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The Atlas Obscura Podcast
The Atlas Obscura Podcast
Stitcher Studios & Atlas Obscura

An audio guide to the world’s strange, incredible, and wondrous places. Co-founder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters explore... more

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Episodes

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... more

29 Sep 2023 · 16 minutes
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... more

28 Sep 2023 · 14 minutes
Lake Karachay (Classic)

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

27 Sep 2023 · 10 minutes
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... more

26 Sep 2023 · 19 minutes
Twin Oaks

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

25 Sep 2023 · 19 minutes
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... more

22 Sep 2023 · 15 minutes
The Fear Lab

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

21 Sep 2023 · 15 minutes
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... more

20 Sep 2023 · 13 minutes
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... more

19 Sep 2023 · 14 minutes
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... more

18 Sep 2023 · 12 minutes
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

15 Sep 2023 · 15 minutes
The Atomic Clock

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

14 Sep 2023 · 10 minutes
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... more

13 Sep 2023 · 12 minutes
Bridget Cleary

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

12 Sep 2023 · 12 minutes
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... more

11 Sep 2023 · 11 minutes
Rites of Passage

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

08 Sep 2023 · 13 minutes
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... more

07 Sep 2023 · 14 minutes
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... more

06 Sep 2023 · 16 minutes
Kennett Square

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

05 Sep 2023 · 16 minutes
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... more

04 Sep 2023 · 15 minutes
Maine Windjammers

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

01 Sep 2023 · 16 minutes
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... more

31 Aug 2023 · 15 minutes
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... more

30 Aug 2023 · 14 minutes
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

29 Aug 2023 · 9 minutes
Villa de Vecchi

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

28 Aug 2023 · 10 minutes
Dead Companions (Classic)

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

25 Aug 2023 · 15 minutes
Arthurdale

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

24 Aug 2023 · 16 minutes
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... more

23 Aug 2023 · 11 minutes
Embracing Adventure in Fayetteville

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

22 Aug 2023 · 17 minutes
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... more

21 Aug 2023 · 15 minutes
Spacecraft Cemetery (Classic)

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

18 Aug 2023 · 17 minutes
Demon Wall

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

17 Aug 2023 · 12 minutes
APOPO Rats

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

16 Aug 2023 · 12 minutes
Texas Painted Churches

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

15 Aug 2023 · 12 minutes
Snake Island

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

14 Aug 2023 · 13 minutes
Winchester Mystery House (Classic)

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

11 Aug 2023 · 14 minutes
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... more

10 Aug 2023 · 13 minutes
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

09 Aug 2023 · 13 minutes
Burj Al Babas

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

08 Aug 2023 · 9 minutes
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... more

07 Aug 2023 · 14 minutes
Sunny Jim Cave (Classic)

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

04 Aug 2023 · 14 minutes
Jacko Steps

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

03 Aug 2023 · 16 minutes
Dmanisi

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

02 Aug 2023 · 14 minutes
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... more

01 Aug 2023 · 18 minutes
Bone Vinyl

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

31 Jul 2023 · 14 minutes
Beale Treasure (Classic)

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

28 Jul 2023 · 15 minutes
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

27 Jul 2023 · 18 minutes
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... more

26 Jul 2023 · 14 minutes
Spaces for Spies

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

25 Jul 2023 · 14 minutes
Mapping the Gay Guides

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

24 Jul 2023 · 13 minutes
Rödstensgubben (Classic)

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

21 Jul 2023 · 12 minutes
Face to Face

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

20 Jul 2023 · 13 minutes
Darién Gap

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

19 Jul 2023 · 12 minutes
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... more

18 Jul 2023 · 15 minutes
The Coffee Palace

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

17 Jul 2023 · 12 minutes
The Capitoline Wolf (Classic)

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

14 Jul 2023 · 12 minutes
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... more

13 Jul 2023 · 14 minutes
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... more

12 Jul 2023 · 17 minutes
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... more

11 Jul 2023 · 17 minutes
Gunnar Schonbeck Exhibit

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

10 Jul 2023 · 13 minutes
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... more

07 Jul 2023 · 9 minutes
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... more

06 Jul 2023 · 12 minutes
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... more

05 Jul 2023 · 12 minutes
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... more

04 Jul 2023 · 13 minutes
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... more

03 Jul 2023 · 25 minutes
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... more

30 Jun 2023 · 18 minutes
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 –... more

29 Jun 2023 · 12 minutes
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... more

28 Jun 2023 · 14 minutes
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... more

27 Jun 2023 · 17 minutes
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

26 Jun 2023 · 19 minutes
Bone Wars

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

23 Jun 2023 · 14 minutes
The Hand Collection

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

22 Jun 2023 · 8 minutes
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... more

21 Jun 2023 · 16 minutes
Flavor Graveyard

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

20 Jun 2023 · 11 minutes
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... more

19 Jun 2023 · 15 minutes
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... more

16 Jun 2023 · 16 minutes
World Famous Crochet Museum

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

15 Jun 2023 · 14 minutes
Reed College Reactor

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

14 Jun 2023 · 12 minutes
The Greenbrier

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

13 Jun 2023 · 15 minutes
Close to the Edge PART 2

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

12 Jun 2023 · 14 minutes
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... more

09 Jun 2023 · 12 minutes
Tabor Opera House

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

08 Jun 2023 · 18 minutes
Frozen Dead Guy

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

07 Jun 2023 · 17 minutes
Temple of Pythons

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

06 Jun 2023 · 12 minutes
Fairy Castle

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

05 Jun 2023 · 15 minutes
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... more

02 Jun 2023 · 9 minutes
Tonopah Mining Camp

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

01 Jun 2023 · 15 minutes
Koutammakou

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

31 May 2023 · 12 minutes
Woman with the Handbag

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

30 May 2023 · 12 minutes
Tick Collection

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

29 May 2023 · 11 minutes
Tina Turner Museum (Classic)

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

26 May 2023 · 13 minutes
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

25 May 2023 · 14 minutes
American Chestnut Foundation (Classic)

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

24 May 2023 · 13 minutes
The Mirror Lab (Classic)

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

23 May 2023 · 15 minutes
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... more

22 May 2023 · 12 minutes
Chile Pepper Institute

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

19 May 2023 · 12 minutes
Fugitive Train Wreck

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

18 May 2023 · 12 minutes
Theatricum Botanicum

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

17 May 2023 · 11 minutes
Voynich Manuscript

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

16 May 2023 · 17 minutes
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...... more

15 May 2023 · 10 minutes
Kilwa Kisiwani (Classic)

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

12 May 2023 · 15 minutes
Butter Sculptures

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

11 May 2023 · 16 minutes
Close to the Edge

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

10 May 2023 · 15 minutes
Iowa Remnant Prairies

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

09 May 2023 · 14 minutes
National Poo Museum

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

08 May 2023 · 11 minutes
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... more

05 May 2023 · 13 minutes
The Nutmobile

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

04 May 2023 · 13 minutes
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... more

03 May 2023 · 8 minutes
Hurricane Hunters

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

02 May 2023 · 16 minutes
Distant Relatives

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

01 May 2023 · 13 minutes
The Deadliest Lake (Classic)

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

28 Apr 2023 · 15 minutes
Moose Boulder

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

27 Apr 2023 · 13 minutes
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... more

26 Apr 2023 · 12 minutes
Caring for Canids

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

25 Apr 2023 · 14 minutes
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.... more

24 Apr 2023 · 16 minutes
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... more

21 Apr 2023 · 15 minutes
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... more

20 Apr 2023 · 11 minutes
For Keeps Books

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

19 Apr 2023 · 16 minutes
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... more

18 Apr 2023 · 15 minutes
Bete Giyorgis of Lalibela

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

17 Apr 2023 · 12 minutes
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... more

14 Apr 2023 · 13 minutes
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... more

13 Apr 2023 · 17 minutes
Fairy Circles

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

12 Apr 2023 · 11 minutes
Ashley House

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

11 Apr 2023 · 13 minutes
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... more

10 Apr 2023 · 15 minutes
Yemrehanna Kristos Church (Classic)

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

07 Apr 2023 · 15 minutes
Lady Liberty’s Little Sister

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

06 Apr 2023 · 14 minutes
Yellowstone Zone of Death

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

05 Apr 2023 · 14 minutes
Arrows Across America

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

04 Apr 2023 · 11 minutes
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

03 Apr 2023 · 12 minutes
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... more

31 Mar 2023 · 12 minutes
The Beat Museum

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

30 Mar 2023 · 14 minutes
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... more

29 Mar 2023 · 15 minutes
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... more

28 Mar 2023 · 18 minutes
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,... more

27 Mar 2023 · 22 minutes
Clown Motel (Classic)

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

24 Mar 2023 · 13 minutes
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... more

23 Mar 2023 · 14 minutes
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... more

22 Mar 2023 · 14 minutes
Cisternerne (Classic)

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

21 Mar 2023 · 12 minutes
Zone Rouge (Classic)

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

20 Mar 2023 · 11 minutes
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... more

17 Mar 2023 · 13 minutes
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... more

16 Mar 2023 · 17 minutes
Manuscript Writing Cafe

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

15 Mar 2023 · 11 minutes
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... more

14 Mar 2023 · 15 minutes
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... more

13 Mar 2023 · 14 minutes
WHM Classic: Luciadagen

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

10 Mar 2023 · 17 minutes
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... more

09 Mar 2023 · 12 minutes
The Dedan Kimathi Post Office Tree

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

08 Mar 2023 · 18 minutes
Ouija Board 7-Eleven

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

07 Mar 2023 · 15 minutes
Big Apple Inn

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

06 Mar 2023 · 16 minutes
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... more

03 Mar 2023 · 15 minutes
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... more

02 Mar 2023 · 15 minutes
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

01 Mar 2023 · 13 minutes
The Hampton House

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

28 Feb 2023 · 14 minutes
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,... more

27 Feb 2023 · 14 minutes
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... more

24 Feb 2023 · 15 minutes
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... more

23 Feb 2023 · 16 minutes
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... more

22 Feb 2023 · 14 minutes
Newtown Creek Nature Walk

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

21 Feb 2023 · 16 minutes
The Gankutsu Hotel

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

20 Feb 2023 · 17 minutes
Classic: Floating Freedom School

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

17 Feb 2023 · 15 minutes
Cactoblastis Memorial Cairn

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

16 Feb 2023 · 11 minutes
Pushkin’s Duel

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

15 Feb 2023 · 17 minutes
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... more

14 Feb 2023 · 16 minutes
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... more

13 Feb 2023 · 13 minutes
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... more

10 Feb 2023 · 17 minutes
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... more

09 Feb 2023 · 22 minutes
Creston Dinosaur

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

08 Feb 2023 · 17 minutes
The Rainmaker

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

07 Feb 2023 · 16 minutes
Marchand Dessalines

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The Atlas Obscura Podcast
Empress Anna’s Ice Palace
The Atlas Obscura Podcast
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Description

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