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.

The Goiter Belt (Classic)

February 16, 2024 00:13:15 12.72 MB Downloads: 0

A public health crisis plagued the Midwest until a simple solution was introduced to a ubiquitous cooking ingredient. 

Damanhur

February 15, 2024 00:18:01 17.29 MB Downloads: 0

A mysterious religious community founded by an insurance agent-turned spiritual leader in northern Italy spent 15 years constructing an underground temple covered in intricate paintings, mosaics, trippy colors and images inspired by Roman, Greek and Egyptian mythology. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/temple-of-damanhur

Owamni

February 14, 2024 00:13:00 12.48 MB Downloads: 0

Award-winning chef Sean Sherman, aka the Sioux Chef, has dedicated his Minneapolis restaurant to decolonized food and honoring indigenous meal traditions READ MORE IN THE ATLAS https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/owamni

Toy Story

February 13, 2024 00:12:16 11.77 MB Downloads: 1

Mexico City is known for its museum and art scene. The collection at El Museo del Juguete Antiguo/ – The Antique Toy Museum – encourages visitors to lean into their imaginations – and reflect on the rich history and culture in this city.

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Robert Is Here

February 12, 2024 00:08:55 8.56 MB Downloads: 0

We go to south Florida and hear the story of a family that took a gamble on a humble roadside stand that blossomed into a fruit emporium and community staple. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/robert-is-here

Library of Congress Hair Collection (Classic)

February 09, 2024 00:14:12 13.63 MB Downloads: 0

This collection, preserved by the United States Library of Congress, features locks of hair from cultural icons from Beethovan to General Ulysses Grant.

Kam Wah Chung & Co Museum

February 08, 2024 00:15:06 14.49 MB Downloads: 0

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.

Welcome Home

February 07, 2024 00:12:21 11.85 MB Downloads: 0

Hear staff stories about places in the world that made them instantly feel at home, from the Big Easy to the Magic Kingdom. WE WANT YOUR STORIES: We’re working on a new slate of episodes that will feature listener stories, and want to hear yours. Tell us about a place that makes you feel at home. What made it special? Have you returned there? What sticks out about this place that makes it unique to you?  Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Just so you know, our mailbox will cut you off after 2 minutes so please call in again if you get disconnected. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@atlasobscura.com.

Moynaq

February 06, 2024 00:15:44 15.1 MB Downloads: 0

A city in Uzbekistan used to be the site of one of the world’s largest seas. Now it’s a dusty reminder of one of the largest and most forgotten environmental disasters.READ MORE: Visit the Stihia website here to learn more about the music festival that happens in Moynaq, including where it may be this year. And this news article is a good primer on some of the current conflicts and issues in the region.

Taquile Island

February 05, 2024 00:11:19 10.86 MB Downloads: 0

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

Père Lachaise Cemetery (Classic)

February 02, 2024 00:15:40 15.04 MB Downloads: 0

Producer Baudelaire Ceus searches for the resting place of famed author Richard Wright among the graves other cultural icons like Gertrude Stein, Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf, and Sadegh HedayatREAD MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pere-lachaise-cemetery

Seeking the (Minnesota-shaped) forest through the trees Part 2

February 01, 2024 00:14:54 14.3 MB Downloads: 0

We pick up the ball from internet sleuths and journalists and find the mysterious maker of a Minnesota-shaped forest, who’s never spoken about his secret project – until now

Seeking The (Minnesota-shaped) Forest Through The Trees - Part 1

January 31, 2024 00:10:44 10.3 MB Downloads: 0

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.

Hello From The Otter Side

January 30, 2024 00:15:23 14.77 MB Downloads: 0

At one time, sea otters had an enormous historical range—from Baja California, up the West Coast, through Alaska, Russia, and Japan. But these days, their levels are low. In this episode, we get an inside look at a groundbreaking program at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is helping to reverse that by getting rescued sea otter pups back to the wild. We produced this episode in partnership with the aquarium. To learn more about the program or get info on visiting, click here.

The Guerrero

January 29, 2024 00:16:40 16.0 MB Downloads: 0

We follow a man’s quest to find the remains of a shipwrecked slave ship off the coast of the Florida Keys, and learn about its forgotten history, mysterious remains, and vital legacy.LEARN MORE: Check out a documentary Karuna Eberl made about the ship – called “ The Guerrero Project.”  She wrote an article about it. A local Florida historian named Gail Swanson wrote a book about the ship, called Slave Ship Guerrero. And of course, you can always get involved with Ken’s organization, Diving With a Purpose.