos of the arrows they’ve documented – at their website: dreamsmithphotos.com

Apr 4, 2023 • 11:35

Museum of Clean

A tidy little story from Pocatello, Idaho, home to the Museum of Clean READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/museum-of-clean

Apr 3, 2023 • 12:54

Grace Hopper’s Bug (Classic)

Trailblazing computer scientist Grace Hopper shaped the way people use and talk about computers. Her actual computer bug is preserved at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/grace-hoppers-bug

Mar 31, 2023 • 12:42

The Beat Museum

This San Francisco museum, curated by a super-fan of the Beats, is a shrine to an incredibly influential cultural movement and a destination for folks keeping it alive today. *An earlier version of this episode contained a mispronunciation and a misattributed quote. Both have been fixed and we regret the error. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/beat-museum

Mar 30, 2023 • 14:18

A Delicious Mission with Cheuk Kwan

Filmmaker and writer Cheuk Kwan takes us for a round-the-world meal. Three courses, three incredible places. Three stories of Chinese immigration.LEARN MORE: Cheuk Kwan’s new book is called “Have You Eaten Yet?” You can also check out “Chinese Restaurants,” his documentary series that started it all, on youtube https://www.youtube.com/@cheukkwan/featured

Mar 29, 2023 • 15:56

Wild Chocolate with Rowan Jacobsen

Dylan chats with Rowan Jacobsen, a food journalist and host of the podcast called OBSESSION: Wild Chocolate. And he takes us on a journey that follows his multiyear quest into the Amazon rainforest to learn more about a mythical chocolate that has a dark history and the potential to save parts of the rainforest.LEARN MORE: Check out Rowan's podcast here.

Mar 28, 2023 • 18:07

Great Balls of Twine with the Places Team

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring us stories about the biggest balls of twine. Plus, a special guest adds an additional tangle to the tale. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/world-s-largest-ball-of-twine

Mar 27, 2023 • 22:29

Clown Motel (Classic)

Tonopah, Nevada is home to the Clown Motel - an inn on the edge of the desert that’s packed with statues and figurines of Clowns. The eerie and fully-functioning inn is also a labor of love.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/clown-motel

Mar 24, 2023 • 13:49

The Pennsylvania Firefly Festival (Classic)

The deep woods of Pennsylvania hold a phenomena that has drawn attention from scientists and people around the world, and was almost recently destroyed. To learn more about the Pennsylvania Firefly Festival visit https://www.pafireflyevents.org/.

Mar 23, 2023 • 14:05

The Shrek Donkey of Barron Park (Classic)

We visit a park in Palo Alto, California, home of the world’s most famous donkey. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-donkeys-of-barron-park-palo-alto-california

Mar 22, 2023 • 14:13

Cisternerne (Classic)

A massive 19th-century reservoir under the city of Copenhagen has been repurposed as a contemporary art cave. We venture inside to learn more about its history, and bask in the incredible acoustics of the space.Visit Cisternerne and Frederiksberg Museerne: https://frederiksbergmuseerne.dk/da/READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cisternerne

Mar 21, 2023 • 12:38

Zone Rouge (Classic)

A swath of land in Northern France still bears scars of the destruction of World War I. Destruction so bad that, in some cases, humans have never been allowed to return.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/zone-rouge

Mar 20, 2023 • 11:17

Tiny Doors of Atlanta (Classic)

As part of Women’s History Month, we're sharing some episodes from the archive including this story about mysterious doors scattered throughout Atlanta. They dare you to imagine what might be found on the other side.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tiny-doors-atl

Mar 17, 2023 • 13:23

Blurred lines with Stacy Horn

Writer Stacy Horn tells us about a period in American history when the study of psychic phenomena and the paranormal was serious business at places like Stanford and Duke University. And she reveals the story of J.B. Rhine and Louisa Rhine, a scholarly couple who attempted to find the line where science ended and the unbelievable began. Horn is the author of  Unbelievable: Investigations into Ghosts, Poltergeists, Telepathy, and Other Unseen Phenomena, from the Duke Parapsychology Laboratory.

Mar 16, 2023 • 17:21

Manuscript Writing Cafe

We go to Tokyo, to a particular place that is both nemesis and best friend to all those procrastinators out there. (Yes, we’re looking at you :) LEARN MORE: The Manuscript Writing Cafe is open Saturdays and Sundays and you can reserve your seat online. https://koenji-sankakuchitai.blog.jp/ManuscriptWritingCafe/

Mar 15, 2023 • 11:57

NYC’s Most Beautiful Public Bathroom

Producer Abigail Keel takes us on the most strange, wonderful and beautiful potty break. And tells us how – and where – you can do it too.

Mar 14, 2023 • 15:05

Exploring the underworld with Jessica Leigh Hester

Writer Jessica Leigh Hester joins us on a deep dive into the sewer, the subject of her new book. We’ll talk about some of the interesting (and disgusting) things she found there … like fatbergs.FIND OUT MORE: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/sewer-9781501379505/

Mar 13, 2023 • 14:39

WHM Classic: Luciadagen

As part of Women’s History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive, including this story about the origins of a Swedish holiday tradition which evolved from sinister pagan lore to a celebration of light, warmth and music.

Mar 10, 2023 • 17:36

More Wonders in Your Backyard

Here the podcast team shares stories of wonder and curiosity that lies just outside your doorstep. Stories feature a troll bridge, a cemetery, natural methane vents, and more.Tell us about a wonder in your backyard. Record a voice memo and send it to hello@atlasobscura.com or leave a voicemail at 315-992-7902.

Mar 9, 2023 • 12:29

The Dedan Kimathi Post Office Tree

The Dedan Kimathi Post Office played a notable role in Kenya’s struggle for Independence.

Mar 8, 2023 • 18:32

Ouija Board 7-Eleven

The Ouija Board went from a tool for communicating with the dead to a sleepover party game. This trip through the Ouija Board’s past features a pit stop at the Ouija 7-Eleven.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ouija-7eleven

Mar 7, 2023 • 15:14

Big Apple Inn

This restaurant in Jackson, Mississippi was a haven for Civil Rights leaders and has stood for four generations, 83 years, and a whole lotta pig ear sandwiches.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/big-apple-inn

Mar 6, 2023 • 16:35

WHM Classic: Forest of the Future Library

As part of Women’s History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including this story about a forest in Oslo, Norway that will provide the trees for paper as part of a century long art project featuring famed contemporary authors. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/forest-of-the-future-library

Mar 3, 2023 • 15:14

The A. Everett Austin Facade House

This architectural oddity in Hartford, Connecticut looks like a mansion… but is only one room deep. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/a-everett-austin-facade-house

Mar 2, 2023 • 15:26

The Discovery Tree

California's longest-running tourist attraction is a stump that helped spark a conservation movement.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-discovery-tree

Mar 1, 2023 • 13:18

The Hampton House

This simple brick building in Chicago, Illinois was the boyhood home of Civil Rights icon, Fred Hampton Sr. and a continued site for community organizing.

Feb 28, 2023 • 14:42

Nellie Mae Rowe’s Playhouse

Nellie Mae Rowe decorated her home in Vinings, Georgia with homemade dolls and shiny bottle caps and placed paper streamers, pieces of colored glass and improvised sculptures throughout her yard.

Feb 27, 2023 • 14:28

BHM Classic: Leimert Park

As part of Black History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including Producer Baudelaire Ceus’s journey to Leimert Park, a unique neighborhood in Los Angeles characterized by its historical relationship to Black liberation.

Feb 24, 2023 • 15:27

Thomas Merton's Hermitage

This little house in New Haven, Kentucky is where Thomas Merton aka profit-poet aka the rebel monk tried to get away from the world.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/thomas-mertons-hermitage

Feb 23, 2023 • 16:51

Jadeite Cabbage

This tiny stone cabbage has a big backstory stretching from the rich, treasure-laden halls of Beijing’s Forbidden City...through a harrowing wartime escape...to its prized place at the National palace museum in Taipei, Taiwan.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/jade-cabbage

Feb 22, 2023 • 14:21

Newtown Creek Nature Walk

One man in Brooklyn, New York - armed with a homemade boat and an artistic vision - helped transform one of the most polluted industrial waterways in the US.To listen to the Newtown Creek Audio Guide: http://www.newtowncreekfieldguide.com/READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/newtown-creek-nature-walk

Feb 21, 2023 • 16:04

The Gankutsu Hotel

Chiseled out of a stone cliff, one farmer's unfinished art project in Yoshimi, Japan lies in ruins. And an architect and a photographer are working to keep his legacy alive.Email us about buying a copy of Arai-san and Karasaki-san’s photobook at hello@atlasobscura.com READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/gankutsu-hotel

Feb 20, 2023 • 17:23

Classic: Floating Freedom School

As part of Black History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including the history of this paddleboat that gave some Black children a place to learn even when they were denied formal education on land.

Feb 17, 2023 • 15:01

Cactoblastis Memorial Cairn

This site in Boonarga, Australia honors the cactoblastis - a humble moth that traveled across the globe, and became the hero of a continent. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cactoblastis-memorial-cairn

Feb 16, 2023 • 11:43

Pushkin’s Duel

The story of how famous Russian author Alexander Pushkin once faced a duel by The Black River on the outskirts of St. Petersburg features high drama, society scandals, a weird foot joke, and pistols at dusk.

Feb 15, 2023 • 17:09

Valentine's Day Classic: Chopin’s Heart

For Valentine's Day, the Atlas team would like to bring you this tale of the heart….literally. The Church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw, Poland is the final resting place of famed composer Frédéric Chopin’s heart - smuggled there by Chopin’s sister after his death. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/chopin-s-heart

Feb 14, 2023 • 16:33

The Henry Miller Memorial Library

This site is “not a Library where you can borrow books” nor “a memorial with dusty relics” but still aims to honor the spirit of American author Henry Miller. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/henry-miller-memorial-library

Feb 13, 2023 • 13:02

Black History Month Classic: Louis Armstrong Museum

As part of Black History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including this journey to famed Jazz musician Louis Armstrong’s House in Corona, Queens in New York.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/louis-armstrong-house

Feb 10, 2023 • 17:23

The San Juan Island Pig War

The killing of a British pig on an island off the coast of Northwestern Washington almost started a war between two of the world’s greatest military powers. 100 years later, a local artist commemorated the Pig War with a one-woman show, a troupe of mannequins, and a taxidermied pig. Learn more about Steve Lyons’ play: https://www.lyonswrites.com/plays.html#

Feb 9, 2023 • 22:12

Creston Dinosaur

This relic of roadside attractions in Creston, South Dakota is believed to be the first of its kind in North AmericaREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/creston-dinosaur

Feb 8, 2023 • 17:07

The Rainmaker

Professional rainmaker Charles Hatfield was either a scientist or a con man who had a particular influence on San Diego, CA.  Curious about cloud seeding? Learn more from our earlier podcast on the Lynmouth Flood: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/podcast-lynmouth-flood-memorial-hallREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lower-otay-reservoir

Feb 7, 2023 • 16:22

Marchand Dessalines

Marchand Dessalines, Haiti is a town named after Jean Jacques Dessalines one of the leaders of the Haitian Revolution and one of the country’s founding fathers.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/dessalines-revolution-battle-haiti

Feb 6, 2023 • 9:31

Black History Month: Black Star Square

As part of Black History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including this story about a gigantic public square dedicated to Ghanaian independence - and producer Baudelaire Ceus’s introduction to soursop.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/black-star-square

Feb 3, 2023 • 16:37

The Westgate with Rico Gagliano

Rico Gagliano, host of the MUBI podcast, takes listeners to The Westgate Movie Theater in Minneapolis for a story about a movie that flopped terribly when it was released that changed the course of the theater’s history.Listen to the MUBI Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mubi-podcast/id1569229544

Feb 2, 2023 • 15:26

Freud Museum London

Sigmund Freud’s famous psychoanalytic couch is preserved in his final office in London, England.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/freud-museum-london

Feb 1, 2023 • 12:56

Galileo’s Middle Finger

Host Dylan Thuras leads listeners on a journey that leads to the preserved middle finger of Galileo Galilei, astronomer, physicist and engineer.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/galileos-middle-finger

Jan 31, 2023 • 15:43

Tangier American Legation Museum

This building in Tangier was one of the first pieces of land owned by the United States Government outside of the country, and was a gift from “America’s first friend.”READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tangier-american-legation-museum

Jan 30, 2023 • 14:49

Classic: Cueva de los Tayos

This Ecuadorian cave has captured the attention of  government officials, scientists, and professional cavers and is home to a particularly rare creature.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cueva-de-los-tayos

Jan 27, 2023 • 14:11

Rae Wynn-Grant and the Bear

Rae Wynn-Grant, Ph.D. is a wildlife ecologist specializing in large carnivores. And in this episode she unfolds a mystery for listeners. To hear more about her encounter with a lion: https://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/podcast/not-your-average-field-trip/

Jan 26, 2023 • 17:02

Empress Anna’s Ice Palace

Empress Anna’s Ice Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia was the site of an incredibly strange wedding. Was it a cruel joke? A strategic power move? Or something else?READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/russia-anna-ioannovna-ice-palace-castle

Jan 25, 2023 • 16:18

Lee’s Legendary Marbles and Collectables

Lee's Legendary Marbles & Collectables in York, Nebraska is a pilgrimage of sorts for serious collectors and a curiosity for the casual passerby.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lees-legendary-marbles-collectables

Jan 24, 2023 • 11:17

Urnes Stave Church

This intricately carved church in Luster is one of Norway’s great treasures of architecture.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/urnes-stave-church

Jan 23, 2023 • 13:35

Classic: The Great Stalacpipe Organ

The Luray Caverns in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia are home to an instrument that draws out the secret sounds of millenia-old stone.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-great-stalacpipe-organ-luray-virginia

Jan 20, 2023 • 14:44

Cementerio Municipal José María Azael Franco Guerrero

The José María Azael Franco Guerrero Cemetery in Tulcán, Ecuador is a topiary anomaly and a lush green paradise for the dead.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tulcan-municipal-cemetery

Jan 19, 2023 • 12:17

The Lion House

This abandoned lodge in Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique has been reclaimed by local lions - a story deeply enmeshed in the larger history of the country.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-lion-house-gorongosa-mozambiqueFurther Reading: S is for Samora (book by Sarah Lefanu)Let My People Go (poem by Noémia de Sousa)Apartheid’s Contras: An Inquiry Into the Roots of War in Angola and Mozambique (pdf book by William Minter)The Mozambican Civil War (1977-1992) (ar

Jan 18, 2023 • 20:59

Songs of Ice with the Places Team

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring you stories of how sometimes giant monuments built for a specific site need to go on a journey. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/yakhchalshttps://www.atlasobscura.com/places/snowflake-bentley

Jan 17, 2023 • 17:28

Green Mill Jazz Club

This internationally recognized jazz lounge has been running for more than a century. Its guests have included Frank Sinatra, Charlie Chaplin and less reputable icons like Al Capone.

Jan 16, 2023 • 10:15

Classic: The Curse of the Kreischer Mansion

Host Dylan Thuras visits a Staten Island mansion with a dubious and vitriolic past, only to learn the site’s curse may not be as obvious as it seems. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/kreischer-mansion

Jan 13, 2023 • 16:29

Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour

Barnali Ghosh and Anirvan Chatterjee take us on a walking tour of Berkeley, CA, where they share their community's legacy of radical South Asian activism.Learn more about the Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour: https://www.berkeleysouthasian.org/

Jan 12, 2023 • 16:27

The Mail Rail

This railway was built for one purpose and one purpose only: to keep the London’s mail coming on time.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-mail-rail-london-england

Jan 11, 2023 • 12:23

Chicago Bridge Houses

Drawbridge operators in Chicago, IL used to live at these specific homes nestled at the base of their bridges.

Jan 10, 2023 • 12:42

Making Films with Sky Hopinka

Venture into the mind of Sky Hopinka, member of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and MacArthur Genius Grant recipient. He and host Dylan Thuras discuss his work, his past and what he’s still searching for out on the road.Visit Sky's website to watch Jáaji Approx. and to learn more about his work: http://www.skyhopinka.com/jaaji-approximately

Jan 9, 2023 • 18:02

Classic: Million Dollar Point

We visit Vanuatu in the South Pacific and go underwater to visit a very strange place from a very strange episode at the end of World War II. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/million-dollar-point

Jan 6, 2023 • 13:32

Medical Clowning Program

The history of medical clowning extends back to Ancient Greece and the time of Hippocrates and is taught in workshops throughout the world.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/medical-clowning-program-at-haifa-university

Jan 5, 2023 • 15:14

The Plant

This former meat-packing plant in Chicago, Illinois is now a site where people work to create a new kind of community in the city’s post-industrial remains. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-plant-chicago-illinois

Jan 4, 2023 • 11:17

Classic: Post Office Bay

Post Office Bay on the Galapagos Islands is a post office that runs on luck and the goodwill of visitors. It has a knack for bringing strangers together. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/post-office-bay

Jan 3, 2023 • 13:36

Classic: The World’s Quietest Room

Experience the Orfield Anechoic Chamber: a room inside a concrete bunker that was once known as the quietest place on earth.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/orfield-labs-quiet-chamber

Jan 2, 2023 • 13:14

Classic: Re-up Your Luck

We explore the power luck has on us all, rational or not, through the unlikely places people go to re-up.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/lucky-places-good-luck-charms

Dec 30, 2022 • 12:53

Classic: Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum

This secluded museum beats the drum for the preservation of Nepal's musical heritage.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/nepali-folk-musical-instrument-museum

Dec 29, 2022 • 11:15

Classic: Dude Chilling Park

A renegade art project in Vancouver galvanized a small community, pitted residents against city government, and ultimately resulted in a new name for a chill park.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/dude-chilling-park

Dec 28, 2022 • 14:29

Classic: The Tank

An industrial water tank-turned-concert hall in the high deserts of Colorado is nothing less than a sonic wonder of the world. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-tank-rangely-colorado

Dec 27, 2022 • 13:42

Classic: World’s Loneliest Tree

About 400 miles south of New Zealand, on the subantarctic Campbell Island / Motu Ihupuku, stands a Sitka spruce whose nearest neighbor is 170 miles away.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/worlds-loneliest-tree

Dec 26, 2022 • 12:03

Classic: The Forgotten Songs Sound Sculpture

This unique installation in Sydney, Australia combines art and ornithology, commemorating the calls of the city’s lost birds. Plus, bin chickens!READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/forgotten-songs-sound-sculpture

Dec 23, 2022 • 11:33

Classic: Moses Gates and the Chrysler Building Eagles

Urban planner Moses Gates shares his unlikely experience with the residents of the 61st floor of one of New York City’s most iconic buildings.

Dec 22, 2022 • 15:00

Classic: Newark Earthworks

Updated December 2022. Built by indigenous people thousands of years ago, the Newark Earthworks are part cathedral, part cemetery, and part astronomical observatory. But today, this ancient ceremonial site is part of a golf course in Ohio.Read Cedric Rose’s article: https://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/article/will-ohios-earthworks-become-a-world-heritage-site/Learn more about the Newark Earthworks: http://worldheritageohio.org

Dec 21, 2022 • 22:38

Priscilla’s Homecoming

The story of Thomalind and Priscilla is 300 years in the making and brings listeners to Bunce Island, off the coast of Sierra Leone.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bunce-island

Dec 20, 2022 • 13:49

Tumbleweed Christmas Tree

Chandler, Arizona creates a Christmas Tree made entirely of the diaspore of this Western plant. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tumbleweed-christmas-tree

Dec 19, 2022 • 11:57

Classic: Spite Houses

Home is where the grudge is. We survey a special kind of architecture that is both petty and personal.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/spite-houses-around-the-world

Dec 16, 2022 • 10:19

Getting Lost

Atlas contributors bring listeners stories of getting lost on transit, on romantic getaways, or while just trying to get home, and the joy that comes from finding yourself somewhere unexpected.

Dec 15, 2022 • 16:16

Duke Riley and the poly S. Tyrene Maritime Museum

Artist Duke Riley has turned trash into a medium, like clay or paint, and an indictment.  His exhibit DEATH TO THE LIVING, Long Live Trash will run through April 23, 2023 at the Brooklyn Museum of Art.

Dec 14, 2022 • 13:51

The Sponge Capital of the World

Discover how Tarpon Springs, Florida became known as the Sponge Capital of the World. This “Small Town, Big Story” episode is produced in partnership with GoUSA TV.To watch the video, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZShrVCpUK0READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/things-to-do/tarpon-springs-florida

Dec 13, 2022 • 14:38

Luciadagen

In honor of Lucia Day on December 13, we’re diving into the origins of a Swedish holiday tradition which evolved from sinister pagan lore to a celebration of light, warmth and music.Tune into SVT’s Lucia broadcast: https://www.svtplay.se/video/e3vGxaR/luciamorgon-fran-grafsnas

Dec 12, 2022 • 15:26

Classic: Puffin Patrol

We go to the Westman Islands off the southern coast of Iceland and meet the heroes who save young birds that have wandered from their nests every summer.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/worlds-largest-puffin-colony

Dec 9, 2022 • 12:08

Fendika Cultural Center

The story of the Fendika Cultural Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is the story of Melaku Belay and his journey from homelessness to international acclaim as a community leader.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/fendika-azmari-bet

Dec 8, 2022 • 11:06

Medfield State Hospital

This abandoned hospital outside Boston, Massachusetts was originally conceived as a place to help people with mental health issues. But it wound up doing a lot of harm.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/medfield-state-hospital

Dec 7, 2022 • 11:00

Library of Congress Hair Collection

This collection, preserved by the United States Library of Congress, features locks of hair from cultural icons from Ludwig van Beethoven to General Ulysses Grant.

Dec 6, 2022 • 14:12

Buckley's Cave

One of Australia’s greatest stories of escape and survival centers around this rock formation in Point Lonsdale. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/buckleys-cave

Dec 5, 2022 • 16:20

How To Put Your Town on the Map

How To! Host Amanda Ripley goes in search of the answer to the question “how to set up a roadside attraction that will bring visitors to your town” with expert Erika Nelson - the founder of the World’s Largest Collection of the World’s Smallest Things.

Dec 2, 2022 • 16:20

Tina Turner Museum

The Flagg Grove School in Brownsville, Tennessee has become a museum dedicated to its most famous student.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tina-turner-museum

Dec 1, 2022 • 13:22

Fluorescent Rocks of Sterling Hill Mine

The Sterling Hill Mine in Ogdensburg, New Jersey is the site of a geological marvel that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/flourescent-rocks-of-sterling-hill-mine

Nov 30, 2022 • 11:04

Bread and Puppet Museum and Theater

This radical puppet collective has shaped the small New England town of Glover, Vermont for decades. This “Small Town, Big Story” episode is produced in partnership with GoUSA TV.To watch the video, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUrbyGqQDtcREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bread-and-puppet-museum-and-theater

Nov 29, 2022 • 14:29

Moon Trees

These trees sprang from seeds that were brought to outer space.  Moon Tree Website: https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/lunar/moon_tree.htmlREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/categories/moon-trees

Nov 28, 2022 • 12:18

Atlas Obscura Presents The Sporkful - A New Jersey Whiskey Mystery Pt. 2

The Sporkful team dives deeper into the history of the unknown whiskey bottle and the lives of those it touched.

Nov 25, 2022 • 19:05

Atlas Obscura Presents The Sporkful - A New Jersey Whiskey Mystery Pt. 1

Dan Pashman and the Sporkful team attempt to unravel the history of a bottle of whiskey found at an estate sale when the brand seems to not exist.

Nov 24, 2022 • 17:43

Classic: Clausland Mountain Tunnels

Under the forests of Nyack, New York lays a series of dark and decrepit tunnels with militaristic roots but now attract graffiti artists and plenty of teen lore.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/claus-land-mountain-tunnels

Nov 23, 2022 • 10:30

Classic: Arecibo Observatory

This site, and the enormous telescope that sits on it, is loved and lost to both scientists and everyday Puerto Ricans.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/arecibo-observatory

Nov 22, 2022 • 13:32

Classic: The White Squirrel of Prospect Park

Our team goes on a quest to find Prospect Park’s elusive -- and perhaps most magical -- resident rodent.

Nov 21, 2022 • 15:46

Classic: Library of Mistakes

A carefully curated collection of miscalculations in Edinburgh, Scotland serves as a warning for our gullibility, especially when it comes to money.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/library-of-mistakes

Nov 18, 2022 • 13:42

The Tanks of Flamenco Beach

This beautiful beach made of sand and worn down coral is covered in the wreckage of tanks once used by the U.S. military for target practice.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-tanks-of-flamenco-beach-culebra-puerto-rico

Nov 17, 2022 • 11:49

Larry Spring Museum of Common Sense Physics

Larry Spring’s Museum of Common Sense Physics in Fort Bragg, California begs the question: what do you do with a science museum where the science preserved inside is a kind of folk art?READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/larry-spring-school-common-sense-physics

Nov 16, 2022 • 12:25

Trailing of the Sheep

Thousands of sheep take over downtown Ketchum, Idaho during the annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival. This “Small Town, Big Story” episode is produced in partnership with GoUSA TV.To watch the video, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwlilGi6k7s

Nov 15, 2022 • 14:11

African Heritage House

The African Heritage House in Mlolongo, Kenya is one of the greatest collections of African art in the world - and it has an unusual backstory.Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/african-heritage-house

Nov 14, 2022 • 14:23

Classic: Salton Sea

The story of how humans desperate for water created a lake the size of the city of Los Angeles. And then, how that thirst turned toxic.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/salton-sea

Nov 11, 2022 • 16:37

Moving Monuments with the Places Team

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring you stories of how sometimes giant monuments built for a specific site need to go on a journey.   To view the Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse move: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPa8b1WlbaI&t=3s READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/church-of-agios-sostis and https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/rubjerg-knude-lighthouse

Nov 10, 2022 • 14:24

On The Appalachian Trail

A voicemail from a listener takes us out on the Appalachian trail, where we ford rivers, climb mountains, and work our way across one of the most storied backpacking routes in North America.Listen to our episode about your summer adventures: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/podcast-summer-adventures-22Send a voice memo to hello@atlasobscura.com or call (315) 992-7902 to leave a message about your own travel quest.

Nov 9, 2022 • 15:32

The Wren’s Nest

The Wren’s Nest in Atlanta is both a museum and former home of journalist Joel Chandler Harris and a hub for modern storytellers.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-wrens-nest

Nov 8, 2022 • 13:50

Laguna Del Diamante

A toxic lake high in the Andes mountains in Argentina is home to microbes that provide a window to our planet’s past — and a key to securing its future.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/laguna-del-diamante

Nov 7, 2022 • 13:54

Atlas Obscura Presents Real Good

Real Good is a podcast with the mission to highlight real people out in the world - trying to make it better. This excerpt features the Real Good hosts and Goalsetter CEO Tanya Van Court discussing financial literacy. The show is powered by US Bank. Visit https://www.stitcher.com/show/real-good to listen to the show's fourth season.

Nov 4, 2022 • 16:30

Kasanka Bat Migration

Kasanka National Park in Zambia hosts one of the largest – and most mysterious! – animal migrations on the planet.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/kasanka-bat-migration

Nov 3, 2022 • 10:48

Hacienda Napoles

Medellín Cartel founder Pablo Escobar built himself a sort of Jurassic Park-meets-Disney World resort with drug money. He called it Hacienda Nápoles. Now it’s overrun by Hippos.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hacienda-napoles

Nov 2, 2022 • 15:47

Thompson Ice House

Thompson’s Ice House in Bristol, Maine is one of the only places in the United States where people gather every winter to take part in the age-old process of harvesting ice from a frozen pond. This “Small Town-Big Story” episode is produced in partnership with GoUSA TV.To watch the video, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqxWG55-Mf8READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-thompson-ice-house-harvesting-museum-south-bristol-maine

Nov 1, 2022 • 16:48

Scary Stories from Real Places

Atlas contributors bring listeners stories from spooky locations they’ve visited and which continue to haunt them.

Oct 31, 2022 • 18:25

Witch Cakes

These cakes had a particular ingredient that some believe protected them from witchery - and sparked one of the best-known witch hunts in United States history. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-are-witch-cakes

Oct 28, 2022 • 13:37

Spooky Sites with the Places Team

With Halloween just around the corner Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring you two spooky legends of The Mothman from Point Pleasant, West Virginia and a potentially ghoulish forest in the Transylvanian Region of Romania.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mothman-museum-2 and https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hoia-baciu-forest

Oct 27, 2022 • 15:45

Luomus Spiders

The Finnish Museum of Natural History in Helsinki has been home to an infestation of Chilean recluse spiders for more than 50 years.

Oct 26, 2022 • 13:11

Houdini’s Grave

Producer Johanna Mayer visits Houdini’s grave in Queens, NY and goes searching for evidence of the great beyond. To hear another take on Spiritualism check out our earlier episode - Cassadaga with Jamie Loftus.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/houdinis-grave

Oct 25, 2022 • 15:23

Cassadaga with Jamie Loftus

The Atlas Obscura Podcast is launching a week of spooky-themed stories ahead of Halloween. We begin with Jamie Loftus’ newest podcast about Cassadaga, a small town in central Florida that is one of the last great bastions of a Victorian era religion called Spiritualism.Check out some of Jamie’s work:GHOST CHURCHhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ghost-church-by-jamie-loftus/id1619557591My Year in MENSA -https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-year-in-mensa/id1492147103And check out AO’s podc

Oct 24, 2022 • 16:58

Classic: Valley of the Whales

The fossils of Wadi al-Hitan (Valley of the Whales) in Egypt give us a glimpse of a remarkable evolutionary history. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/wadi-al-hitan

Oct 21, 2022 • 11:58

Times Square Hum

Producer Johanna Mayer travels to Times Square in NYC,  in search of a particular sound that may sometimes go overlooked.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-times-square-hum-new-york-new-york

Oct 20, 2022 • 11:57

Brown Dog Statue

This memorial marks the life of a pup who sparked riots over animal rights issues in London, England. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/brown-dog-statue

Oct 19, 2022 • 13:33

Meramec Caverns

This giant limestone cave outside of St. Louis, MO. is home to a combination of kitsch and world-class scenery.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/meramec-caverns

Oct 18, 2022 • 15:48

Louie Mattar’s Fabulous Car

The San Diego Automotive Museum in California contains one man’s dream...of creating the ultimate road trip car. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/louie-mattars-fabulous-car

Oct 17, 2022 • 11:05

Classic: Bolton Strid

Some say this little burbling creek is “The deadliest body of water on Earth.”READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bolton-strid

Oct 14, 2022 • 14:27

Providence Island

In 1820 a group of Black Americans set off to make a home in Africa. They landed in Providence Island and set the stage for the development of the country Liberia.

Oct 13, 2022 • 13:36

Navajo Code Talkers Burger King

The Burger King in Kayenta, AZ is home to a small museum dedicated to a group of Native American veterans who developed an unbreakable secret code during WWII.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/burger-king-navajo-code-talkers-display

Oct 12, 2022 • 13:04

Emily Graslie Curates a World of Wonder

Science communication superhero Emily Graslie shares how a pair of severed wolf heads helped her fall in love with science, about the road trip she took back to the beginning of time, and why she’s now looking for wonder in her own backyard.Learn more about Emily Graslie (and watch her bug videos!): http://www.emilygraslie.com/

Oct 11, 2022 • 15:08

SubTropolis

This former limestone mine in Kansas City, MO has been turned into a 55,000,000 square-foot industrial park and storage facility.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/subtropolis

Oct 10, 2022 • 9:44

Classic: The Institute of Illegal Images

A mind-tripping place where the art stands out not because of what's on  them but what's in  them. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/institute-illegal-images

Oct 7, 2022 • 13:12

Kalakuta Museum

Iconic musician Fela Kuti declared his home in Lagos, Nigeria, an independent state. He called it Kalakuta - and in 1977 it was invaded by the Nigerian Army.

Oct 6, 2022 • 13:25

The Portland Treasure Map

A map in the archives of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library in Portland, OR may be the key to finding buried treasure that has yet to be found. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/buried-treasure-portland-oregon

Oct 5, 2022 • 14:42

The Battle of Atlanta Cyclorama

The history of this 150-year-old immersive painting at the Atlanta History Museum features a scheming promoter, the cast of Gone with the Wind, Atlanta’s first Black mayor,  and the voice of Darth Vader himself - and shows how our interpretations of art reflect the time in which we live.  This episode is produced in partnership with Discover Atlanta.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/atlanta-cyclorama

Oct 4, 2022 • 17:16

Endangered Wolf Center

The Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka, Missouri was founded by zoologist and wildlife TV host Marlin Perkins and was home to an extraordinary wolf who gives us hope for the future of wolf survival.

Oct 3, 2022 • 15:09

Classic: The 49th Parallel

A listener takes us to a town on the edge of the longest undefended border in the world.US-Canada border regulations have been updated since this episode first aired: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/services/covid/menu-eng.htmlREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/uscanada-border-slash

Sep 30, 2022 • 13:51

Bloodroot Feminist Restaurant

For more than 40 years Selma Miriam and Noel Furie have maintained the Bloodroot Feminist Vegetarian Restaurant and Bookstore as a place where women from all over the world can gather, share ideas, and share meals.Visit Bloodroot: https://www.bloodroot.com/aboutLearn more about the Feminist Restaurant Project: http://www.thefeministrestaurantproject.com/READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bloodroot-feminist-vegetarian-restaurant

Sep 29, 2022 • 16:27

Oyotunji African Village

Oyotunji is an African Village with real homes and real community founded in the 1970s and located in the US - just an hour south of Charleston, South Carolina. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/against-the-odds-a-40year-old-west-african-village-in-south-carolina-has-thrived

Sep 28, 2022 • 15:05

Broken Angel

The 1980s birthed a gleaming creature that spread its wings of scrap wood and glass over the intersection of two iconic Brooklyn, NY neighborhoods for thirty years. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/broken-angel

Sep 27, 2022 • 15:40

Enchanted Hart Haus

Steve and Amy Hartbauer have turned their home in residential Denver, CO into a massive mosaic and decade’s long expression of inner inspiration. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/enchanted-hart-haus

Sep 26, 2022 • 10:07

Classic: Jatinga Bird Deaths

An Indian village is home to one of the world’s oldest and greatest ornithological mysteries.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/jatinga-bird-suicide

Sep 23, 2022 • 9:34

Libre Intentional Artist Community

Luz Flemming explores the home where he grew up, Libre - one of the longest lasting intentional communities still exists.

Sep 22, 2022 • 19:44

America’s “Quiet Zone”

Green Bank, West Virginia is free of wifi and cell signals due to the massive telescope nearby that requires radio silence.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/town-for-wi-fi-refugees

Sep 21, 2022 • 15:35

Summer Adventures ‘22

Today, a sampling of listener-submitted stories of summer adventures from the wild, strange and wonderful world in which we live.

Sep 20, 2022 • 12:31

Ark Two Shelter

Forty-two school buses have been buried in Horning’s Mills, Ontario - covered in concrete, they’re house up to 500 people in case of nuclear fallout. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ark-two-shelter

Sep 19, 2022 • 14:11

Classic: The Baalbek Trilithon

This ancient temple complex in Northern Lebanon is one of the most well-preserved Roman ruins on earth, and one of the most overlooked. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/baalbek-trilithon

Sep 16, 2022 • 15:07

Gocta Waterfalls

One of the world’s tallest waterfalls is nestled In Northwestern Peru, right where the Amazon rainforest crashes into the Andes Mountains.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/gocta

Sep 15, 2022 • 13:03

Chapel Creek Ranch

This ranch in Sanger, Texas trains people in jousting and sword-fighting with the goal of making them knights of the highest order - for the Medieval Times dinner theater chain. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/behind-the-scenes-at-medieval-times-where-knights-battle-and-pepsi-is-plentiful

Sep 14, 2022 • 13:56

Grittiness and Romanticism in New York and Paris

Whiting Writer’s Award, Best Literary Criticism award winner, and author of several critically-praised books, Lucy Sante speaks with host Dylan Thuras about digging into place and how our relationship to places can shape our identities. To check out Lucy Sante’s work, please visit: https://lucysante.com/

Sep 13, 2022 • 16:30

Growing the Atlas

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team are on a mission to grow the Atlas community and include more wonderful and curious locations from Africa, Asia and South America.  Two recent entries that caught their eyes include a market in Medeber, Eritrea and a women’s center in Kigali, Rwanda. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/medeber-markethttps://www.atlasobscura.com/places/nyamirambo-womens-center

Sep 12, 2022 • 11:35

Classic: Vigeland Mausoleum

On the outskirts of Oslo, Norway, there’s a mausoleum some say is the city’s “best kept secret.” It’s the underrated masterpiece of a mostly unknown artist -- an artist who was overshadowed his whole life by his more successful brother.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/emanuel-vigeland-museum

Sep 9, 2022 • 15:02

Fairhaven Historic Markers

Like a lot of historic neighborhoods, the sidewalks of Fairhaven in Bellingham, WA, are studded with small plaques commemorating local history. But unlike other neighborhoods, the markers in Fairhaven are a little bit darker, and a little bit weirder.Thanks to Bellinghistory with the Good Time Girls. Learn more about their walking tours here: https://bellinghistory.com/ READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/harris-avenue-fairhaven

Sep 8, 2022 • 14:00

Elmina Castle

At one time thirty thousand Africans per year were forced through Elmina Castle in Ghana, before they were taken across the world as part of the trans-atlantic slave trade.

Sep 7, 2022 • 18:02

The Loneliest Post Office

Built on a tiny island in Antarctica, the “loneliest post office in the world” got its start as a top-secret British military outpost during World War II—and became beloved by stamp collectors around the world.Learn more about the British Antarctic Survey: bas.ac.ukREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/loneliest-post-office-antarctica

Sep 6, 2022 • 17:27

Parrots of Green-Wood Cemetery

These Argentinian parrots have made an unlikely home in a Brooklyn, NY cemetery.

Sep 5, 2022 • 14:27

Classic: Lynmouth Flood Memorial Hall

A disaster in a seaside town got locals wondering about government conspiracies, weather control, and if human beings could actually, truly for real, make it rain.

Sep 2, 2022 • 11:00

The Coney Island Mermaid Parade

The Coney Island Mermaid Parade isn’t linked to a holiday, religious affiliation or corporate celebration – it’s a celebration of having fun and getting a little weird.   READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/coney-island-mermaid-parade

Sep 1, 2022 • 12:26

The Lost Boys of Robber’s Cave

In 1954, two groups of boys thought they were going to summer camp. But they’d been recruited for a different kind of summer experience.

Aug 31, 2022 • 16:17

Anne Spencer’s Garden

This garden in Lynchburg, Virginia is the key to unlocking the writing and mind of Harlem Renaissance poet Anne Spencer.

Aug 30, 2022 • 13:58

The Corn Palace

In Mitchell, South Dakota there stands a massive building covered in murals that are made completely from… corn! READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-corn-palace-mitchell-south-dakota

Aug 29, 2022 • 11:51

Classic: Beishan Broadcast Wall

On the tiny Kinmen Island, a bow-tie-shape strip of land between China and Taiwan, sits a giant weaponized wall of sound that still stands--and still broadcasts--today.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/beishan-broadcast-station-art

Aug 26, 2022 • 14:17

Pigeon Towers of Iran

This elaborate architecture throughout Iran served a very unique purpose - gathering pigeon guano. Take a virtual tour of a Pigeon Tower: https://ati3d.com/virtual_tour/pigeonREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pigeon-towers-iran

Aug 25, 2022 • 10:19

Discovery Hut

Atlas Obscura's Gemma Tarlach shares what it's like to step inside a relic from the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, and to find traces of a famous lost party of explorers.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/discovery-hut

Aug 24, 2022 • 12:53

Clown Egg Register

This collection of ceramic eggs records the personal makeup designs of clowns around the world - and to some extent a clowning code of conduct. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/clown-egg-register

Aug 23, 2022 • 11:33

Travels with Steve and Datsun

Today we hear from an Atlas Obscura user who, when he isn’t aboard an icebreaking warship for the Canadian Navy, spends weeks at a time road-tripping with his dog.Check out Steve’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puppercycle/?hl=en

Aug 22, 2022 • 15:25

Classic: Hope Cemetery

A graveyard in the “Granite Capital of the World” pays tribute to stone cutters and artisans who are buried amongst the sculptures they created.Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hope-cemetery

Aug 19, 2022 • 11:42

The Honey Island Swamp Monster

Atlas Obscura reporter Sarah Durn ventures deep into the Louisiana swamp in search of the legendary monster that prowls it.Learn more about Jessica’s Honey Island Swamp & Kayak Tours:  https://www.honeyislandkayaktours.com/READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/honey-island-swamp

Aug 18, 2022 • 13:00

Tiwai Island

Civil war in Sierra Leone brought this beautiful island to the brink of destruction - now it’s making its comeback.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tiwai-island

Aug 17, 2022 • 10:38

The Guy Who Sings

Matt Farley has written dozens of songs about cities and towns across the United States. Why?

Aug 16, 2022 • 17:08

Grace Hopper’s Bug

Trailblazing computer scientist Grace Hopper shaped the way people use and talk about computers. Her actual computer bug is preserved at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/grace-hoppers-bug

Aug 15, 2022 • 12:42

Classic: The Capital Stones

Gigantic pieces of the United States Capitol rest in Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC - waiting for anyone willing to step off the beaten path. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-capitol-stones-washington-dc

Aug 12, 2022 • 11:55

Friendship Park

Every Sunday, there’s a binational church service at Friendship Park, which straddles the U.S.-Mexico border. We sent two reporters to attend the church service — one on the U.S. side and one in Mexico — to learn more about how changes to the U.S. border have affected the park and the community.Learn more about The Border Church: https://www.friendshippark.org/borderchurchREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/friendship-park

Aug 11, 2022 • 24:35

Seven Keys Lodge

The world’s largest random, assorted key collection located outside Denver, CO, was inspired by a literary infatuation and includes keys to danger and memory. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/baldpate-inn-key-collection

Aug 10, 2022 • 12:14

Trevor Paglen and Experimental Geography

MacArthur Genius Grant winner, artist, and experimental geographer Trevor Paglen and host Dylan Thuras discuss documenting government surveillance, AI, and place.

Aug 9, 2022 • 16:25

National Atomic Testing Museum

Las Vegas, Nevada was once the preferred tourist destination for watching weapons of mass destruction  explode.   READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/national-atomic-testing-museum

Aug 8, 2022 • 16:13

Classic: The Thousand-Year Rose

The world's oldest rose is so tough it survived being bombed in World War II. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-thousand-year-rose-hildesheim-germany

Aug 5, 2022 • 10:03

The Blue Whale of Catoosa

Catoosa, Oklahoma is the site of a massive landlocked whale - and possibly the greatest anniversary gift everREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/catoosa-whale

Aug 4, 2022 • 13:51

Ottoman Bird Palaces

These miniature mansions and luxurious homes were built for the feathered residents of Istanbul. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ottoman-bird-palaces

Aug 3, 2022 • 10:08

Underwater Places

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring listeners two stories where sculpture meets the depths: The Sunken Crosses of Malpique and a harbor in Odense, Denmark. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/sunken-crosses-of-malpiquehttps://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hans-christian-andersen-odense-harbour

Aug 2, 2022 • 15:21

Concrete Animals of Mexico

Producer Abbey Perreault gives listeners an introduction to the long-unknown creator behind the widely known concrete fauna of Mexico’s urban playscapes. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/concrete-animal-cemetery

Aug 1, 2022 • 14:28

Classic: Milo Bitters

A listener in Lawrence, Kansas takes us on his journey of discovering the secrets of his hometown.

Jul 29, 2022 • 12:37

Plain of Jars

This archaeological landscape in Phonsavan, Laos is one of the most mysterious, important, and dangerous prehistoric sites in Southeast Asia. Learn more about the Plain of Jars Archaeological Research Project: https://plain-of-jars.org/READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/plain-of-jars

Jul 28, 2022 • 15:44

The Smallest Mollusk Museum

The Smallest Mollusk Museum in New York City is part of a fleet of tiny museums that might just have a big impact on the world.

Jul 27, 2022 • 14:58

Maillardet’s Automaton

This mechanical boy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was a mystery - until it began to write. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/maillardets-automaton

Jul 26, 2022 • 13:42

Buck Atom on Route 66

Space Cowboy Buck Atom stands watch over an old gas station in Tulsa, Oklahoma and is a link to the glory of Route 66’s Muffler Men. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/buck-atom

Jul 25, 2022 • 11:16

Welcome to Provincetown

We're sharing with you a new Witness Docs show: Welcome to Provincetown, a documentary podcast in the vein of reality television about a small town on the Cape with a strong LGBTQIA+ history.  Warning: The episode does contain explicit language. Find out more about Welcome to Provincetown and other Witness shows at: https://www.witnesspodcasts.com/

Jul 22, 2022 • 32:38

The Voice at Embankment Station

The voice announcement at Embankment Station in London is unlike any other announcement on the Tube.

Jul 21, 2022 • 13:47

Roger Williams Root

The hunt to memorialize Rhode Island’s founder created one of the state’s strangest and most enduring myths.To Learn more about Roger Williams relationship to local indigenous tribes: http://library.providence.edu/encompass/narragansett-history/secondary-sources/the-landing-of-roger-williams/READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/roger-williams-root

Jul 20, 2022 • 13:03

Lake Lanier

Legends and troubled history lay beneath Lake Lanier in Forsyth County.

Jul 19, 2022 • 10:06

Cranes of the DMZ

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea has become an accidental bird sanctuary for one of the world’s most endangered crane species. Learn more about the International Crane Foundation: savingcranes.org

Jul 18, 2022 • 16:28

Classic: Wonders in Your Backyard

Occasionally the podcast team requests messages about the strange and wondrous places you experience. These are some of first responses we received last year regarding our request to hear of wonders from listeners' backyards. Stories feature the world’s largest tin soldier, the home of the first public beach and a phone connecting us to people we’ve lost. Tell us about a wonder in your backyard. Record a voice memo and send it to hello@atlasobscura.com or leave a voicemail at 315-992-7902.

Jul 15, 2022 • 11:48

Journey to Black Star Square

Producer Baudelaire Ceus brings listeners to Accra, Ghana and a gigantic public square dedicated to Ghanaian independence.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/black-star-square

Jul 14, 2022 • 15:25

Vilcabamba

This small town in Ecuador was thought to hold the fountain of youth and drew the curiosity of scientists and wellness practitioners alike. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/vilcabamba

Jul 13, 2022 • 14:56

Star Trek Original Series Set Tour

Sets from the original 1960’s Star Trek have been recreated for fans and actors alike in Ticonderoga, New York.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/star-trek-original-series-set-tour

Jul 12, 2022 • 14:24

Disabled Hikers

Syren Nagakyrie set out to make a whole world of incredible beauty more available to millions of people with disabilities - starting with the Olympic Peninsula in Washington.Learn more about Disabled Hikers: https://disabledhikers.com/Olympic National Park Trail Guides: https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/physical-mobility-accessibility.htm

Jul 11, 2022 • 12:42

Classic: Pyramiden

An abandoned Russian mining village is literally frozen in time.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pyramiden

Jul 8, 2022 • 7:55

Congo Square

Congo Square in New Orleans is the heart of where African drumming found its way into American music and the birth of Jazz.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/congo-square

Jul 7, 2022 • 13:37

Places Team Favorite Atlas Entries

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring listeners stories of two of their favorite places that can be found in the Atlas - on in Washington, DC and one in Scotland.

Jul 6, 2022 • 13:04

Amir Siraj and the Interstellar Object

Amir Siraj was a sophomore in college when he discovered what may be the first documented interstellar object to hit earth.

Jul 5, 2022 • 15:29

House the Giants Built

Anna Swan had an adventurous life before settling in Seville, Ohio and building a house large enough to fit her large life.

Jul 4, 2022 • 14:52

Grasshopper Glacier Re-Listen

A rapidly disappearing glacier holds the key to a forgotten species, a century-old entomological mystery,  and… an opera. This episode previously aired in 2021. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/grasshopper-glacier

Jul 1, 2022 • 14:49

Floating Freedom School

This paddleboat gave some Black children a place to learn even when they were denied formal education on land.

Jun 30, 2022 • 13:36

The Hodges Meteorite

This meteorite is one of the very few on record to have hit a human being. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-hodges-meteorite-tuscaloosa-alabama

Jun 29, 2022 • 10:11

The Goiter Belt

A public health crisis plagued the Midwest until a simple solution was introduced to a ubiquitous cooking ingredient.

Jun 28, 2022 • 13:15

Tiny Doors ATL

A number of tiny, mysterious doors scattered throughout Atlanta, Georgia ask viewers to imagine what might be found on the other side.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tiny-doors-atl

Jun 27, 2022 • 12:13

The House on the Rock Re-Listen

Join host Dylan Thuras and producer Harry Huggins as they visit the unruly architecture of The House on the Rock - one of the inspirations for Atlas Obscura. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/house-rock

Jun 24, 2022 • 18:20

Catalina Island Bison Herd Re-Listen

The strange story of Catalina Island’s herd of bison, and the harrowing story of producer Sarah Wyman’s encounter with these intimidating residents.Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/catalina-island-bison-herd

Jun 23, 2022 • 15:32

National Corvette Museum Sinkhole Re-Listen

Eight rare vehicles at the National Corvette Museum in Kentucky vanish, thanks to a massive sinkhole.Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/national-corvette-museum-sinkhole

Jun 22, 2022 • 10:09

The Cardiff Giant Re-Listen

All summer we’ve been asking you to send us your summer travel stories. In this installment we hear a listener’s tale of a theological dispute that became a real money-maker known to some as “Old Hoaxy.” READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cardiff-giant

Jun 21, 2022 • 12:51

Leimert Park Re-Listen

Producer Baudelaire Ceus travels to Leimert Park, a unique neighborhood in Los Angeles characterized by its historical relationship to Black liberation.

Jun 20, 2022 • 16:14

Booming Dunes Re-Listen

An audio postcard from the desert of Badain Jaran in China, home of the Booming Dunes, and possibly the coolest sand sounds you’ve ever heard.Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/booming-dunes-badain-desert

Jun 17, 2022 • 12:21

Garbage Goat

This sculpture in Spokane, WA was created by a"welding nun" decades ago. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/garbage-eating-goat-statue

Jun 16, 2022 • 13:33

The Divorce Colony

For a brief period the small frontier city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota drew in socialites and celebrities who were desperate to end their marriages.For more stories from the Divorce Colony, check out April White's book: The Divorce Colony: How Women Revolutionized Marriage and Found Freedom on the American Frontier.https://thedivorcecolony.com/

Jun 15, 2022 • 16:06

The Cincinnati Subway

There are two miles of abandoned tunnels beneath the streets of Cincinnati, OH. A relic of an attempt to establish underground transportation in the city. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-cincinnati-subway-cincinnati-ohio

Jun 14, 2022 • 11:26

The Places You Return To

Atlas Obscura listeners share stories from places they love so much they keep going back.

Jun 13, 2022 • 11:53

La Paz Re-listen

In the busy, traffic-packed capital city of Bolivia, we meet the zebras who keep the streets of La Paz safe for its citizens.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/la-paz-cebritas

Jun 10, 2022 • 12:50

World’s Oldest Edible Ham

Atlas Obscura’s resident food and death reporter Sam O’Brien takes us to Smithfield, Virginia, where we meet a 120-year-old ham, and the people who love it.Learn more about the Isle of Wight County Museum: www.historicisleofwight.com/Let Sam eat the ham: hamtruther.comREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/worlds-oldest-edible-ham

Jun 9, 2022 • 16:51

Nakagin Capsule Tower

This social and architectural experiment in Tokyo, Japan was once the leading building in a movement attempting to pair construction and biological growth. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/nakagin-capsule-tower

Jun 8, 2022 • 12:18

Phone Booth on a Roof

The City Hall in Lincoln, Illinois has an unusual architectural appendage with a curious history. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/phone-booth-on-a-roof

Jun 7, 2022 • 10:49

Eastern State Penitentiary

The founders of this prison in Philadelphia, PA aimed to revolutionize incarceration for the better - and unintentionally created new horrors.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/eastern-state-penitentiary

Jun 6, 2022 • 14:28

The Heidelberg Project Re-Listen

We take you to East Detroit, where an artist transformed a largely abandoned street into an immersive, living museum -- which grew into something even bigger.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/heidelberg-project

Jun 3, 2022 • 18:05

San Juan Sound

San Juan Sound is an iconic studio where musicians, engineers, and quite possibly a music-loving ghost carry on the Island’s musical traditions, which date back hundreds of years. This episode is produced in partnership with Discover Puerto Rico.

Jun 2, 2022 • 13:35

Madame Tussaud

Dylan Thuras braves one of New York’s most touristy sites to bring listeners the lesser-known history of Madame Tussaud’s origins.

Jun 1, 2022 • 16:12

Two of Our Favorite Mummies

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring listeners the stories of two mummies - one preserved in a bog in Jutland, Denmark and another at a monastery in Palermo, Italy.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/haraldsk-r-womanhttps://www.atlasobscura.com/places/capuchin-monastery

May 31, 2022 • 12:56

A Sound Garden

An orchard of metal poles sits on a hill overlooking Lake Washington. And when the wind blows, this musical sculpture "sings the world into existence" with its unique sound.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/a-sound-garden

May 30, 2022 • 15:57

The Root Bridges of Cherrapunji Re-listen

In the depths of Northeastern India, centuries-old bridges are not built, they are grown.Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/root-bridges-cherrapungee

May 27, 2022 • 13:39

The Livestock Living at the End of the World

The pigs once plopped on an uninhabited Auckland Island known for capturing castaways now play an important role in modern medical research. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-lives-on-auckland-islands

May 26, 2022 • 17:29

Carhenge

This experimental automotive replica of Stonehenge has become a symbol of the town of Alliance, Nebraska. But residents haven’t always been fans.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/carhenge

May 25, 2022 • 12:22

Père Lachaise Cemetery

Producer Baudelaire Ceus searches for the resting place of famed author Richard Wright among the graves of other cultural icons like Gertrude Stein, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, and Sadegh Hedaya.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pere-lachaise-cemetery

May 24, 2022 • 15:40

Leaning Tower of Niles

Niles, Illinois is home to an exact replica of Italy’s leaning tower of Pisa - only it’s half the size of the original structure.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/leaning-tower-niles

May 23, 2022 • 9:36

Not Lost in the Umbrella Covers Museum

Brendan Francis Newnam, the host of the new podcast Not Lost, and Dylan Thuras discuss how getting lost is the best way to find yourself. And Brendan shares a great scene from his podcast where he and his co-host travel to the Umbrella Cover Museum on Peaks Island in Maine.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/umbrella-cover-museum

May 20, 2022 • 15:09

The Places We Return To

Atlas Obscura contributors take listeners to some of the places they loved so much they keep going back.Got your own place that calls you to return again and again? Submit a voice memo to hello@atlasobscura.com

May 19, 2022 • 15:51

Monongahela Incline

This funicular in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania used to offer coal and steel workers a respite from the smog of industry.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/monongahela-incline

May 18, 2022 • 12:15

Goblin Valley State Park

Today the story of how a street lamp, a tangle with municipal government, and a love of the stars led a man to Goblin Valley, Utah a “dark sky certified” place for lovers of the night sky.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/goblin-valley-state-park

May 17, 2022 • 12:14

The Last Big Mac in Iceland

Take a trip to a hostel in Iceland to visit the country’s last Big Mac, where the burger’s existence unfolds a story about economics and national identity.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/iceland-mcdonalds

May 16, 2022 • 12:54

The Boiling River Re-Listen

A river in the Amazon is so hot that anything that falls into it will die … but how did it get this way?Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-boiling-river-of-the-amazon-puerto-inca-peru

May 13, 2022 • 16:12

Ruins of Le Jardin d'Agronomie Tropicale

This garden park in Paris, France contains the ruins of a colonial exhibition from 1907.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/le-jardin-d-agronomie-tropicale

May 12, 2022 • 16:57

The Maiden of Deception Pass

Thousands of years ago, a young woman named Ko-kwal-alwoot crouched over a set of tide pools, looked into the water, and saw a face looking back at her that wasn’t her own. Today, her descendants are still telling the story of what happened next. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-maiden-of-deception-passLearn more about the Samish Indian Nation: https://www.samishtribe.nsn.us/

May 11, 2022 • 15:27

National Ice Core Lab

Scientists in Denver, Colorado store and conduct tests on miles of ice core samples dating back hundreds of thousands of years. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/national-ice-core-lab

May 10, 2022 • 11:14

Forestiere Underground Gardens

This underground oasis in Fresno, California is a winding maze of rooms and passageways filled with lush citrus trees. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/forestiere-underground-gardens

May 9, 2022 • 13:19

Mafra Palace Library Bats Re-listen

A grand library in Portugal has some unexpected nighttime caretakers -- tiny bats. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mafra-palace-library-bats

May 6, 2022 • 14:09

The Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum

Noah Purifoy was a pugilistic LA artist who eventually filled a 10 acre plot of land in Joshua Tree, CA with his of-kilter art.  Noah Purifoy’s Outdoor Museum: http://www.noahpurifoy.com/joshua-tree-outdoor-museumLearn more about Dale Davis: https://dalebdavis.com/Listen to our episode about Leimert Park: https://pod.link/1555769970/episode/1a593d4fba52c8d48fd9e62728a2a16fListen to our episode about the Watts Towers Art Center: https://pod.link/1555769970/episode/18849745a4259a207da75f53dfa6e657

May 5, 2022 • 17:12

Upton Chamber

An underground chamber in Upton, MA puzzled some New Englanders while others long knew its ancient origins.   READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/upton-chamber

May 4, 2022 • 13:54

Benin Bronzes

Thousands of masks from the former Kingdom of Benin are spread throughout museums across the world.  Is that where they belong?

May 3, 2022 • 16:03

Hashima Island

Hashima Island in Japan was once the most densely populated place on Earth. Until – almost overnight – everyone left. Additional information for this episode was provided by Joshua Synenko of Trent University.

May 2, 2022 • 13:39

Sputnik IV Crash Site Re-listen

Typically, space junk ends up deep in the Pacific Ocean. This is the story of when it plunged back to earth … onto a street in small-town Wisconsin.Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/sputnik-crash-site

Apr 29, 2022 • 13:03

Forest of the Future Library

This forest in Oslo, Norway will provide the trees for paper as part of a century long art project featuring famed contemporary authors. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/forest-of-the-future-library

Apr 28, 2022 • 14:08

The Last Tenement

The Last Tenement in Boston’s old West End has come to represent everything that can go wrong with urban planning.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-last-tenement

Apr 27, 2022 • 15:43

The Timbuktu Manuscripts

These documents highlight the intellectual legacy of an ancient civilization based in Timbuktu, Mali.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/timbuktu-manuscripts-mali

Apr 26, 2022 • 12:56

Islands of America

Writer and island-hopper Anna Marlis Burgard takes us on a tour of three of the 135 strange, incredible, and wondrous islands she’s explored in the United States.Learn more about Anna's Islands of America adventure: http://www.islandsofamerica.com/Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-united-islands-of-america CORRECTION: A previous version of this episode misidentified the name of the Skete on Nelson Island. It is the St. Nilus Skete, not the St. Nicholas Skete.

Apr 25, 2022 • 14:42

Ubatuba Whale(s) Re-listen

We dig into the tales of TWO whales washing ashore along the southeastern coast of Brazil. And learn how one became a scientific marvel and the other, a local landmark.Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ubatuba-whale

Apr 22, 2022 • 15:53

Bloody Island

This island between Missouri and Illinois was a preferred meeting place for duels to the death in the early 1900’s.

Apr 21, 2022 • 14:27

The Louis Armstrong House Museum

Famed Jazz musician Louis Armstrong’s house in Corona, Queens in New York is now a museum preserving his legacy.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/louis-armstrong-house

Apr 20, 2022 • 16:27

Gnomesville

A community of kitschy lawn gnomes have taken over an Australian roundabout.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/gnomesville

Apr 19, 2022 • 12:29

The Ends of the World

Science writer Peter Brannen takes listeners on a tour of the world’s five major mass extinctions.

Apr 18, 2022 • 17:56

Shoreham Power Plant Re-listen

We venture out to Long Island, not for the beautiful beaches, or an Islanders game, or to hang with Billy Joel. We're here to explore the fraught history of a gigantic, ominous sea foam-green nuclear power plant.Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/shoreham-nuclear-power-plant

Apr 15, 2022 • 12:40

Listener Encounters with the Unknown

Last month we asked listeners about your encounters with the unknown, and boy did you all deliver! This presents two stories we received from listeners Maggie and Melissa.

Apr 14, 2022 • 11:43

The Rotary Jail Museum

The only remaining operational Rotary Jail, found in Crawfordsville, Indiana, shows visitors how inmates were once locked within the building’s walls. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/rotary-jail-museum

Apr 13, 2022 • 10:33

Watts Towers

One of the United State’s most famous pieces of self-built architecture consists of seventeen interconnected towers that rise like inverted ice cream cones from the ground - the tallest reaching over 100 feet. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/watts-towers

Apr 12, 2022 • 14:15

Museum of Innocence

This museum built of memories in Istanbul, Turkey was created in a book before it was created in real life. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-museum-of-innocence-2-istanbul-turkey

Apr 11, 2022 • 16:38

Traveling While Aging (Classic)

Host Dylan Thuras confronts the good and the bad ways travel changes as you move through different life stages.

Apr 8, 2022 • 15:06

Lake Natron

Lake Natron in Monduli, Tanzania can leave welts and burns on human skin but is a bit of a paradise for another animal.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lake-natron

Apr 7, 2022 • 12:05

Sinchi Warmi Amazon Lodge

Learn how a group of indegnous women in Puerto Misahuallî, Ecuador fought “machismo” to become entrepreneurs and build an eco-friendly getaway. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/sinchi-warmi-amazon-lodge

Apr 6, 2022 • 11:21

Chemin de la Mâture

This treacherous path cut through a stretch of the Pyrenees Mountains in France may have played a key part in one nation’s quest for international influence and possibly helped foment a revolution.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/chemin-de-la-mature

Apr 5, 2022 • 12:36

Corpus Clock and Chronophage

Explore a modern landmark in a medieval city. The Corpus Clock in Cambridge, England honors both the past and future of telling time.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/corpus-clock-corpus-christi-chronophage

Apr 4, 2022 • 9:41

Gastropod’s “Buried Treasure: Weeds, Seeds, and Zombies.”

Atlas Obscura presents Gastropod’s episode “Buried Treasure: Weeds, Seeds, and Zombies.” Gastropod Hosts Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley examine a scientific quest – and one of the world’s longest running experiments - to see how long weeds can survive.  They find zombie seeds, a treasure hunt, and more. Gastropod: https://gastropod.com/buried-treasure-weeds-seeds-and-zombies/READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/dr-beals-seed-viability-experiment

Apr 1, 2022 • 45:14

The World’s Oldest Living Things Re-listen

As part of Women’s History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including this tour of the world's oldest living things - with artist Rachel Sussman who’s been documenting these ancient things for 10 years.https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/womens-history-monthREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/worlds-oldest-living-things

Mar 31, 2022 • 12:27

The Office of Collecting and Design Re-listen

As part of Women’s History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including this conversation with Jessica Oreck who has spent the last 30 years collecting odd and forgotten objects. Now, they’re all beautifully curated and on display in the Office of Collecting and Design in Las Vegas.https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/womens-history-monthFollow the Office of Collecting and Design on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/office.of.collecting/?hl=enREAD MORE IN THE

Mar 30, 2022 • 16:12

The Kalamazoo Gals of the Old Gibson Guitar Factory Re-Listen

As part of Women’s History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including this story of the women who stepped up to produce thousands of guitars during World War II, only to be written out of the history.https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/womens-history-monthRead more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-old-gibson-guitar-factory-kalamazoo-michigan

Mar 29, 2022 • 16:24

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest Re-listen

As part of Women’s History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including this story of a national park in Southwest Uganda that is home to nearly half the world’s population of endangered mountain gorillas. They and the local community rely on each other to survive.https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/womens-history-monthLearn how to help the Bwindi Mountain Gorillas: https://ctph.org/Sound of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the mountain gorillas was recorded b

Mar 28, 2022 • 15:53

Kulning Re-Listen

As part of Women’s History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including this story of how herdswomen in Northern Sweden have lured cows home with haunting melodies.https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/womens-history-month READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-is-kulning

Mar 25, 2022 • 15:01

Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary

Criminal and This is Love host Phoebe Judge brings us to the ancient ruins of Torre Argentina in Rome - the site of Julius Caesar’s assasination,  which also happens to double as an enormous sanctuary for cats.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/torre-argentina-roman-cat-sanctuary

Mar 24, 2022 • 13:23

Life Changing Locations with the Places Team

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring listeners two Atlas Obscura locations developed as the result of a life-changing decision - to embark on a massive art project and live.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hercules

Mar 23, 2022 • 11:38

Pyramid of Djoser

Travel to the world’s oldest intact pyramid in Egypt - and learn about the genius who also influenced the fields of architecture, astronomy, and medicine.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pyramid-of-djoser

Mar 22, 2022 • 14:04

Edna Lawrence Nature Lab with Brian Chesky

AirBnB founder and CEO Brian Chesky discusses how design experiences, like those found at the Edna Laurence Nature Lab, shape his work.

Mar 21, 2022 • 15:36

Good Vibrations Antique Vibrator Museum Re-Listen

As part of Women’s History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including this museum’s buzzing collection which honors vibrator history.https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/womens-history-monthREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/good-vibrations-antique-vibrator-museum

Mar 18, 2022 • 11:57

Ford’s Folly

A giant abandoned dam in Sudbury, Massachusetts, marks the inglorious failure of America’s champion of industry to triumph over nature. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/fords-folly-water-dam

Mar 17, 2022 • 14:10

Rhubarb Triangle

Farmers in Yorkshire, England take years to coax their rhubarb plants into a world-renowned delicacy using a century-old technique.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/rhubarb-triangle

Mar 16, 2022 • 12:37

Haitian Monument

The Haitian Monument in Savannah, Georgia was built to commemorate the Haitian soldiers who came to the rescue of Patriots fighting in the Revolutionary War.

Mar 15, 2022 • 12:30

Kuruvungna Sacred Springs

Eight thousand years ago, this land’s first inhabitants built a village around a sacred spring. And today, in what is now Los Angeles, CA, their descendants still work to protect the site.Learn more about the Gabrielino-Tongva Springs Foundation: http://gabrielinosprings.com/wpsite/

Mar 14, 2022 • 15:58

Women of the Black Panther Mural Re-Listen

As part of Women’s History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive starting with the story of how a 30-foot-tall mural on the side of a house in West Oakland is teaching an often left out part of the history of the Black Panther Party-- the women who fueled the movement. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/black-lives-matter-muralsLearn more about this project and sign up for a tour of the mini-museum here:  http://www.westoaklandmuralproject.

Mar 11, 2022 • 20:28

Possum Monument

Wausau, Florida’s monument and annual festival celebrate this furry critter’s contributions to the community. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/possum-monument

Mar 10, 2022 • 15:56

Elephant Clock

The Elephant Clock, a replica of an ancient invention, sits in Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai, surrounded by stores like The Gap, and H&M. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/elephant-clock

Mar 9, 2022 • 12:40

Hotel Theresa

The Hotel Theresa in Harlem, New York played a pivotal role in the influential neighborhood’s cultural identity.

Mar 8, 2022 • 12:41

The Capitol Stones

Gigantic pieces of the United States Capitol rest in Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC - waiting for anyone willing to step off the beaten path. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-capitol-stones-washington-dc

Mar 7, 2022 • 11:10

Brushes with the Unknown

Members of the Atlas Obscura team share their experiences with unknown phenomena.

Mar 3, 2022 • 15:54

Civic Musical Road

The grooves cut in this road outside Lancaster, CA play the finale of the William Tell Overture. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/civic-musical-road

Mar 2, 2022 • 11:04

St. Brigid’s Well

St. Brigid’s well in Clare, Ireland is site integral to the story of how a pagan goddess became a Christian saint. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/st-brigid-s-well

Mar 1, 2022 • 12:43

The Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office

This office, established by the founder of the American Red Cross, changed the lives of thousands of Civil War soldiers and their families.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/clara-barton-missing-soldiers-office-museum

Feb 28, 2022 • 13:44

Vermontasaurus

This folk art dinosaur was almost pushed to extinction due to lack of a building permit. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/vermontasaurus

Feb 24, 2022 • 15:30

Lake Karachay

Lake Karachay in Ozersk, Russia is the site of a former secret Soviet Union nuclear facility - that’s inspired art despite the little that’s publicly known of the site.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lake-karachay

Feb 23, 2022 • 9:35

Sites of Vision with the Places Team

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring listeners two Atlas Obscura locations created by people compelled by visions - the East West Peace Church in Munich, Germany, and the Source du Nil in Musenyi, Burundi.

Feb 22, 2022 • 11:20

Ponyhenge

Lincoln, Massachusetts is home to one of the strangest pony herds you’re likely to see - and it’s been growing for more than a decade. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ponyhenge

Feb 21, 2022 • 14:33

The Last Sears in New York City

Producer Johanna Mayer takes a trip to the last Sears in New York City, a Brooklyn landmark, with two people whose lives were shaped by the department store.

Feb 17, 2022 • 15:49

Extreme Travel with Dave Seminara

Host Dylan Thuras speaks with Dave Seminara, author of the book Mad Travelers, about extreme travel and the people who love it.

Feb 16, 2022 • 15:11

Panorama of the City of New York

The Panorama of the City of New York a star of the 1964 World’s Fair where it competed for attention with new technology like touch-tone phones and the Ford Mustang. The artwork now lives in the Queens Museum.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/a-panorama-view-of-new-york-city

Feb 15, 2022 • 12:51

International Cocoa Quarantine Center

Nicola Twilley takes us to suburban London, where a 1000 square meter greenhouse is all that stands between us and the chocapocalypse. Listen to the Malta Lazaretto episode: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/podcast-quarantine-at-malta-lazarettoListen to Gastropod: https://gastropod.com/Read Until Proven Safe: https://untilprovensafe.com/

Feb 14, 2022 • 16:39

Milky Seas

Join host Dylan Thuras, a satellite scientist, and a ship captain in search of gigantic swaths of bioluminescence that can radiate up from the surface of the sea over thousands of square miles.

Feb 10, 2022 • 17:02

The Theater of Electricity

Step inside the Theater of Electricity in Boston and learn about the World’s Largest Air-Insulated Van Der Graaf Generator.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/worlds-largest-airinsulated-van-de-graaff-generator

Feb 9, 2022 • 15:15

Leimert Park

Producer Baudelaire Ceus travels to Leimert Park, a unique neighborhood in Los Angeles characterized by its historical relationship to Black liberation.

Feb 8, 2022 • 14:35

Quarantine at Malta Lazaretto

Writers Geoff Manaugh and Nicky Twilley take us inside a crumbling, centuries-old quarantine facility, and we explore the history and future of quarantine.Read “Until Proven Safe: The History and Future of Quarantine”: https://untilprovensafe.com/Learn more about the Malta Lazzaretto: https://www.midimalta.com/en/the-lazaretto

Feb 7, 2022 • 17:09

Boulders Beach Penguin Sanctuary

Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town in South Africa, is a destination where sunbathers, tourists, and penguins share both the beach and parts of the town.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/boulders-beach-penguin-sanctuary

Feb 3, 2022 • 13:35

Monkey Island

Monkey Island, Cayo, Santigo is an island off the coast of Puerto Rico where more than 1500 imported monkeys have lived and been studied by researchers for decades. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cayo-santiago-monkey-island

Feb 2, 2022 • 9:43

The Citadelle Laferriere

The Citadelle Laferriere in Haiti was built to ensure the island remained free after Haitians defeated French colonizers.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/citadelle-laferriere

Feb 1, 2022 • 12:30

Bell Ringing of Old North Church

Boston’s Old North Church was cemented in American History by Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride. But now the ringers who play these bells in a centuries-old style are adding a twist.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bell-ringing-chamber-at-old-north-church

Jan 31, 2022 • 12:08

City Museum

In 1993 Bob Cassilly began to turn an old shoe factory into a massive interactive museum that now includes a plane fuselage, caves, and a ten-story slide. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/city-museum

Jan 27, 2022 • 14:03

Gorgeous Grotesques with the Places Team

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team find beauty and fascination at the sites of warped and bizarre statues in Nuremberg, Germany and Urgnano, Italy.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/der-hasehttps://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-grotesques-of-urgnano-castle

Jan 26, 2022 • 11:42

Musk Ox Farm

The Musk Ox Farm in Palmer, Alaska aims to domesticate a species that used to roam the earth at the same time as the sabretooth and wooly mammoth.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/musk-ox-farm

Jan 25, 2022 • 8:18

Chopin’s Heart

The Church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw, Poland is the final resting place of famed composer Frédéric Chopin’s heart - smuggled there by Chopin’s sister after his death. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/chopin-s-heart

Jan 24, 2022 • 15:37

Razzouk Tattoo

Razzouk Tattoo in Jerusalem has given Christian pilgrims permanent souvenirs from their travel for centuries.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/razzouk-ink

Jan 20, 2022 • 15:19

Great Zimbabwe

Visit the ruins of an ancient economic powerhouse’s capital city, Great Zimbabwe in the nation of Zimbabwe and learn how a colonial empire was determined to rewrite its story.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/great-zimbabwe

Jan 19, 2022 • 15:43

Lily Dale Spiritualist Community

Reporter Sam O’Brien takes us to Lily Dale, the world’s largest surviving community of spiritualists, where she learns (even if you don’t believe in ghosts) there’s more than one way to connect with the dead.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lily-dale-spiritualist-community

Jan 18, 2022 • 13:45

Relampago Del Catatumo

There’s an everlasting lightning storm in Northwestern Venezuela that appears in the night sky nearly every night.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/relampago-del-catatumbo

Jan 17, 2022 • 13:20

Cisternerne

A massive 19th-century reservoir under the city of Copenhagen has been repurposed as a contemporary art cave. We venture inside to learn more about its history, and bask in the incredible acoustics of the space.Visit Cisternerne and Frederiksberg Museerne: https://frederiksbergmuseerne.dk/da/READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cisternerne

Jan 13, 2022 • 12:38

The Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft

Reporter Eric Grundhauser recounts a memorable visit to an unusual museum in Iceland, where he explored the ancient lore of the occult, learned how to steal milk from his neighbors, and laid his eyes upon a pair of pants… made of human flesh.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-museum-of-icelandic-sorcery-witchcraft-holmavik-iceland

Jan 12, 2022 • 14:53

Organ Stop Pizza

The largest theater pipe organ in the world lives in a restaurant in Mesa, Arizona. Phenomenal musicians play requests while diners feast on pizza.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/organ-stop-pizza

Jan 11, 2022 • 13:48

Alnwick Poison Garden

The Alnwick Poison Garden in England is a place where stopping and smelling the flowers could actually kill you. The garden is dedicated entirely to plants that are narcotic or deadly.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/alnwick-poison-garden

Jan 10, 2022 • 11:23

The Unclaimed Baggage Center

The Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Alabama bills itself as “the nation’s only retailer of lost luggage.” If you’ve ever lost a bag during air travel, it probably wound up there - along with many other treasures and oddities. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/unclaimed-baggage-center

Jan 6, 2022 • 12:19

Beer Can House

John Milkovisch spent 18 years covering his Houston home in beer cans. The house has been preserved for visitors since John’s death in 1988. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/beer-can-house

Jan 5, 2022 • 15:07

Grandma Ida’s Nut Rolls Gravestone

Resident food and death correspondent, Sam O’Brien, returns to tell us about a grave with a nut roll recipe engraved on it and the layered and touching story behind the treat.Know of a recipe grave in your local cemetery? Email us at hello@atlasobscura.com, and include “Recipe Graves” in the subject line.

Jan 4, 2022 • 14:24

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest

A national park in Southwest Uganda is home to nearly half the world’s population of endangered mountain gorillas. They and the local community rely on each other to survive.Learn how to help the Bwindi Mountain Gorillas: https://ctph.org/Sound of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest and the mountain gorillas was recorded by Nick Penny. To see more of Nick’s work, visit:https://www.nickpennyphotography.com/https://www.instagram.com/nickp.pics/Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places

Jan 3, 2022 • 15:02

Beechey Island Graves Part 2 Re-Listen

In this two-part series, we venture towards frozen graves tied to an infamous Arctic expedition. We follow two groups of adventurers, separated by more than 170 years, and play witness to the disasters that befell them all.Read More in the Atlas:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/graves-of-beechey-island

Dec 30, 2021 • 17:31

Beechey Island Graves Part 1 Re-Listen

In this two-part series, we venture towards frozen graves tied to an infamous Arctic expedition. We follow two groups of adventurers, separated by more than 170 years, and play witness to the disasters that befell them all.Read More in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/graves-of-beechey-island

Dec 29, 2021 • 15:47

Hachiko Re-Listen

After a profound show of devotion for his master, a dog becomes the symbol of loyalty for an entire nation. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hachiko-hachi-shibuya-station

Dec 28, 2021 • 9:30

Gold Medal Flour Re-Listen

The crumbled ruins of the world’s largest flour mill became one of Minneapolis’ most prominent graffiti-writing locations, and later a museum.Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mill-city-museum-site-great-mill-disaster

Dec 27, 2021 • 10:20

The Village Where Every Person’s Name Is a Song Re-Listen

In Kongthong, India, every person’s name is a unique song, composed by their mother within a week of their birth, part of a centuries-old tradition.Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/where-indian-villagers-have-musical-names

Dec 23, 2021 • 14:17

The Family Tree Re-Listen

A listener’s voicemail sent us searching for the story of a very special -- and giant -- oak tree Peoria, Illinois, and the family of arborists who cared for it.

Dec 22, 2021 • 12:31

Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool Re-Listen

The oldest (maybe) swimming pool in Iceland is a stunning oasis built into the side of a lush hill.  Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/seljavallalaug

Dec 21, 2021 • 7:25

Widow Jane Mine Re-Listen

This old cement mine in Rosendale, New York, has been used as everything from a mushroom farm to a recording studio.Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/widow-jane-mine

Dec 20, 2021 • 13:54

Happy Holidays from the Atlas Obscura Team

The Atlas production team would like to share some of their favorite holiday places as 2021 comes to a close.  This episode will be followed by a series of re-listen episodes from the past year, published over the next two weeks.

Dec 16, 2021 • 15:04

Shipwrecked Doritos

In 2006 a massive haul of Doritos was shipwrecked on Hatteras Island on the Outer Banks, leaving its mark on the town forever.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/shipwrecked-doritos

Dec 15, 2021 • 12:59

The Naica Cave

Professional Adventurer George Kourounis knew he needed to visit the Cave of the Crystals, located nearly a 1000 feet beneath northern Mexico, the moment he saw a photograph from inside the cave.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/giant-crystals-naica

Dec 14, 2021 • 14:01

Post Office Bay

Post Office Bay on the Galapagos Islands is a post office that runs on luck and the goodwill of visitors. It has a knack for bringing strangers together. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/post-office-bay

Dec 13, 2021 • 13:36

Carousel of Happiness

A music box given to Scott Harrison while he served in Vietnam inspired him to hand-carve all the animals for the Carousel of Happiness in Nederland, Colorado.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/carousel-of-happiness

Dec 9, 2021 • 15:17

The Past Beneath Our Feet with the Places Team

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team catch listeners up on the new and surprising additions to Atlas Obscura that capture their attention. This includes a heiress’s pet cemetery and ruins visible beneath a grocery store floor.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/doris-dukes-pet-cemeteryhttps://www.atlasobscura.com/places/aungier-street-lidl-archaelogy

Dec 8, 2021 • 12:18

Museum of Minerals and Crystals

This small mineral museum in Dodgeville, Wisconsin is home to plenty of rocks - some of which may rival those in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

Dec 7, 2021 • 11:00

Lake Nyos - The Deadliest Lake

In 1986 an unknown natural disaster at Lake Nyos in Menchum, Cameroon left more than 1700 people dead in one night - and puzzled scientists. Learn how they solved that mystery. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lake-nyos-the-deadliest-lake-in-the-world

Dec 6, 2021 • 15:00

Centers for Disease Control Museum

Visit a museum inside the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, which documents how public health officials have slowed the spread of disease through history.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cdc-museum

Dec 2, 2021 • 13:07

Abandoned Chacaltaya Ski Resort

Hear from the caretakers of a ghost town in Bolivia that was once the world's highest ski resort.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/abandoned-chacaltaya-ski-resort

Dec 1, 2021 • 12:50

Micropia

Take a trip to Micropia, the world’s only museum dedicated to microscopic organisms and  learn about our invisible life companions.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/micropia

Nov 30, 2021 • 14:42

Tree of 40 Fruits

The Tree of 40 fruits in San Jose California is an horticultural marvel of 40 types of stone fruit trees grafted together to form a living work of art. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tree-of-40-fruit

Nov 29, 2021 • 12:08

Looking for Pawpaws

The Sporkful host Dan Pashman brings listeners on a quest to find a fruit indigenous to North America that has never been industrialized - but may be seeing a resurgence. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/pawpaw-fruit

Nov 25, 2021 • 12:46

International Cryptozoology Museum

It’s easy to dismiss Bigfoot, the yeti, the Loch Ness monster, and other cryptids as far-fetched X-Files fodder. But the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland, Maine aims to show that when investigations into unknown creatures are done right, they involve real science, and have real scientific value. Monster of the Month Series: https://www.atlasobscura.com/experiences/monster-of-the-month-with-colin-dickeyREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/international-cryptoz

Nov 24, 2021 • 15:17

The Jagannath Temple

In a collaboration with our friends at Science Diction, we explore the Indian temple complex that gave rise to the word "juggernaut," which means an unstoppable force. But the real story behind it is far more complicated.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/jagannath-temple

Nov 23, 2021 • 19:22

Sunny Jim Cave

We follow a long set of wooden stairs deep underground to a sea cave with a mysterious and colorful past, and take in a spectacular, hidden view of the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla. Learn more about The Cave Store: https://www.cavestore.com/READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/sunny-jim-cave-storeCORRECTION: A previous version of this episode misstated L. Frank Baum's role in the creation of The Wizard of Oz. He was the author, not the illustrator.

Nov 22, 2021 • 14:10

Red Sea Blue Hole

This stunning geological marvel just north of Dahab, Egypt has been called the deadliest dive spot in the world. But is that reputation deserved?READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/red-sea-blue-hole

Nov 18, 2021 • 13:44

What Makes an Atlas Obscura Place?

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team aim to answer the question at the heart of Atlas Obscura - “What kind of place merits an Atlas Obscura entry?”READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://https://www.atlasobscura.com/faq

Nov 17, 2021 • 12:17

The Office of Collecting and Design

Jessica Oreck has spent the last 30 years collecting odd and forgotten objects. Now, they’re all beautifully curated and on display in the Office of Collecting and Design in Las Vegas.Follow the Office of Collecting and Design on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/office.of.collecting/?hl=enREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/office-of-collecting-and-design

Nov 16, 2021 • 15:00

The Forgotten Songs Sound Sculpture

This unique installation in Sydney, Australia combines art and ornithology, commemorating the calls of the city’s lost birds. Plus, bin chickens!READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/forgotten-songs-sound-sculpture

Nov 15, 2021 • 11:33

The Hot Ale Flip

Visit the taverns of colonial America to take a frothy sip of the hot ale flip and how it helped pave the way for contemporary mixology. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/hot-ale-flip

Nov 11, 2021 • 10:02

The International Church of Cannabis

Travel to Denver Colorado and meet Steve Berke who helped found the first International Church of Cannabis in 2015. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/international-church-of-cannabis

Nov 10, 2021 • 9:54

The Plotz Plot

Josh Foer, the co-founder of Atlas Obscura, takes us to a remote patch of land in the Arizona desert, where he built (and later rebuilt) a museum in honor of the company’s former CEO, David Plotz. The Plotz Plot is accessible from Adamana Road, off of I-40 exit 300, at 35.025639, -109.8195. The lock code is 4444. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/plotz-plot

Nov 9, 2021 • 17:28

The House on the Rock

Join host Dylan Thuras and producer Harry Huggins as they visit the unruly architecture of The House on the Rock - one of the inspirations for Atlas Obscura. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/house-rock

Nov 8, 2021 • 17:26

Haw Par Villa

This amusement park in Singapore holds the Ten Courts of Hell, a series of dioramas that depict the kind of horrible fates awaiting people who behaved badly on Earth. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/haw-par-villa

Nov 4, 2021 • 14:01

The Capitoline Wolf

Matthew Shifrin, host of the podcast Blind Guy Travels, stops by to tell us about a memorable trip he took to Italy, and a visit with an ancient wolf he’s never forgotten. Listen to Blind Guy Travels: https://radiotopiapresents.fm/blind-guy-travels

Nov 3, 2021 • 12:53

Cueva de los Tayos

This Ecuadorian cave has captured the attention of government officials, scientists, professional cavers and is home to a particularly rare creature. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cueva-de-los-tayos

Nov 2, 2021 • 14:11

Yemrehanna Kristos Church

Photographer and author Paul Koudonaris brings listeners to this Ethiopian Church and explores ossuaries, jeweled skeletons, and death practices throughout the world. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/yemrehana-krestos-church

Nov 1, 2021 • 15:28

Isla de Las Muñecas

An island filled with hundreds of hanging and decomposing dolls is a window into the sociology of why we pursue experiences that inspire fright, fear, and an attraction to the macabre. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/la-isla-de-las-munecas

Oct 28, 2021 • 15:52

Hårgaberget

We send reporter Sarah Wyman to northern Sweden to climb a mountain, explore a grim legend, and listen to the devil’s violin. Listen to Lena Jonsson’s music: https://www.lenajonsson.com/ Listen to Bengt Jonsson play the kohorn: https://youtu.be/vNWnh-k80mM

Oct 27, 2021 • 14:19

Clown Motel

Tonopah, Nevada is home to the Clown Motel - an inn on the edge of the desert that’s packed with statues and figurines of Clowns. The eerie and fully-functioning inn is also a labor of love. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/clown-motel

Oct 26, 2021 • 13:49

The Real Alchemist of Castle Frankenstein

Two members of the Atlas Obscura team go in search of the true story that may have inspired the literary classic, Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/castle-frankenstein

Oct 25, 2021 • 15:41

The Pennsylvania Firefly Festival

The deep woods of Pennsylvania hold a phenomena that has drawn attention from scientists and people around the world, and was almost recently destroyed.

Oct 21, 2021 • 14:05

The Great Stalacpipe Organ

The Luray Caverns in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia are home to an instrument draws out the secret sounds of millenia-old stone. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-great-stalacpipe-organ-luray-virginia

Oct 20, 2021 • 14:44

Maine’s Burning Blueberry Fields

Travel to Penobscot, Maine, where one farmer maintains the tradition of burning his crop each year to rejuvenate it the next. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/why-do-people-burn-blueberry-fields

Oct 19, 2021 • 12:44

The World's Quietest Room

Experience the Orfield Anechoic Chamber: a room inside a concrete bunker that was once known as the quietest place on earth. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/orfield-labs-quiet-chamber

Oct 18, 2021 • 13:14

Glaum Egg Ranch (Re-listen)

In honor of the release of our new book, we bring you another Gastro Obscura Classic: A ranch on the outskirts of Aptos, California features a magical machine that dispenses music, joy, and 18 of the freshest eggs in the land. Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide is a whirlwind tour of the world's edible wonders. Order your copy today! Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/egg-vending-machine-at-glaum-ranch-aptos-california

Oct 14, 2021 • 10:20

Disgusting Food Museum (Re-listen)

In honor of the release of our new book, we bring you another Gastro Obscura Classic: Open your minds and steel your stomachs as we go to a food museum in Sweden that challenges what exactly makes something delicious… or disgusting. Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide is a whirlwind tour of the world's edible wonders. Order your copy today! Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/disgusting-food-museum

Oct 13, 2021 • 13:45

Sourdough Library (Re-listen)

In honor of the release of our new book TODAY, we bring you a Gastro Obscura Classic: Inside a living, breathing collection of sourdough starters in Belgium Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide is a whirlwind tour of the world's edible wonders. Order your copy today! Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/sourdough-library

Oct 12, 2021 • 15:24

The Spritz Cookie Gravestone

Explore the unexpected combination of recipes and graves through the story of Naomi Odessa Miller Dawson’s spritz cookies. This week we’re celebrating the release of our new bookt! It's called Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide, a whirlwind tour of the world's edible wonders. Pre-order your copy, and as a bonus you'll get some mathematically efficient cookie cutters! We’ll be running classic Gastro Obscura-themed episodes of the podcast all week long, so stay tuned for more edible audio

Oct 11, 2021 • 14:47

Seashell Shrines and Bones with the Places Team

Places editors Jonathan and Michele are back again with a few new standout entries to the Atlas … including ancient ossuaries and a shrine covered in shells that’s far from the sea. We have a new book coming out! It's called Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide, a whirlwind tour of the world's edible wonders.Pre-order your copy, and as a bonus you'll get some mathematically efficient cookie cutters!

Oct 7, 2021 • 10:54

The Last White Deer of Mount Madonna

The story of the white deer on Mount Madonna, the two robber barons who put them there, and the last survivor of the herd. We have a new book coming out! It's called Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide, a whirlwind tour of the world's edible wonders.Pre-order your copy, and as a bonus you'll get some mathematically efficient cookie cutters!

Oct 6, 2021 • 15:02

The Scarpetta House

From the Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death we move to the Scarpetta house, where full-size reenactments help investigators perfect their skills in evaluating death. We have a new book coming out! It's called Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide, a whirlwind tour of the world's edible wonders.Pre-order your copy, and as a bonus you'll get some mathematically efficient cookie cutters! READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-most-violent-room-in-baltimore-baltimore

Oct 5, 2021 • 15:09

Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death

Eighteen macabre miniatures housed at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore Maryland have shaped the field of criminal investigation. We have a new book coming out! It's called Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide, a whirlwind tour of the world's edible wonders.Pre-order your copy, and as a bonus you'll get some mathematically efficient cookie cutters! READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-nutshell-studies-of-unexplained-death-baltimore-maryland

Oct 4, 2021 • 15:56

Magical Summer Memories Vol. 4 - The Magic of Water

All summer we’ve been asking you to send us your summer travel stories. And in this final installment of summer stories we tackle a topic that transcends the seasons - the captivating magic of water during travel. We have a new book coming out! It's called Gastro Obscura: a Food Adventurer's Guide, a whirlwind tour of the world's edible wonders. Pre-order your copy at Atlasobscura.com/book, and as bonus you'll get some mathematically efficient cookie cutters!

Sep 30, 2021 • 9:14

The Mammoth Site of Hot Springs

We sift through the dirt to solve a mystery involving a massive mammoth grave site. We have a new book coming out! It's called Gastro Obscura: a Food Adventurer's Guide, a whirlwind tour of the world's edible wonders. Pre-order your copy at Atlasobscura.com/book, and as bonus you'll get some mathematically efficient cookie cutters! READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mammoth-site

Sep 29, 2021 • 13:35

The Curse of the Kreischer Mansion

Host Dylan Thuras visits a Staten Island mansion with a dubious and vitriolic past, only to learn the site’s curse may not be as obvious as it seems. We have a new book coming out! It's called Gastro Obscura: a Food Adventurer's Guide, a whirlwind tour of the world's edible wonders. Pre-order your copy at Atlasobscura.com/book, and as bonus you'll get some mathematically efficient cookie cutters! READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/kreischer-mansion

Sep 28, 2021 • 16:29

Pando the Trembling Giant

Fishlake National Forest is home to the biggest organism by mass on the planet - but this giant is shrinking and an usual group has banded together to help defend it. We have a new book coming out! It's called Gastro Obscura: a Food Adventurer's Guide, a whirlwind tour of the world's edible wonders. Pre-order your copy at Atlasobscura.com/book, and as bonus you'll get some mathematically efficient cookie cutters! READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pando-the-trembling-g

Sep 27, 2021 • 13:21

Magical Summer Memories Vol. 3 - The Cardiff Giant

All summer we’ve been asking you to send us your summer travel stories. In this installment we hear a listener’s tale of a theological dispute that became a real money-maker known to some as “Old Hoaxy.” READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cardiff-giant

Sep 23, 2021 • 12:05

Rödstensgubben

A trip to Sweden prompts producer Sarah Wyman to dig into a superstitious story passed through generations about the Red Stone Man.

Sep 22, 2021 • 12:41

Martian Meteorites and Greek Columns with the AO Places Team

Places editors Jonathan and Michele are back again with a few new standout entries to the Atlas … including a spot in Antarctica that’s home to the oldest Martian meteorite and a column in Greece that symbolizes the fear and ritual past generations embraced when faced with their own plague.

Sep 21, 2021 • 11:06

The World’s Largest Collection of Small Versions of Large Things

Artist Erika Nelson didn’t set out in life to necessarily become one of the foremost connoisseurs of large things, but her museum in Lucas, KS is nevertheless the ultimate tribute to the roadside attraction. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/worlds-largest-collection-of-smallest-versions-of-largest-things

Sep 20, 2021 • 14:07

Magical Summer Memories Vol. 2 – Via Francigena

All summer we’ve been asking you to send us your summer travel stories. Our second installment in the series follows one listener from London to Rome – on foot.

Sep 16, 2021 • 12:38

Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum

This secluded museum beats the drum for the preservation of Nepal's musical heritage. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/nepali-folk-musical-instrument-museum

Sep 15, 2021 • 11:15

The Mirror Lab

A spinning furnace tucked under the football stadium at the University of Arizona is building giant telescope mirrors. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/richard-f-caris-mirror-laboratory

Sep 14, 2021 • 15:56

Good Vibrations Antique Vibrator Museum

This museum’s buzzing collection honors vibrator history. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/good-vibrations-antique-vibrator-museum

Sep 13, 2021 • 11:02

Magical Summer Memories Vol. 1

All summer we’ve been asking you to send us your summer travel stories. This is the first of a series of listener-powered episodes about this magical season.

Sep 9, 2021 • 14:26

World’s Loneliest Tree

About 400 miles south of New Zealand, on the subantarctic Campbell Island / Motu Ihupuku, stands a Sitka spruce whose nearest neighbor is 170 miles away. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/worlds-loneliest-tree

Sep 8, 2021 • 12:03

Million Dollar Point

We visit Vanuatu in the South Pacific and go underwater to visit a very strange place from a very strange episode at the end of World War. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/million-dollar-point

Sep 7, 2021 • 13:32

Atlas Obscura 101

We’ve made 100 episodes of the show and figured it was time to hear from the people who make it happen. Enjoy! (And go back and catch up on any episodes you’ve missed) Kulning: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-atlas-obscura-podcast/episode/kulning-82833088 Mafra Library Bats: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-atlas-obscura-podcast/episode/mafra-palace-library-bats-84059889 Clausland Mountain Tunnels: https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-atlas-obscura-podcast/episode/clausland-mountain-tunnels-

Sep 6, 2021 • 14:51

Milo Bitters

A listener in Lawrence, Kansas takes us on his journey of discovering the secrets of his hometown.

Sep 2, 2021 • 12:37

Arecibo Observatory

This site, and the enormous telescope that sits on it, is loved and lost to both scientists and everyday Puerto Ricans. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/arecibo-observatory

Sep 1, 2021 • 13:32

Big Bertha Drum

She’s about 8 feet wide and 500 pounds. And her history spans all the way from the stockyards of Chicago...to a nuclear test during the Manhattan Project...to a stadium at the University of Texas at Austin. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/big-bertha-drum

Aug 31, 2021 • 10:21

Åtvidaberg Sun Cannon

Sun cannons have been around since the 1600s. But as far as we know, there’s only one left that’s still up and running. We pay it a visit. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/atvidaberg-sun-cannon

Aug 30, 2021 • 12:35

Dead Companions

We nearly stump host Dylan Thuras with a seemingly simple question: Who are the top five dead people he would like to go on a road trip with?

Aug 26, 2021 • 15:00

The Tank

An industrial water tank-turned-concert hall in the high deserts of Colorado is nothing less than a sonic wonder of the world. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-tank-rangely-colorado

Aug 25, 2021 • 13:47

Beishan Broadcast Wall

On the tiny Kinmen Island, a bow-tie-shape strip of land between China and Taiwan, sits a giant weaponized wall of sound that still stands--and still broadcasts--today. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/beishan-broadcast-station-art

Aug 24, 2021 • 14:17

Places with a Purpose

There are tens of thousands of entries in the Atlas -- In these episodes, we hear from the people who sift through them, Jonathan and Michele, and hear about their favorites. Learn more about submitting to the Atlas here: https://www.atlasobscura.com/faq

Aug 23, 2021 • 13:47

American Chestnut Foundation

The story of the unimaginable destruction of the American Chestnut tree and the group of scientists, academics and tree lovers who are desperately trying to bring them back from the edge of extinction. LEARN MORE: Visit https://acf.org/ to find out more about this massive conservation effort

Aug 19, 2021 • 13:19

Traveling While Aging

Host Dylan Thuras confronts the good and the bad ways travel changes as you move through different life stages.

Aug 18, 2021 • 15:06

Mississippi River Basin Model

A walk through this scale model has you feeling like a giant, and striding from Baton Rouge to Omaha in an hour. LEARN MORE about the model and the group trying to revive it, here: https://friendsofmrbm.org/

Aug 17, 2021 • 13:08

Forbes Pigment Collection

A repository in Cambridge, Massachusetts holds over 2,700 pigments that’ve been quietly coloring the world around us since the beginning of human history. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/forbes-pigment-collection

Aug 16, 2021 • 16:15

The White Squirrel of Prospect Park

Our team goes on a quest to find Prospect Park’s elusive -- and perhaps most magical -- resident rodent.

Aug 12, 2021 • 15:46

Vigeland Mausoleum

On the outskirts of Oslo, Norway, there’s a mausoleum some say is the city’s “best kept secret.” It’s the underrated masterpiece of a mostly unknown artist -- an artist who was overshadowed his whole life by his more successful brother. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/emanuel-vigeland-museum

Aug 11, 2021 • 15:02

The World’s Oldest Living Things

Artist Rachel Sussman takes us on a tour of the world's oldest living things, which she’s been documenting for 10 years. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/worlds-oldest-living-things

Aug 10, 2021 • 11:00

The Shrek Donkey of Barron Park

We visit a park in Palo Alto, California, home of the world’s most famous donkey. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-donkeys-of-barron-park-palo-alto-california

Aug 9, 2021 • 14:13

Malcolm and the Mermaid

Host Dylan Thuras chats with author and podcaster Malcolm Gladwell about a beloved Disney movie, and the deeper questions it raised about the stories we tell ourselves -- and our children -- about places real and imaginary. Hear more: You can listen to Malcolm Gladwell’s series on The LIttle Mermaid, and other stories in the latest season of Revisionist History here

Aug 5, 2021 • 15:10

La Piedra Movediza

A huge rock, teetering on the edge of a hill for thousands of years, brought tourism, fame, and what’s said to be a 100-year curse to the town of Tandil, Argentina Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/la-piedra-movediza

Aug 4, 2021 • 16:12

Winchester Mystery House

Does this sprawling mansion in San Jose, California live up to its reputation as one of the most haunted places in the world? Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/winchester-mystery-house

Aug 3, 2021 • 14:23

Salton Sea

The story of how humans desperate for water created a lake the size of the city of Los Angeles. And then, how that thirst turned toxic. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/salton-sea

Aug 2, 2021 • 16:37

The Boiling River

A river in the Amazon is so hot that anything that falls into it will die … but how did it get this way? Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-boiling-river-of-the-amazon-puerto-inca-peru

Jul 29, 2021 • 16:12

The Village Where Every Person’s Name Is a Song

In Kongthong, India, every person’s name is a unique song, composed by their mother within a week of their birth, part of a centuries-old tradition. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/where-indian-villagers-have-musical-names

Jul 28, 2021 • 14:17

The Kalamazoo Gals of the Old Gibson Guitar Factory

The story of the women who stepped up to produce thousands of guitars during World War II, only to be written out of the history. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-old-gibson-guitar-factory-kalamazoo-michigan

Jul 27, 2021 • 15:20

The Family Tree

A listener’s voicemail sent us searching for the story of a very special -- and giant -- oak tree Peoria, Illinois, and the family of arborists who cared for it.

Jul 26, 2021 • 12:31

Beale Treasure

Grab your pickaxes, your shovels, and your code breaking supercomputers because today we’re going on a treasure hunt.

Jul 22, 2021 • 15:06

Kilwa Kisiwani

We dig through more than 1,000 years of dirt, history, colonialism, and myth on the Swahili Coast. Read more in the Atlas https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/kilwa-kisiwani-ruins

Jul 21, 2021 • 15:38

Oh The Places We Could Go!

There are tens of thousands of entries in the Atlas -- today we meet the people who sift through them. Learn more about submitting to the Atlas here: https://www.atlasobscura.com/faq

Jul 20, 2021 • 15:16

Josephine Baker’s Chateau

Writer and travel educator Tracey Friley tells the story of the glamorous life of entertainer, French Resistance agent, and civil rights activist, Josephine Baker and the pilgrimages women still make to her chateau. Learn more: www.traceyfrileytravel.com

Jul 19, 2021 • 15:56

Sputnik IV Crash Site

Typically, space junk ends up deep in the Pacific Ocean. This is the story of when it plunged back to earth … onto a street in small-town Wisconsin. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/sputnik-crash-site

Jul 15, 2021 • 13:32

Spacecraft Cemetery

Where does space stuff go after it dies? To this spot deep, deep in the Pacific Ocean. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/spacecraft-cemetery

Jul 14, 2021 • 17:00

Catalina Island Bison Herd

The strange story of Catalina Island’s herd of bison, and the harrowing story of producer Sarah Wyman’s encounter with these intimidating residents. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/catalina-island-bison-herd

Jul 13, 2021 • 15:12

The Baalbek Trilithon

This ancient temple complex in Northern Lebanon is one of the most well-preserved Roman ruins on earth, and one of the most overlooked. Read More in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/baalbek-trilithon

Jul 12, 2021 • 15:07

Introducing Toxic: The Britney Spears Story

Comedians Tess Barker and Babs Gray, who you might know from Lady to Lady or the now legendary Britney’s Gram podcast, are here to bring you a brand new investigative series about Britney Spears' conservatorship and the court system that's allowed it to persist.After launching the #FreeBritney movement, they started to dig… And what they found out, you won’t want to miss! Join Tess and Babs as they talk to exclusive sources, examine new sides of the story, and uncover disturbing truths about our

Jul 9, 2021 • 5:54

Harvard Bridge Smoots

How an MIT fraternity pledge instituted a new, unique unit of measurement. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/harvard-bridge-smoot-measurements

Jul 8, 2021 • 15:03

Valley of the Whales

The fossils of Wadi al-Hitan (Valley of the Whales) in Egypt give us a glimpse of a remarkable evolutionary history. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/wadi-al-hitan

Jul 7, 2021 • 11:58

Dude Chilling Park

A renegade art project in Vancouver galvanized a small community, pitted residents against city government, and ultimately resulted in a new name for a chill park Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/dude-chilling-park

Jul 6, 2021 • 14:29

A (Quick) 4th of July Greeting from the Largest Pothole in the World

Host Dylan Thuras convinces his family to stop at this most unusual attraction in Pennsylvania Read More in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/archbald-pothole

Jul 5, 2021 • 3:32

Museum of Broken Relationships

This episode will break your heart. And that’s a good thing. Read More in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/museum-of-broken-relationships

Jul 1, 2021 • 15:01

Science that Doesn’t Stop

Host Dylan Thuras riffs on a subject that has long fascinated him: the world’s longest-running science experiments.

Jun 30, 2021 • 14:01

Shoreham Power Plant

We venture out to Long Island, not for the beautiful beaches, or an Islanders game, or to hang with Billy Joel. We're here to explore the fraught history of a gigantic, ominous sea foam-green nuclear power plant. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/shoreham-nuclear-power-plant

Jun 29, 2021 • 12:40

The Danse Macabre

Mortician Caitlin Doughty gives us a dance lesson in the two-step we were all born to do. Check out Doughty’s ‘Ask a Mortitican’ series here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi5iiEyLwSLvlqnMi02u5gQ

Jun 28, 2021 • 14:18

Beechey Island Graves Part 2

In this two-part series, we venture towards frozen graves tied to an infamous Arctic expedition. We follow two groups of adventurers, separated by more than 170 years, and play witness to the disasters that befell them all. Read More in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/graves-of-beechey-island

Jun 24, 2021 • 17:31

Beechey Island Graves Part 1

In this two-part series, we venture towards frozen graves tied to an infamous Arctic expedition. We follow two groups of adventurers, separated by more than 170 years, and play witness to the disasters that befell them all. Read More in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/graves-of-beechey-island

Jun 23, 2021 • 15:47

Pics or it Didn’t Happen - Part 2

A few weeks ago we dropped an episode debating whether technology has helped or hurt our modern travel experience. It sparked a lot of reaction, and we hear some of that today.

Jun 22, 2021 • 15:05

Ubatuba Whale(s)

We dig into the tales of TWO whales washing ashore along the southeastern coast of Brazil. And learn how one became a scientific marvel and the other, a local landmark. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ubatuba-whale

Jun 21, 2021 • 15:53

Women of the Black Panther Mural

A 30-foot tall mural on the side of a house in West Oakland is teaching an often left out part of the history of the Black Panther Party-- the women who fueled the movement. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/black-lives-matter-murals. Learn more about this project and sign up for a tour of the mini-museum here: http://Www.westoaklandmuralproject.org

Jun 17, 2021 • 19:30

Cebritas de La Paz

In the busy, traffic-packed capital city of Bolivia, we meet the zebras who keep the streets of La Paz safe for its citizens. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/la-paz-cebritas

Jun 16, 2021 • 12:50

Museum of Quackery and Questionable Medical Devices

We visit what might be the world’s largest collection of fraudulent, nefarious, or otherwise ineffectual medical machinery -- and meet the founder who brought it all together. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/museum-quackery

Jun 15, 2021 • 18:02

Historic Myrtle Beach Colored School Museum & Education Center

The story of a community that came together in the 1930s to build this schoolhouse, and then came together again several decades later to build it a second time and preserve its legacy Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/myrtle-beach-colored-school-museum

Jun 14, 2021 • 15:59

Best Summer Ever (Tell Us About It)

Calling all listeners! We want to hear about your memorable summer travel experiences: road trips, unforgettable places, summer traditions, magical memories. Leave us a message at 315-992-7902, or send an email or a voice memo to hello@atlasobscura.com.

Jun 11, 2021 • 2:30

Moses Gates and the Chrysler Building Eagles

Urban planner, Moses Gates, shares his unlikely experience with the residents of the 61st floor of one of New York City’s most iconic buildings..

Jun 10, 2021 • 15:00

Booming Dunes

An audio postcard from the desert of Badain Jaran in China, home of the Booming Dunes, and possibly the coolest sand sounds you’ve ever heard Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/booming-dunes-badain-desert

Jun 9, 2021 • 12:21

Bolton Strid

Some say this little burbling creek is “the deadliest body of water on Earth.,” Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bolton-strid

Jun 8, 2021 • 14:27

The Heidelberg Project

We take you to the east side of Detroit, where an artist transformed a largely abandoned street into an immersive, living museum -- which grew into something even bigger Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/heidelberg-project

Jun 7, 2021 • 18:05

Newark Earthworks

Built by indigenous people thousands of years ago, the Newark Earthworks are part cathedral, part cemetery, and part astronomical observatory. But today, this ancient ceremonial site is part of a golf course in Ohio. Read Cedric Rose’s article: https://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/article/will-ohios-earthworks-become-a-world-heritage-site/ Learn more about the Newark Earthworks: http://worldheritageohio.org

Jun 3, 2021 • 17:09

Re-up Your Luck

We explore the power luck has on us all, rational or not, through the unlikely places people go to re-up Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/lucky-places-good-luck-charms

Jun 2, 2021 • 12:53

Clausland Mountain Tunnels

Under the forests of Nyack, New York lays a series of dark and decrepit tunnels with militaristic roots but now attract graffiti artists and plenty of teen lore. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/claus-land-mountain-tunnels

Jun 1, 2021 • 10:30

National Corvette Museum Sinkhole

Eight rare vehicles at the National Corvette Museum in Kentucky vanish, thanks to a massive sinkhole Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/national-corvette-museum-sinkhole

May 31, 2021 • 9:22

Jatinga Bird Deaths

An Indian village is home to one of the world’s oldest and greatest ornithological mysteries Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/jatinga-bird-suicide

May 27, 2021 • 9:34

Library of Mistakes

A carefully curated collection of miscalculations in Edinburgh, Scotland serves as a warning for our gullibility, especially when it comes to money. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/library-of-mistakes

May 26, 2021 • 13:42

Glaum Egg Ranch

A ranch on the outskirts of Aptos, California features a magical machine that dispenses music, joy, and 18 of the freshest eggs in the land. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/egg-vending-machine-at-glaum-ranch-aptos-california

May 25, 2021 • 9:33

Spite Houses

Home is where the grudge is. We survey a special kind of architecture that is both petty and personal. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/spite-houses-around-the-world

May 24, 2021 • 10:19

Hitler’s Toilet

It roamed the seas, served an evil dictator, survived a war, and ended up in a New Jersey auto-repair shop bathroom.

May 20, 2021 • 9:53

Mafra Palace Library Bats

A grand library in Portugal has some unexpected nighttime caretakers -- tiny bats. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mafra-palace-library-bats

May 19, 2021 • 14:09

Wonders in Your Backyard

You’ve been leaving us messages about the strange and wondrous places in your towns, like the world’s largest tin soldier, the home of the first public beach and a phone connecting us to people we’ve lost.

May 18, 2021 • 11:48

Disgusting Food Museum

Open your minds and steel your stomachs as we go to a food museum in Sweden that challenges what exactly makes something delicious… or disgusting. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/disgusting-food-museum

May 17, 2021 • 12:53

Basilica Cistern

An old friend takes us under the streets of Instanbul and into an encounter with Medusa. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/basilica-cisterns-istanbul

May 13, 2021 • 14:41

National Museum of Health and Medicine

A boxy, Brutalist building in Silver Spring, Maryland contains one of the greatest collections of disease, injury, and human body bits ever assembled. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/national-museum-of-health-and-medicine

May 12, 2021 • 14:46

Mike the Headless Chicken

The strangest, most famous resident from this Colorado town happens to be a headless fowl. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mike-the-headless-chicken

May 11, 2021 • 11:47

Puffin Patrol

We go to the Westman Islands off the southern coast of Iceland and meet the heroes who save young birds that have wandered from their nests every summer. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/worlds-largest-puffin-colony

May 10, 2021 • 12:08

Pics or it Didn't Happen?

There was a time when we didn't walk around with computers in our pockets and exploring a new place required a paper map. In this episode, we dig into the ultimate debate: has technology ruined or elevated travel? Send us your questions about traveling or tell us a story by emailing a voice message to hello@atlasobscura.com

May 6, 2021 • 9:40

Sourdough Library

Inside a living, breathing collection of sourdough starters in Belgium. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/sourdough-library

May 5, 2021 • 14:37

Brooklyn Latrine

A listener tells us about a treasure buried in his literal backyard, and the two strange men who showed up on his doorstep and asked to dig it up.

May 4, 2021 • 13:57

The Institute of Illegal Images

A mind-tripping place where the art stands out not because of what's on them but what's in them. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/institute-illegal-images

May 3, 2021 • 13:12

The Belt and Berm, Part 2

A special journey told in two parts, beginning with the world’s largest conveyor belt in the Western Sahara and ending on your dinner plate Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/moroccan-wall-of-western-sahara

Apr 29, 2021 • 16:11

The Belt and Berm, Part 1

A special journey told in two parts, beginning with the world’s largest conveyor belt in the Western Sahara and ending on your dinner plate. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-world-s-longest-conveyor-belt-system-bou-craa-morocco

Apr 28, 2021 • 13:54

A Memory Made in Malawi

Today we flip the focus from the memorable places we visit to the memorable people we meet on our adventures.

Apr 27, 2021 • 8:43

The 49th Parallel

A listener takes us to a town on the edge of the longest undefended border in the world. Our theme and end credit music was composed by Sam Tyndall.

Apr 26, 2021 • 13:51

Hachiko

After a profound show of devotion for his master, a dog becomes the symbol of loyalty for an entire nation. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hachiko-hachi-shibuya-station

Apr 22, 2021 • 9:30

The Thousand-Year Rose

The world's oldest rose is so tough it survived being bombed in World War II. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-thousand-year-rose-hildesheim-germany

Apr 21, 2021 • 10:03

Narcisse Snake Dens

A Canadian community comes together to save its slithering neighbors... the largest single concentration of harmless garter snakes in the world Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/narcisse-snake-dens

Apr 20, 2021 • 12:34

Communist Mummies

Humans have a primal need to honor their dead. We take you on a tour of our favorite communist mummies. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/atlas-obscura-s-guide-to-communist-mummies Our theme and end credit music was composed by Sam Tyndall.

Apr 19, 2021 • 11:42

President Heads

Giant busts of U.S. presidents are slowly crumbling in a field in Virginia. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/president-heads

Apr 15, 2021 • 11:24

How I Learned to Love Las Vegas

A spectacular art installation is hidden inside an all-luxury shopping mall in Las Vegas. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/akhob

Apr 14, 2021 • 8:25

Frank Lloyd Wright’s Burnham Block

Six tiny houses built for working class people form the largest intentional cluster of Wright homes anywhere. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/frank-lloyd-wrights-burnham-block

Apr 13, 2021 • 8:21

Zone Rouge

A swath of land in Northern France still bears scars of the destruction of World War I. Destruction so bad that, in some cases, humans have never been allowed to return. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/zone-rouge Our theme and end credit music was composed by Sam Tyndall.

Apr 12, 2021 • 11:17

Grasshopper Glacier

A rapidly disappearing glacier holds the key to a forgotten species, a century-old entomological mystery, and… an opera. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/grasshopper-glacier

Apr 8, 2021 • 14:49

Hope Cemetery

A graveyard in the “Granite Capital of the World” pays tribute to stone cutters and artisans who are buried amongst the sculptures they created. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hope-cemetery

Apr 7, 2021 • 11:42

Pyramiden

An abandoned Russian mining village is literally frozen in time. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pyramiden

Apr 6, 2021 • 7:55

The Root Bridges of Cherrapunji

In the depths of Northeastern India, centuries-old bridges are not built, they are grown. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/root-bridges-cherrapungee Our theme and end credit music was composed by Sam Tyndall.

Apr 5, 2021 • 13:39

Kulning

For centuries, herdswomen in Northern Sweden have lured cows home with haunting melodies. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-is-kulning

Apr 1, 2021 • 14:51

Gold Medal Flour

The crumbled ruins of the world’s largest flour mill became one of Minneapolis’ most prominent graffiti-writing locations, and later a museum. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mill-city-museum-site-great-mill-disaster

Mar 31, 2021 • 10:20

Merrymount

How an English party animal turned 1620s-era Quincy, Massachusetts into the world’s least likely party town. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/americas-first-banned-book

Mar 30, 2021 • 9:49

The Gray Man

A South Carolina ghost story is a harbinger of hurricanes and a window into history. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/south-carolina-hurricane-ghost

Mar 29, 2021 • 12:17

The Grave of Miss Baker

Visitors leave bananas on the grave of “America’s First Lady of Space,” an early astronaut whose incredible life was forgotten. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-grave-of-miss-baker-huntsville-alabama

Mar 25, 2021 • 12:54

Minister’s Treehouse

The world’s biggest treehouse was inspired by a message from God. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ministers-tree-house

Mar 24, 2021 • 12:23

Seljavallalaug Swimming Pool

The oldest (maybe) swimming pool in Iceland is a stunning oasis built into the side of a lush hill. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/seljavallalaug

Mar 23, 2021 • 7:25

Lynmouth Flood Memorial Hall

A disaster in a seaside town got locals wondering about government conspiracies, weather control, and if human beings could actually, truly for real, make it rain.

Mar 22, 2021 • 11:00

Camp Anza

A listener from Riverside, California, reminisces about his hometown's history as a star-studded WWII camp.

Mar 18, 2021 • 10:16

The Museum of Bad Art

A basement museum in Somerville, Massachusetts is dedicated to collecting awful artwork. But what makes art bad, really? Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/museum-bad-art

Mar 17, 2021 • 12:11

Widow Jane Mine

This old cement mine in Rosendale, New York, has been used as everything from a mushroom farm to a recording studio. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/widow-jane-mine

Mar 16, 2021 • 13:54

The Gates of Hell

A gigantic crater of fire in Turkmenistan has been burning for nearly fifty years. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-gates-of-hell-turkmenistan

Mar 15, 2021 • 13:02

Introducing: The Atlas Obscura Podcast

Coming March 15: A new audio guide to the world’s strange, incredible, and wondrous places.

Feb 26, 2021 • 2:52