The Atlas Obscura Podcast

Places editors Michelle Cassidy and Diana Hubbell take us on a tour of two mildly disturbing yet lovable works of art.    Plus: If you have a piece of public art that you love to hate – or if you’ve created a work of public art that’s caused a stir – we want to hear from you. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. You can also record a voice memo and ema...

Dylans answers a slew of questions from staff and listeners. Plus: Do you have a question for Dylan? Send us an email or voice memo to hello@atlasobscura.com . Dylan may answer your question in an upcoming episode! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Our first international trips can be hugely influential. We want to hear your stories about leaving your home country for the first time. Where did you go?  How did you prepare? What memories do you have from the trip? Maybe you loved it… or maybe you hated it! Either way, we want to hear about it. And if you are about to take your first trip this coming year, we want to know how you’re feeling le...

Larry Spring’s Museum of Common Sense Physics in Fort Bragg, California begs the question: What do you do with a science museum where the science preserved inside is a kind of folk art? READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/larry-spring-school-common-sense-physics Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of per...

As the winter solstice and Yule are upon us, we are celebrating these Pagan holidays by talking about the iconic image of the witch, with Pam Grossman -- friend of the show, curator, writer and host of the podcast The Witch Wave. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How one man made someone else's trash into his own treasure ... and how it became a storied part of a New Jersey town.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Every year, hundreds of boats circle the waterways of the eastern United States on The Great Loop. But Mike Straub took a different approach, riding over 6,000 miles alone on a JetSki. Check out Mike’s YouTube channel  and his book, Y WAIT: Experience America's Great Loop . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data f...

Listeners share stories of memorable encounters with strangers – for better or for worse. Plus: We want to hear your stories about your first international trip. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave us a message telling us about the first time you traveled abroad. Or better yet, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm...

This week, we’re presenting Sound Influence: The Art and Soul of Puerto Rico .  Rising singer-songwriter Andrea Cruz shares how she fell in love with folk music as a young girl in Aibonito. We hear about how the plants, birds and animals of Puerto Rico have shaped the fabric of her work, and the profound ways in which her art connects her to the island she calls home. Hollywood film director Migue...

This week, we’re presenting Sound Influence: The Art and Soul of Puerto Rico .     Oscar-nominated screenwriter and playwright José Rivera shares with us his rich memories, both old and new, of his time in Puerto Rico: of spiders, thunderstorms and a deep sense of community in his childhood town of Espino. We hear about the joy of watching one of his plays performed in Santurce alongside the famil...

Many people moved to Granbury, Texas for the peace and quiet. Then, a noisy neighbor moved in – and strange things began happening in town.   Read Andrew’s original reporting about the bitcoin mine and Granbury, Texas.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Ether Dome in Boston was once filled with the screams of patients undergoing painful surgeries. In 1846, everything changed with the first successful use of anesthesia, transforming medicine forever. Dylan explores the room where pain-free surgery began.   The Ether Dome is part of the Innovation Trail , which highlights four centuries of world-changing breakthroughs from Boston.   Hosted by S...

Mohawk ironworkers built many of New York City’s iconic skyscrapers. But simultaneously, they were also building a lesser known neighborhood of their own in downtown Brooklyn – one that would become home to hundreds of Mohawk families.      Learn more about Reaghan Tarbell’s documentary, Little Caughnawaga: To Brooklyn and Back .  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for i...

This week and next, we’re presenting Sound Influence: The Art and Soul of Puerto Rico.   The Río Piedras-based comedy band Los Rivera Destino talk about their musical childhoods, how making a music video in Bayamón changed their lives and careers forever, and the extremely unlikely place that has become their source of inspiration. Award-winning author Jaquira Díaz shares how salsa, bacalaítos and...

Today and tomorrow, we’re presenting Sound Influence: The Art and Soul of Puerto Rico.    Legendary actress, singer, dancer and EGOT winner Rita Moreno shares memories of sugar cane, coquís and parrandas during her idyllic childhood in Humacao and Juncos. We hear about her recent trips back with Lin-Manuel Miranda, and how she almost turned down West Side Story  because of her loyalty to the islan...

Producer Gabby Gladney sees her South Side Chicago neighborhood in a new light thanks to Mahogany Bus Tours , a local company sharing hidden histories around the city. Read a profile of Dilla , and check out his TikTok . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the 1880s, an eccentric California dentist gave away free public water fountains in the hopes they would encourage people to drink less alcohol. One of them went to the small town of Rockville, Connecticut, where it was… not well received. In fact, it was torn down, thrown in a local lake, torn down again… and so on. Check out the Atlas entry for the Cogswell Fountain . Hosted by Simplecast, an...

Listener stories about the places we’re thankful for – from a beloved neighborhood, to an odd and out-of-place house down the block, to a library that inspired one listener to become a writer herself.     Plus, we want to hear your stories of memorable encounters with strangers. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave us a message telling us your story. Or better yet, record a voice memo and emai...

Catoosa, Oklahoma is the cite of a massive landlocked whale - and possibly the greatest anniversary gift ever. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/catoosa-whale Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Journalist and food writer Evan Rail considers himself a beer guy, but when a mysterious bright green spirit started shaking up the scene in the Czech Republic (where he lives) in the 1990s, he knew he had to learn more.  His latest book “ The Absinthe Forger: A True Story of Deception, Betrayal, and The World’s Most Dangerous Spirit ” looks back at the history of absinthe, why it was banned acros...

In August 1953, airstrip operator George van Tassel claimed he was woken up in the middle of the night by an intelligent lifeform from outer space named Solganda. George says Solganda told him to build an energy rejuvenation machine – so that’s exactly what he spent the rest of his life doing… For more information on visiting the Integratron check out their website . Plus, take a look at some phot...

On a remote island 200 miles off the coast of Alaska, a community hunts for a single, elusive rat.  Read Daniel Wu’s original reporting  on the rat strike team.  Thanks to Freesound user mmiron  for the wave sounds in this episode.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Places editors Michelle Cassidy and Diana Hubbell tell us about two real-world places that have been shaped by the internet. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Blame it on this time of year, but we've been ruminating a lot on the places we're thankful for. And we want to hear your thoughts for a future episode. What's a place that played a pivotal role in shaping your life? It can be a place you grew up, or a place you live in now. Maybe it's a park bench, or another place of community. Tell us about it, any stories behind it, and when and why you go the...

The Wren’s Nest in Atlanta is both a museum and former home of journalist Joel Chandler Harris and a hub for modern storytellers.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.