The Atlas Obscura Podcast
An audio guide to the world’s strange, incredible, and wondrous places. Co-founder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters explore a new wonder every day, Monday through Thursday. In under 15 minutes, they’ll take you to an incredible place, and along the way, you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Our theme and end credit music is composed by Sam Tyndall.
In The Heart Of NYC, A Refuge For Birds (Classic)
A hospital and rehab center for birds in Manhattan started with a woman who just wanted to do all she could to help an injured goose. Decades later, it has become an institution.
READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/wild-bird-fund
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Checking Into Hotel Imperial with Deborah Cohen (Classic)
On the eve of the Second World War, there was one place that was the source for all good stories — the Hotel Imperial in Vienna. It exuded luxury and power, and also was the converging spot for foreign correspondents in the 1920’s and ‘30s who were warning the world about the rise of dictatorship. Historian and author Deborah Cohen takes us back in time and into the lives of these influential journalists.
MORE Check out Deborah’s book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/576473/last-call-at-the-hotel-imperial-by-deborah-cohen/
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Beyond the Game: Spotting Miss Manhattan
Her image is just about everywhere in New York City. But her name and story is rarely known. This is the story of America’s first supermodel Audrey Munson
Plus, if you find yourself in New York City, we would love to hear from you about your encounters with Audrey Munson. Tell us your thoughts and snap a picture with her. Give us a call at 315-992-7902, and leave us a message with your name and story. Or you can record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.
Ho...
The (Real) Kool-Aid Man
In Hastings, Nebraska, the Kool-Aid man is a bit of a local legend. Not the anthropomorphic glass pitcher with a face who yells “Oh yeah” (though he’s part of the story too) but the original Kool-Aid man, Edwin Perkins, who invented the drink almost 100 years ago right here in Hastings.
This episode was produced in partnership with Visit Nebraska. Learn more about the Hastings Museum Kool-Aid exhibit here, and more here about the Kool-Aid Days festival which will take place this year August 14-16. We’ve also done an episode featuring Hastings before - The Goose Who Wore...
Beyond the Game: Take A Seat in Dallas
Visitors to the Truck Yard beer garden in The Colony, Texas (outside Dallas) are treated to a very unusual art collection: a sweeping array of around 1400 hand-painted toilet seats, many of which are also collaged with objects ranging from tortoise shells to Zippo lighters to Pez dispensers. This is the life’s work of Barney Smith, a beloved Texas outsider artist who spent decades creating these “seats” of art, inspired by his day job as a plumber. James McCandless, a reporter at the San Antonio Business Journal, once visited Barney back at the original home of the collection – which was Barn...
Tell Us: Have You Visited all 50 States?
We want to hear from you! Have you visited all 50 states? Or maybe you’re really close? Tell us about your 50 state journey – whether you’re a quester type, or more of an accidental type, like me. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com, or simply email your question.
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Taquile Island (Classic)
This tiny island off the coast of Peru is an UNESCO World Heritage site for having the finest textile art. It’s also the place where a knitted hat represents and symbolizes a man’s code of honor, marital status, and love for life.
READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/taquile-island
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Running 50 Marathons in 50 States in 50 Days
Dean Karnazes has visited all 50 states in the U.S. But he did it in an incredible way: In 2006, he ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days.
Plus: Have you visited all 50 states? Or are you trying to? We want to hear your story. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com, or simply email your suggestion. And don’t forget to join Atlas Obscura to connect with your fellow travelers.
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Beyond the Game: Just Outside Miami, Robert Is Here
We head south of Miami to hear the story of a family that took a gamble on a humble roadside stand that blossomed into a fruit emporium and community staple.
This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championship. In each episode, we take you beyond the stadium, and to a nearby wonder that’s off the beaten track.
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AO Mailbag: Would You Rather…
Co-host Kelly McEvers and producers Johanna and Amanda answer a fun hypothetical, and a classic would-you-rather question.
If you have a question for our next mailbag episode, give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com, or simply email your question.
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Beyond the Game: Monterrey Monterrey Borderland Radio
Monterrey, Mexico is known for its mountains, its industry, and its close connection to the US. But Monterrey was also home to one of the first private radio stations, run by a man who would become known as the father of Mexican radio: Constantino de Tarnava. Historian Sonia Robles talks about early Mexican radio stations in the 1920s and 30s - the big ‘border blasters’ run by US outlaws, and the Mexican stations that were serving their local communities and Mexican immigrants in the US.
This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championsh...
The Wizard of Wamego (Classic)
The story of how a former nuclear missile silo in Wamego, Kansas became the site of the largest LSD bust in US history (allegedly). Fore more information, check out author Dennis McDougal’s website and Rolling Stone’s interview with Leonard Pickard.
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Beyond The Game: Art for All in Houston
In this episode, we explore Smither Park, an artistic oasis in Houston where self-taught artists transform a humble park into a mesmerizing gallery.
This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championship. In each episode, we take you beyond the stadium, and to a nearby wonder that’s off the beaten track.
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Our Land with Beverly Gage
Beverly Gage is a Pulitzer Prize award winner and a professor of history at Yale University.
Her new book This Land Is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S History is a travelogue that takes us on the road into America's past as she travels to visit 13 key locations that she says define the country’s successes and challenges.
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Richard Etheridge and the Pea Island Life Saving Station
Pea Island is a wildlife refuge, and one of the most untouched parts of the Outer Banks. But a century ago, this small piece of land was the site of one of the most remarkable water rescues to date. And it was thanks to a man who, just 30 years after Reconstruction, became the first Black person to lead a Life Saving Station.
There are many ways to learn more about Richard Ethridge and the Pea Island Life Saving team, including the Pea Island Cookhouse Museum and the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island. You can also check out...
Beyond the Game: Toronto’s Casa Loma
Reporter Elah Feder ventures into one of her hometown’s biggest tourist attractions: A 98-room castle in the middle of Toronto that bankrupted a 19th century electricity multimillionaire.
This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championship. In each episode, we take you beyond the stadium, and to a nearby wonder that’s off the beaten track.
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The Tower of Baa-Goat
We visit the tower of Baa-Goat, which is inhabited by a flock of goats who speak Swiss French. Along the way we hear about 19th century architectural follies, why goats like to climb, and how sometimes household projects can take on a life of their own…
This episode is brought to you in partnership with Enjoy Illinois.
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Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum (Classic)
This museum in John Day, Oregon, was once a Chinese general store and medicine shop that dates back to the 1800s. But these days it’s a perfectly preserved time capsule, down to the fruit – down to the orange its former owner left on the counter in the 1950s. Tours of the shop are offered seasonally, but you can get a virtual look inside here. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS HERE
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The Minnesota-Shaped Forest (Classic)
We follow one man’s journey down an internet rabbit hole that becomes a search for a one-of-a-kind forest and its mysterious creator.
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Beyond the Game: In Missouri, America’s Largest Pig Museum
How did a farm in Missouri wind up with 60,000 collectible pigs? The story involves a radio DJ with a dartboard, an unsuspecting fitness-instructor-turned-farmer, and a fateful phone call.
This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championship. In each episode, we take you beyond the stadium, and to a nearby wonder that’s off the beaten track.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
How Kelly McEvers Visited All 50 States
Kelly McEvers has visited all 50 states. But not on purpose.
Plus: we want to hear from you. Have you visited all 50 states? Or maybe you’re really close? Tell us about your 50 state journey – whether you’re a quester type, or more of an accidental type, like me. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com, or simply email your question.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collec...
Beyond the Game: Seattle’s Beacon Food Forest
Today, we step onto the four acres of Seattle’s Beacon Food Forest. And we learn how what started as a neighborhood project evolved into an open-source grocery store.
This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championship. In each episode, we take you beyond the stadium, and to a nearby wonder that’s off the beaten track.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The Last Baldwin House (Classic)
James Baldwin’s former home in the South of France is a site that many visit hoping to feel the essence of the great African-American writer. But should it be?
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The Complicated History of Natchez, Mississippi
Natchez, Mississippi is home to one of the largest concentrations of antebellum homes, and tourists come from far and wide to see them. But Natchez was also a center of the cotton trade, and had one of the biggest slave markets in the country. Filmmakers Suzannah Herbert and Darcy McKinnon made a documentary about this beautiful and complicated place, and how its residents wrestle with which story should be told to visitors.
The documentary, called “Natchez,” is out now. Suzannah and Darcy also put together a Visitor's Guide to the city of Natchez if you want to visit...
Beyond the Game: San Francisco’s Sutro Baths
Today, there are only remains of what were once these massive baths constructed by self made millionaire Adolph Sutro in San Francisco.
This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championship. In each episode, we take you beyond the stadium, and to a nearby wonder that’s off the beaten track.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Carhenge (Classic)
This experimental automotive replica of Stonehenge has become a symbol of the town of Alliance, Nebraska. But residents haven’t always been fans.
READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/carhenge
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Beyond the Game: In Philadelphia, Ben Franklin’s Musical Invention
Dylan tries his hand at playing a “glass armonica,” a musical instrument invented by Benjamin Franklin. Its high-pitched, eerie sounds were rumored to cure all kinds of illnesses – or even, sometimes, cause them.
This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championship. In each episode, we take you beyond the stadium, and to a nearby wonder that’s off the beaten track.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Museum of Clean (Classic)
A tidy little story from Pocatello, Idaho, home to the Museum of Clean
READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/museum-of-clean
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How Superstar Lionel Messi Returned to Argentina
Lionel Messi left Argentina and became a soccer superstar playing in Spain. But when he came back home to play for the Argentina National Team, he had a tough time. NPR reporter and The Last Cup podcast host Jasmine Garsd talks about Messi’s return to his home club and the bigger story immigration, identity, belonging, and the meaning of coming home after time away.
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Beyond the Game: The Mapparium Globe in Boston
At the Mapparium® globe in Boston, visitors can step inside a giant, three-story stained glass globe…and get a glimpse of the bigger picture.
This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championship. In each episode, we take you beyond the stadium, and to a nearby wonder that’s off the beaten track.
Learn more here about visiting the “Mapparium” globe.
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The Animal Worlds We Rarely See
A massive California wildfire prompted author Ryan Huling to get curious about the boundaries between human civilization and a vacant wilderness. It led him on a travel quest into the world of animals, which he documented in a new book, The Hidden Nations of Animals.
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Beyond the Game: Vancouver’s Dude Chilling Park
A renegade art project in Vancouver galvanized a small community, pitted residents against city government, and ultimately resulted in a new name for a chill park.
This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championship. In each episode, we take you beyond the stadium, and to a nearby wonder that’s off the beaten track.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Weekend Road Trip: The Jokes Phone
A pay phone in Washington, D.C tells you jokes and affirmations.
This episode is part of our Weekend Road Trip Series, where we bring you stories of the strange, incredible, and wondrous places right here in the United States, that you can see from the road. This series was produced in partnership with T-Mobile.
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The Rainmaker (Classic)
Professional rainmaker Charles Hatfield was either a scientist or a con man who had a particular influence on San Diego, CA.
Curious about cloud seeding? Learn more from our earlier podcast on the Lynmouth Flood: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/podcast-lynmouth-flood-memorial-hall
READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lower-otay-reservoir
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AO Mailbag: Five Friends, Three Nights, One Bathroom
Co-host Kelly McEvers and producers Johanna and Amanda answer questions about books where the setting is transportive, travel in the Middle East right now, and how to handle sharing an Airbnb with five friends but only one bathroom.
If you have a question for our next mailbag episode, give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com, or simply email your question.
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Beyond the Game: Guadalajara’s Telmex Building
We visit an office building in Guadalajara, and learn how one man moved it – workers and all – exactly 40 feet.
This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championship. In each episode, we take you beyond the stadium, and to a nearby wonder that’s off the beaten track.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The Kindred Spirit Mailbox
Nestled on North Carolina’s southern shoreline, the Kindred Mailbox keeps countless secrets and confessions left in the sand. This episode tells the story of mailbox and its dedicated keepers.
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Beyond the Game: LA's Kuruvungna Sacred Springs
Eight thousand years ago, this land’s first inhabitants built a village around a sacred spring. And today, in what is now Los Angeles, CA, their descendants still work to protect the site.
Learn more about the Gabrielino-Tongva Springs Foundation: http://gabrielinosprings.com/wpsite/
This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championship. In each episode, we take you beyond the stadium, and to a nearby wonder that’s off the beaten track.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and...
Weekend Road Trip: National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum
Today we visit the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which is home to 10,000 bobbleheads inspired by sports, pop culture, politics, and even some niche viral Internet moments. Some even date back hundreds of years.
This episode is part of our Weekend Road Trip Series, where we bring you stories of the strange, incredible, and wondrous places right here in the United States, that you can see from the road. This series was produced in partnership with T-Mobile.
Check out the museum online and note that they do accept suggestions for n...
The Atomic Clock (Classic)
How do we determine the time? Believe it or not, there is an official clock. It’s located in Boulder, Colorado at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and we go there to visit.
LEARN MORE: NIST doesn’t give public tours. But if you want to watch the seconds go by as precisely as humanly possible, dial (303) 499-7111.
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