History - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

3692 Items Tagged

History

Share Tweet
A selection of Gros Michel bananas, grown in Florida.
food

A Quest for the Gros Michel, the Great Banana of Yesteryear

The forgotten, flavorsome Big Mike is elusive, but not impossible to find.
Natasha Frost February 28, 2018
The 1885 model of Benz's Motorwagen.
roads

An 1888 Road Trip Sparked Germany's Romance With Cars

But now diesel models, at least, could be banned in city centers.
Sarah Laskow February 28, 2018
The vaulted wooden ceiling.
Bamburgh, England

Teak Ceiling at Bamburgh Castle

The medieval-looking hammer beam teak roof may be a Victorian vanity, but it's still absolutely magnificent.
An array of wigs on display.
Joshua Tree, California

Beauty Bubble Salon and Museum

The quirky salon doubles as a retro museum run by the world's leading "hairstorian."
Ulrich Pinder's 1506 urine chart.
manuscripts

What a Chart of Urine Tells Us About the History of Color Printing

A 1506 medical text included a diagnostic guide, but it was best used with caution.
Sarah Laskow February 27, 2018
Gender breakdowns like this one, at a 1904 dinner at the Trocadero Restaurant in London, were not atypical.
restaurants

Why Europe's First Celebrity Chef Named His Dishes After the Rich and Famous

Auguste Escoffier was the all-star genius behind Melba toast.
Natasha Frost February 26, 2018
Marian Anderson in 1940.
libraries

An Incredible Collection of Marian Anderson's Life Is Getting Digitized

The famous singer's archive includes performances, diaries, and scrapbooks.
Sarah Laskow February 26, 2018
The Roman gravestone mounted in the wall of the church.
Herrsching am Ammersee, Germany

Roman Gravestone

A carved grave marker from the 2nd century is mounted in the alcove wall of this Bavarian church.
The cemetery in the Fell's Point historic district.
Baltimore, Maryland

Fell Family Cemetery

Wedged between two sets of row houses is an awkwardly located family graveyard.
The ladder shape composed of red horizontal and vertical lines (center left) dates to older than 64,000 years and was made by Neanderthals.
science

The Earliest European Cave Art Was Made by Neanderthals

A new study suggests that they had the capacity for symbolic behavior.
Natasha Frost February 23, 2018
Plaque close-up.
New York, New York

Nathan Hale Hanging Site

A plaque immortalizes the spot where the early American spy said his famous last words: "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country."
Historical Fortress of Izena Castle.
Izena-son, Japan

Izena Island

Ruins and statues dot the landscape of this tiny island rich with royal history.
A line forms on the left for the King Lud pub in Ludgate Circus, London, c 1890.
bars

Remembering When London's Pubs Were Full at 7 a.m.

Drinking eight pints of beer a day was once routine.
Jessica Furseth February 22, 2018
Grayscale of temple exterior.
Detroit, Michigan

Detroit Masonic Temple

The world’s largest Masonic temple was saved by the White Stripes.
Facade.
New Orleans, Louisiana

United Fruit Company Building

The beautiful, fruit-covered facade hints at this building's former life.
Don't sleep on liverwort.
science

Reimagining How Plants Began to Take Over the Planet

A series of studies takes a new look at the evolution of early land plants.
Sarah Laskow February 19, 2018
The interior of the Anna Göldi museum.
witchcraft

A Museum Dedicated to the 'Last Witch in Europe' Just Got a Million-Dollar Donation

Soon you'll be able to visit the Anna Göldi Museum year-round.
Cara Giaimo February 19, 2018
The history of rabbit domestication is longer and more complicated than has been claimed to be the case.
animals

What We Thought We Knew About Bunnies Was Wrong

Scientists have debunked a centuries-old legend about rabbit domestication.
Natasha Frost February 19, 2018