Archives: Atlas Obscuras

National Museum of Anthropology Murals

Discover National Museum of Anthropology Murals in Mexico City, Mexico: The unique collection often goes unnoticed by visitors focused only on the archaeological objects.

Childs Restaurant Building

Discover Childs Restaurant Building in Brooklyn, New York: The flagship building of an early national restaurant chain is a superb example of terra cotta art.

The Monkey Sanctuary

Discover The Monkey Sanctuary in Looe, England: A wonderful safe haven founded in the 1960s to rescue endangered monkeys from the pet trade.

Asa Jackson’s Perpetual Motion Machine

Discover Asa Jackson’s Perpetual Motion Machine in Clinton, Tennessee: This improbable contraption was passed down through five generations of industrious Tennesseans.

The Keeper’s House

Discover The Keeper’s House in Isle Au Haut, Maine: A former lighthouse keeper's abode is now a rustic vacation rental.

Mr. Accordion’s Grave

Discover Mr. Accordion's Grave in Springfield, Illinois: The empty tomb that houses the memories of Roy Bertelli's revenge.

Queen Caroline’s Bath

Discover Queen Caroline's Bath in London, England: The plunge pool is a surviving relic of a rowdy royal residence.

Grand Lodge of Cuba

Discover Grand Lodge of Cuba in Havana, Cuba: The largest masonic lodge in Cuba.

Metropolitan Pit Stop

Discover Metropolitan Pit Stop in Los Angeles, California: This vintage car parts store is also a museum devoted to a squat little gem of automotive history.

The Georgetown Trailer Park Mall

Discover The Georgetown Trailer Park Mall in Seattle, Washington: This offbeat trailer park is home to vintage peddlers, local artists, indie makers, and more.

Wonderville

Discover Wonderville in Brooklyn, New York: An arcade packed with a rotating collection of unique independent video games.

Barentsburg

Discover Barentsburg in Barentsburg, Norway: This Arctic mining town is home to a cat that's spent years masquerading as a fox.

Nipro Hachiko Dome

Discover Nipro Hachiko Dome in Odate, Japan: This sports stadium was made from 25,000 cypress trees and ranks among the world's largest wooden domes.

Crestone Ziggurat

Discover Crestone Ziggurat in Crestone, Colorado: Climb to the top of this spiritual tower, and you'll be rewarded with spectacular views.

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse

Discover West Quoddy Head Lighthouse in Lubec, Maine: This candy-striped tower is the farthest east you can go in the United States.

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i
To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius. 261 ii
To exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design. 480 iii
To bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared. 514 iv
To be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history. 642 ix
To be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals. 137 v
To be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change. 172 vi
To be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria). 256 vii
To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance. 151 viii
To be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features. 98 x
To contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation. 168

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