The Atlas Obscura Podcast

The story of Thomalind and Priscilla is 300 years in the making and brings listeners to Bunce Island, off the coast of Sierra Leone.   READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bunce-island Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Inspired by the novel and movie Around the World in Eighty Days, Eleanor Hamby and Dr. Sandra Hazelip ( Ellie and Sandy ) ventured out and took the world by storm as they turned 81 years old. Ellie and Sandy’s book, Here We Go: Lessons for Living Fearlessly from Two Traveling Nanas, is out now!  And if their story resonated with you about traveling at an older age, tell us about it. Give us a call...

The International Rose Test Garden in Portland, Oregon is a rose-lover’s paradise: there’s over 10,000 bushes and 625 varieties from all over the world. And there’s a great story about how the garden came to be: During WWI, the people of Portland reached out to the gardeners of Europe offering to take care of their plants and save them from destruction. Rachel Burlington, the garden’s curator, wan...

Since his childhood, Nick Dawson has been fascinated by Cramond Island, a deserted tidal island off the coast of Edinburgh, Scotland, which became for him a symbol of mystery and untapped adventure. In today’s episode, he finally gets to explore the island, learning about its nature and history, as he tries to get to the heart of why the place is so special.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz compa...

As the summer travel season officially closes, we share our favorite memories of the warm months – from minor league baseball games with unique traditions, to surviving travel with kids.       Plus, we want to hear your stories about traveling with your own kids – the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful. Give us a call at (315) 992-7902 and leave us a message. Or, you can record a voice mem...

A once-blacklisted Hollywood star created a magical theater in Topanga Canyon, California, that still endures and inspires today. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/theatricum-botanicum Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In Ystad, Sweden, every night at 9pm a night watchman scans the horizon for fires from the tower of St Mary’s Church, and sounds his trumpet to let the city know it is safe. This tradition goes back to the Medieval Ages. The Night Watchman of Ystad is one of the last keeping his tradition, and today his role has taken on an even bigger significance. Author and journalist Eliot Stein takes us throu...

Utah bookseller Ken Sanders has spent his life fighting the Glen Canyon Dam. Inspired by a band of cowboy ecoterrorists in his favorite Western novel, The Monkey Wrench Gang , Ken's used his own blend of hijinks and illegal actions to free the Colorado River. For years he thought he'd failed. But these days, he sees a glimmer of hope that something big is about to change.  Hosted by Simplecast, an...

In the 1920s, Henry Ford decided to create a rubber plantation in the Amazon rainforest, and alongside it, a tidy little town for his workers: Fordlandia. With its classic American homes and yards, sidewalks and electric streetlights, Fordlandia was a Midwestern anomaly in the Brazilian jungle, one that dazzled American visitors. And it might have actually been a decent place to live – if it weren...

Dylan and producers Amanda and Johanna take listener questions. 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal d...

We journey into New York City’s delis and bodegas, in search of a famous – and controversial – sandwich: the chopped cheese. This sandwich has become a cultural symbol and source of debate, and is so storied that some might call it a “folk sandwich.” Plus, we dig into the rich history of the corner store culture where the chopped cheese originated.     This episode was produced in partnership with...

One of the last remaining World War II Victory Gardens in the U.S is quietly growing across from Boston’s Fenway Park .  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mary Roach is an author of several books including  Stiff and Fuzz. And her newest book, Replaceable You,  explores the incredible advances and tough questions prompted by the human body’s failings. Mary takes us on a tour of our own anatomy – and what it takes to replace it.   Mary’s new book, Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy , will be out September 16 – preorder the book today!  Host...

Here at Atlas Obscura, we’re big on collections. From rare jerseys to popular ‘90s plush toys, our staff shares the things we collect – and what they mean to us.  Plus: We want to hear about YOUR collections. What do you collect, and what does the collection mean to you? Or, maybe you have a story about someone who you know who has an outrageous collection. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave...

A backpacker on the Inca Trail encounters a fellow hiker who is inexplicably carrying two bags. This essay was written by Maggie Downs and edited by Aube Rey Lescure, and originally appeared in Off Assignment .  Plus: Off Assignment is offering a travel writing course, called Rethinking Travel Writing. It begins September 6, and you can use code ATLAS20 for 20% off: https://www.offassignment.com/r...

The story of a woman who, in her 70s, inspired some of the biggest labor uprisings in American history. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dylan just returned from a month-long trip with his wife and two kids, ages 8 and 10. And now, he wants to hear your stories about traveling with your own kids – the good, the bad, the ugly, and the beautiful. 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWi...

The story of a stork, a spear and a scientific mystery that led to breakthroughs in the way we understand bird migration. All week, we’re featuring the stories behind a few of our favorite things – from ancient hams to mummified fingers. Want to tell us about your own favorite unusual object? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlaso...

Atlas Obscura’s resident food and death reporter Sam O’Brien takes us to Smithfield, Virginia, where we meet a 120-year-old ham, and the people who love it.   All week, we’re featuring the stories behind a few of our favorite things – from ancient hams to mummified fingers. Want to tell us about your own favorite unusual object? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, record a voice me...

We visit the world’s oldest rose, which is so tough that it survived being bombed in World War II.   All week, we’re featuring the stories behind a few of our favorite things – from ancient hams to mummified fingers. Want to tell us about your own favorite unusual object? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com . We may a...

We explore the unexpected combination of recipes and graves through the story of Naomi Odessa Miller Dawson’s spritz cookies. All week, we’re featuring the stories behind a few of our favorite things – from ancient hams to mummified fingers. Want to tell us about your own favorite unusual object? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@at...

Dylan goes on a journey to examine the preserved middle finger of astronomer, physicist, and engineer Galileo Galilei. All week, we’re featuring the stories behind a few of our favorite things – from ancient hams to mummified fingers. Want to tell us about your own favorite unusual object? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, record a voice memo and email it to us at  hello@atlasobs...

Created by a volcanic eruption in 2015, this island in the South Pacific no longer exists… but we chat with a person who got to see it before it disappeared. LEARN MORE about Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai in this Reuters article and see it in the Atlas here Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We talk with anthropologist Manvir Singh, whose research on shamanism took him from the small island of Siberut to study current practitioners, to exploring prehistoric cave art in France. It’s the subject of his new book, “Shamanism: The Timeless Religion” – and in it he also argues that we can find elements of shamanism in our own lives.    Find out more about Manvir Singh’s work: https://www.ma...

Dylan has just returned from a month-long trip with his family, and he and the gang answer listener questions about traveling with kids and more.  Have a question for Dylan? 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.co...