Archives: Atlas Obscuras

The Last Howard Johnson’s

Discover The Last Howard Johnson's in Lake George, New York: All that remains of the once-booming chain is a single orange-roofed restaurant.

Hadrosaurus Foulkii Leidy Site

Discover Hadrosaurus Foulkii Leidy Site in Haddonfield, New Jersey: The first partially complete dinosaur skeleton was discovered here, forever changing the world's view of the ruling reptiles.

Percys Trappa

Discover Percys Trappa in Stockholm, Sweden: A wooden street sign is the last remnant of this 400-year-old alleyway.

National Comedy Center

Discover National Comedy Center in Jamestown, New York: The first and only American institution dedicated to the enduring value of comedy in the United States.

Museum of Livestock Science

Discover Museum of Livestock Science in Halle (Saale), Germany: A beautiful old horse stable hosts one of the largest collections of domestic animal skeletons and taxidermy.

Nebra Sky Disc

Discover Nebra Sky Disc in Halle (Saale), Germany: The 3,600-year-old archeological sensation is considered to be the oldest representation of the cosmos.

Penguins of Berwick

Discover Penguins of Berwick in Berwick-upon-Tweed, England: Over a decade ago, painted penguins mysteriously appeared around Berwick-upon-Tweed for no apparent reason.

The Penguins at Kampa Park

Discover The Penguins at Kampa Park in Prague, Czechia: A series of playful yellow penguins share a serious message about the environment.

Joe Ley Antiques

Discover Joe Ley Antiques in Louisville, Kentucky: A curiosity-seeker's paradise set inside a three-story historic school house.

Glaciarium

Discover Glaciarium in El Calafate, Argentina: This glacier interpretation center houses the world’s only bar made completely from glacial ice.

Hidden Heart of Music Row

Discover Hidden Heart of Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee: It may take some time to locate, but it's sure to warm even a heart of stone.

Halim Time & Glass Museum

Discover Halim Time & Glass Museum in Evanston, Illinois: The first and only museum dedicated to stained glass and horology opened outside of Chicago in 2017.

Blue Ghost Tunnel

Discover Blue Ghost Tunnel in Thorold, Ontario: Abandoned for over a century, this chilling train tunnel is now a destination for ghost hunters.

Palacio de Carondelet

Discover Palacio de Carondelet in Quito, Ecuador: Ecuador’s historic seat of government has been quietly looted in recent decades, and no one knows how or by whom.

Hippodrome Cinema

Discover Hippodrome Cinema in Bo’ness, Scotland: This vintage gem is one of the oldest surviving purpose-built movie palaces in Scotland.

Kihnu Island

Discover Kihnu Island in Rootsiküla, Estonia: This little gem in the Gulf of Riga has a very rich heritage and distinct culture.

Washington County Courthouse Motifs

Discover Washington County Courthouse Motifs in Marietta, Ohio: Dozens of striking Indian symbols cover the second-floor hallways of this rural courthouse.

Concrete Animal Cemetery

Discover Concrete Animal Cemetery in Mexico City, Mexico: Discarded animal sculptures stand forgotten by an abandoned aquarium and water park in Bosque de Chapultepec.

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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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