Podcaster Ashley Ray has more than a soft spot for her Midwest hometown. Hear why she thinks it may just... more

A listener takes us to a town on the edge of the longest undefended border in the world.  Note: US-Canada border... more

Lake Karachay in Ozersk, Russia is the site of a former secret Soviet Union nuclear facility - that’s inspired art... more

The Dedan Kimathi Post Office played a notable role in Kenya’s struggle for Independence. GREAT NEWS: We’re up for an award... more

An intentional community in rural central Virginia has been testing an interesting premise for decades — that maybe three,... more

Urban planner, Moses Gates, shares his unlikely experience with the residents of the 61st floor of one of New York... more

At Denmark’s largest haunted house attraction, it’s not just about the screams. Researchers are studying the effects – good and... more

There are thousands of varieties of citrus, many more than just the navel oranges. And they’re all being preserved in... more

Many of us rely on digital maps and GPS to get anywhere these days. Hear what happens when Producer Amanda... more

We chat with writer Alessio Perrone about what he learned from the people who hunt for Italy’s unexploded bombs, leftover... more

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

How do we determine the time? Believe it or not, there is an official clock. It’s located in Boulder, Colorado... more

We go to the Allegany territory of the Onödowá'ga people to learn about "The Creator's Game” – which evolved into... more

We explore the power of myth and folklore through the story of an Irish woman, whose husband murdered her because... more

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

School is back in session. So for this episode, Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring... more

In Myrtle Beach, mini golf is not so mini. It’s over the top! This episode was produced in partnership with... more

Our team has shared memorable encounters they’ve had with animals, and some were very unexpected. So this time we asked... more

Just an hour west of Philadelphia, there’s a charming town in Pennsylvania that produces about two thirds of all the... more

A music box given to Scott Harrison while he served in Vietnam inspired him to hand-carve all the animals for... more

We go back in time to another era of travel and take a trip on the oldest commercial sailing vessel... more

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

Back in 2020, a lot of people moved to faraway places to escape urban life amid a global pandemic. Brent... more

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

An abandoned mansion in Italy has become the source of rumors about ghost activity that some believe is justified by... more

We nearly stump host Dylan Thuras with a seemingly simple question: Who are the top five dead people he would... more

The New Deal is known for ushering a string of social safety net programs. But in this episode, we tell... more

One family’s regular day of exploring some sand dunes at the edge of Lake Michigan turned into a wild tale... more

A tiny town in West Virginia takes “living lift to the fullest” to a different level, with its embrace of... more

We chat with writer Daniel Kraus, who let his imagination run deep into the ocean after hearing a wild news... more

Where does space stuff go after it dies? To this spot deep, deep in the Pacific Ocean. READ MORE IN... more

A small church in a village in Norway is home to an unusual and perplexing mural that’s become known for... more

This episode may have you reconsidering what you think about rats. That’s because at this training and research center in... more

A series of churches in Texas that look unassuming from the outside in fact have some of the most intricately... more

A tiny island off the coast of Brazil is known for being a dangerous place … purely because its inhabitants... more

Does this sprawling mansion in San Jose, California live up to its reputation as one of the most haunted places... more

The oldest operating pet cemetery in the world is just north of NYC, and it’s where dearly departed four-legged friends... more

We visit a museum in Georgetown, SC that’s dedicated to preserving and prioritizing the rich and historic Gullah Geechee culture. READ... more

An incomplete luxury housing development in Turkey is a mashup of fairy tale and ghost town, and almost everyone has... more

Producer Johanna Mayer and Atlas Obscura associate editor Sarah Durn tell us the story of a fort in Hawaii with two... more

We follow a long set of wooden stairs deep underground to a sea cave with a mysterious and colorful past,... more

We go to the Caribbean island of Dominica and hear the story of Jacko, a formerly enslaved man who became... more

An archeological site in the country of Georgia, which features the oldest human skull fossils found outside of Africa, challenges... more

Today we're headed just a couple hours south of Albuquerque to Hatch, New Mexico, a town where the heat doesn’t... more

In the Soviet Union, x-rays didn’t just give you a look inside the human body. They also gave you a... more

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

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

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

Places editors Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy bring us two stories about two particular places whose histories intersect with real... more

For decades, a one of a kind travel guide opened up the world for gay travelers. Today, historians are using... more

A trip to Sweden prompts former show producer Sarah Wyman to dig into a superstitious story passed through generations about... more

Our show often focuses on interesting people and places. But in this episode, the team shares memorable encounters they’ve had... more

An infamous break in the road that links North and South America has been in and out the news for... more

Author Dave Eggers has an enduring affinity for Idaho. In this episode, he chats with Dylan about a unique family... more

A majestic building in Santos, Brazil used to be the center of the coffee trade. LEARN MORE: Go deeper with... more

Blind Guy Travels host Matthew Shifrin discusses a formative encounter with a wolf tied to the origins of Rome. Listen... more

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring us two charming stories of some very special canines... more

Turns out, complaining about bad service really is as old as time. Hear the story of an ancient Babylonian clay... more

Every year, lumberjacks and lumberjills from around the world flock to Hayward, Wisconsin – a couple hours north of Minneapolis... more

For years, students at Bennington College snuck into a locked room for a glimpse of strange and magical instruments created... more

In this final installment of summer stories we tackle a topic that transcends the seasons—the captivating magic of water during... more

In this installment we hear a listener’s tale of a theological dispute that became a real money-maker known to some... more

This is the second of a series of listener-powered episodes about summer travel stories. If you’d like to share a... more

This is the first of a series of listener-powered episodes about summer travel stories. If you’d like to share a... more

The nights in the northern hemisphere are drawing in, which means whispering stories of witches and spirits are top of... more

We visit what might be the world’s largest collection of fraudulent, nefarious, or otherwise ineffectual medical machinery -- and meet... more

Asheville is a well-known foodie destination. In this ep we hear about a group that takes visitors into the wild –... more

Host Dylan Thuras meets a teenage hero: author John Marr, who created the infamous Murder Can Be Fun zine and... more

Created by a volcanic eruption in 2015, this island in the South Pacific no longer exists… but we chat with... more

Gastro Obscura Writer Sam Lin-Sommer tells us the story of the fascist war on pasta and its surprisingly delicious legacy. READ... more

You’ve probably heard about the Gold Rush. But what about the bone rush of the 1870s? Hear the story of... more

You can learn a lot about a person from their hands. In this episode, we hear the story of a... more

Podcaster, TV critic and comedian Ashley Ray has more than a soft spot for her Midwest hometown. Hear why she... more

Behind the Ben & Jerry's factory in Vermont sits a very peculiar graveyard ... one dedicated to dearly departed ice... more

Writer and travel educator Tracey Friley tells the story of the glamorous life of entertainer, French Resistance agent, and civil... more

A repository in Cambridge, Massachusetts holds over 2,700 pigments that’ve been quietly coloring the world around us since the beginning... more

Step inside the cutest, most cuddly museum for handmade crafts. This museum, set near Joshua Tree National Park, has been... more

Students at Reed College study things like philosophy, history and English. But for the past 50 years they’ve also had... more

You’d never guess that beneath a historic, genteel southern resort sits a massive bunker that the US government built in... more

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

Travel to Penobscot, Maine, where one farmer maintains the tradition of burning his crop each year to rejuvenate it the... more

Colorado is known for being a music and performance hub. And that history goes way back – all the way... more

Atop a mountain in a picturesque Colorado town is the frozen corpse of a Norwegian grandpa. We get the tale... more

We visit southern Benin to hear the story of the Temple of Pythons and clear up some misconceptions about one... more

A famous movie actress from the 1920s left the world a lasting piece of art — a remarkable miniature home... more

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

We step into the shoes of the miners who once labored in the Nevada mountains, via a trip to the... more

A race is on to save this world heritage site that straddles the border of Togo and Benin. It’s home... more

We go to Sweden, where some people are intent on making a woman a permanent symbol of resistance, whether or... more

We go to Statesboro, Georgia to the US National Tick Collection to learn what ticks, often thought of as little... more

The Flagg Grove School in Brownsville, Tennessee has become a museum dedicated to its most famous student. READ MORE IN... more

Take a trip to Micropia, the world’s only museum dedicated to microscopic organisms, and learn about our invisible life companions. READ... more

The story of the unimaginable destruction of the American Chestnut tree and the group of scientists, academics and tree lovers... more

A spinning furnace tucked under the football stadium at the University of Arizona is building giant telescope mirrors. READ MORE... more

Sun cannons have been around since the 1600s. But as far as we know, there’s only one left that’s still... more

Habaneros! Jalapenos! Green! Red! These days, an appreciation for chiles is pretty mainstream. But that wasn’t always the case.... more

A North Carolina town has become a draw for people who want to see the wreckage of the train wreck... more

A once-blacklisted Hollywood star created a magical theater in Topanga Canyon, California, that still endures and inspires today. READ MORE IN... more

One of the oldest books in the world is also the most misunderstood. A medievalist tells us about the Voynich,... more

She’s about 8 feet wide and 500 pounds. And her history spans all the way from the stockyards of Chicago...... more

We dig through more than 1,000 years of dirt, history, colonialism, and myth on the Swahili Coast. Read more... more

Where can you find the smoothest, most scrumptious edible art? If you ask our host, Dylan, it’s in the Minnesota... more

We all dream of the perfect vacation when everything goes right. This episode is about the opposite. Hear stories of... more

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

We spend time with the world’s foremost poo enthusiasts, who operate a museum in England where poo is elegant, elevated... more

A walk through this scale model has you feeling like a giant, and striding from Baton Rouge to Omaha in... more

The next time you go out on a road trip, keep your eyes peeled for a peanut-shaped car that got... more

Nestled in a hospital courtyard in Kumasi, Ghana, you’ll find the strength of the Asante people: the sword of Okomfo... more

We go on a bumpy ride with the Hurricane Hunters – the government’s team of scientists who fly into storms... more

At a food truck in Austin, tried and true barbecue favorites meet unexpected spices and flavor profiles. Here, chef Damien... more

In 1986 an unknown natural disaster at Lake Nyos in Menchum, Cameroon left more than 1700 people dead in one... more

How far would you go to find the largest island in the largest lake on the largest island in the... more

The variety of apples we enjoy today have a common ancestor that lies in the forests of Kazakhstan, where scientists... more

Welcome to the Judith A Basset Canid Education & Conservation Center, where a California couple has dedicated their lives to... more

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring us stories about the trees that have witnessed history.... more

It’s easy to dismiss Bigfoot, the yeti, the Loch Ness monster, and other cryptids as far-fetched X-Files fodder. But the... more

In the Adirondacks of northern New York sits John Brown's Farm, a monument to the famous abolitionist, and the last... more

In Atlanta, on this historic Auburn Avenue, sits a small bookstore and reading room that’s been called “an interactive art... more

Ross Jennings, aka the First Piper, has been on a world-spanning quest to play the bagpipes in every country of... more

We go to Northern Ethiopia and learn about an ancient King who left a great legacy to his people and... more

This stunning geological marvel just north of Dahab, Egypt has been called the deadliest dive spot in the world. But... more

Author Mary Roach takes us into the hidden corners of the scientific world. From training to poop in space to... more

We head to the Namib Desert in Africa, where the landscape is dotted with mysterious, pimple-like indents known as fairy... more

For decades, the Ashley House in Sheffield, Massachusetts preserved and promoted the story of Col. John Ashley, a wealthy businessman... more

Hear tales of our team’s most memorable family trips – like going on vacation with Thomas Jefferson, getting thrown in... more

Photographer and author Paul Koudonaris brings listeners to this Ethiopian Church and explores ossuaries, jeweled skeletons, and death practices throughout... more

In 1986, something really weird happened in Pennsylvania – a replica of The Statue of Liberty mysteriously appeared through the... more

A 50 square mile patch of Yellowstone National Park in Idaho might just be the perfect place to commit a... more

An adventurous couple sets out to document and unearth the arrows of America’s past, once used to help pilots find... more

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

Trailblazing computer scientist Grace Hopper shaped the way people use and talk about computers. Her actual computer bug is preserved... more

This San Francisco museum, curated by a super-fan of the Beats, is a shrine to an incredibly influential cultural movement... more

Filmmaker and writer Cheuk Kwan takes us for a round-the-world meal. Three courses, three incredible places. Three stories of Chinese... more

Dylan chats with Rowan Jacobsen, a food journalist and host of the podcast called OBSESSION: Wild Chocolate. And he takes... more

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring us stories about the biggest balls of twine. Plus,... more

Tonopah, Nevada is home to the Clown Motel - an inn on the edge of the desert that’s packed with... more

The deep woods of Pennsylvania hold a phenomena that has drawn attention from scientists and people around the world, and... more

We visit a park in Palo Alto, California, home of the world’s most famous donkey. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS... more

A massive 19th-century reservoir under the city of Copenhagen has been repurposed as a contemporary art cave. We venture inside... more

A swath of land in Northern France still bears scars of the destruction of World War I. Destruction so bad... more

As part of Women’s History Month, we're sharing some episodes from the archive including this story about mysterious doors scattered... more

Writer Stacy Horn tells us about a period in American history when the study of psychic phenomena and the paranormal... more

We go to Tokyo, to a particular place that is both nemesis and best friend to all those procrastinators out... more

Producer Abigail Keel takes us on the most strange, wonderful and beautiful potty break. And tells us how – and... more

Writer Jessica Leigh Hester joins us on a deep dive into the sewer, the subject of her new book. We’ll... more

As part of Women’s History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive, including this story about... more

Here the podcast team shares stories of wonder and curiosity that lies just outside your doorstep. Stories feature a troll... more

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

The Ouija Board went from a tool for communicating with the dead to a sleepover party game. This trip through... more

This restaurant in Jackson, Mississippi was a haven for Civil Rights leaders and has stood for four generations, 83 years,... more

As part of Women’s History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including this story about... more

This architectural oddity in Hartford, Connecticut looks like a mansion… but is only one room deep. READ MORE IN THE... more

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

This simple brick building in Chicago, Illinois was the boyhood home of Civil Rights icon, Fred Hampton Sr. and a... more

Nellie Mae Rowe decorated her home in Vinings, Georgia with homemade dolls and shiny bottle caps and placed paper streamers,... more

As part of Black History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including Producer Baudelaire Ceus’s... more

This little house in New Haven, Kentucky is where Thomas Merton aka profit-poet aka the rebel monk tried to get... more

This tiny stone cabbage has a big backstory stretching from the rich, treasure-laden halls of Beijing’s Forbidden City...through a harrowing... more

One man in Brooklyn, New York - armed with a homemade boat and an artistic vision - helped transform one... more

Chiseled out of a stone cliff, one farmer's unfinished art project in Yoshimi, Japan lies in ruins. And an architect... more

As part of Black History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including the history of... more

This site in Boonarga, Australia honors the cactoblastis - a humble moth that traveled across the globe, and became the... more

The story of how famous Russian author Alexander Pushkin once faced a duel by The Black River on the outskirts... more

For Valentine's Day, the Atlas team would like to bring you this tale of the heart….literally. The Church of the... more

This site is “not a Library where you can borrow books” nor “a memorial with dusty relics” but still aims... more

As part of Black History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including this journey to... more

The killing of a British pig on an island off the coast of Northwestern Washington almost started a war between... more

This relic of roadside attractions in Creston, South Dakota is believed to be the first of its kind in North... more

Professional rainmaker Charles Hatfield was either a scientist or a con man who had a particular influence on San Diego,... more

Marchand Dessalines, Haiti is a town named after Jean Jacques Dessalines one of the leaders of the Haitian Revolution and... more

As part of Black History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive including this story about... more

Rico Gagliano, host of the MUBI podcast, takes listeners to The Westgate Movie Theater in Minneapolis for a story about... more

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

Host Dylan Thuras leads listeners on a journey that leads to the preserved middle finger of Galileo Galilei, astronomer, physicist... more

This building in Tangier was one of the first pieces of land owned by the United States Government outside of... more

This Ecuadorian cave has captured the attention of government officials, scientists, and professional cavers and is home to a... more

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

Empress Anna’s Ice Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia was the site of an incredibly strange wedding. Was it a cruel... more

Lee's Legendary Marbles & Collectables in York, Nebraska is a pilgrimage of sorts for serious collectors and a curiosity for... more

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