Archives: Atlas Obscuras

Russian Museum of Military Medicine

Discover Russian Museum of Military Medicine in Saint Petersburg, Russia: Rare documents, old instruments, and gruesome specimens showcase the history of military medicine.

1:48 Scale USS Missouri

Discover USS Missouri Model Ship in Washington, D.C.: The U.S. Navy’s preposterously detailed mini battleship took 77,000 hours to complete.

The Struve Geodetic Arc

Discover The Struve Geodetic Arc in Tartu, Estonia: A historic scientific breakthrough that crosses nine borders.

Metropolitan Police Coat Hook

Discover Metropolitan Police Coat Hook in London, England: Installed at a chaotic intersection, this gave London traffic cops a place to hang their heavy woolen coats.

Lake Minnewanka Underwater Ghost Town

Discover Lake Minnewanka Underwater Ghost Town in Improvement District No. 9, Alberta: The only way to visit this old resort hotel is with scuba gear.

American Clock and Watch Museum

Discover American Clock and Watch Museum in Bristol, Connecticut: Thousands of American timepieces on display in the former clock-making capital of the country.

Pu o Hiro (Hiro’s Trumpet)

Discover Pu o Hiro (Hiro's Trumpet) in Easter Island, Chile: In the Middle Ages villagers would sound this stone trumpet to boost fertility and coax fish to shore.

Batumi Tower Ferris Wheel

Discover Batumi Tower Ferris Wheel in Batumi, Georgia: The first skyscraper to include a Ferris wheel built into the facade.

Beware of Words

Discover Beware of Words in Paris, France: A French artist's vague warning hangs over Belleville.

Floating Gardens of Inle Lake

Discover Floating Gardens of Inle Lake in Taunggyi, Myanmar (Burma): A series of tiny artificial islands rich with produce bob atop the surface of the lake.

The First Oddities Shop in Saint Paul

Discover Studio Payne Art Gallery and Oddities Shop in Saint Paul, Minnesota: Admire the art and then buy a raccoon skull cleaned by flesh-eating beetles.

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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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