Archives: Atlas Obscuras

The Museum of Death in New Orleans

Discover Museum of Death in New Orleans, Louisiana: A collection of oddities including Dr. Kevorkian's suicide device, the Thanatron.

Golden Gate of Kyiv

Discover Golden Gate of Kyiv in Kyiv, Ukraine: A reconstructed medieval gateway that was the magnificent entrance to the capital city dating back to 1037.

Denver Zine Library

Discover Denver Zine Library in Denver, Colorado: A collection of over 15,000 zines works to preserve DIY publishing culture.

Roman Urn Collection at SAMA

Discover Roman Urn Collection at SAMA in San Antonio, Texas: Amazingly detailed marble cinerary urns that once held the cremains of Roman elite.

Alamere Falls

Discover Alamere Falls in Bolinas, California: This rare example of a "tidefall" is a spectacular drop from the cliffs down onto the beach.

Natural Selection

Discover Natural Selection in Reno, Nevada: This mother-daughter run curiosities shop is a beautifully odd mix of taxidermy and exotic plants.

Mud Statues of Kumortuli

Discover Mud Statues of Kumortuli in Kolkata, India: The potters' quarter is packed with artists sculpting clay gods with mud from the sacred Ganges river.

Wind City Moon Restaurant

Discover Wind City Moon Restaurant in Zhubei City, Taiwan: A nostalgic restaurant evokes life in Taiwan from the 1940s to the 1970s.

Wolf Mountain Nature Center

Discover Wolf Mountain Nature Center in Smyrna, New York: See wolves, coyotes, and arctic foxes in a natural environment smack in the middle of New York State.

Cowboy Church of Ellis County

Discover Cowboy Church of Ellis County in Waxahachie, Texas: Baptisms in troughs and post-sermon rodeos at the world's biggest cowboy church.

Romagne 14-18

Discover Romagne 14-18 in Romagne-Sous-Montfaucon, France: A unique museum tells the story of the day-to-day life of World War I soldiers.

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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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