Archives: Atlas Obscuras

NYC Barber Museum

Discover NYC Barber Museum in New York, New York: This nostalgic blast from the grooming past is also a working barbershop.

Stone Man of Bowman Family Crypt

Discover Stone Man of Bowman Family Crypt in Shrewsbury, Vermont: Who is this marble man, perpetually creeping up the steps of his own mausoleum?

Mount Eden

Discover Maungawhau (Mount Eden) in Auckland, New Zealand: The platform atop this verdant volcano was built with the help of a royal elephant.

University of Minnesota Shoe Tree

Discover University of Minnesota Shoe Tree in Minneapolis, Minnesota: No one's quite sure where this quirky university tradition originated.

Santa’s Workshop

Discover Santa's Workshop in Wilmington, New York: A hamlet full of permanent Christmas spirit holds one of the earliest theme parks in the United States.

American Gothic Barn

Discover American Gothic Barn in Mount Vernon, Iowa: A hidden barn-sized rendition of Grant Wood's most famous, and most parodied, painting.

Tumbleweed Snowman

Discover Tumbleweed Snowman in Albuquerque, New Mexico: Albuquerque found the perfect use for tumbleweeds at Christmastime.

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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

PP ToS