haunted
Haunted Halloween Harvest
Atlas Obscura Scares Up the Best of the Season
October is our favorite month to celebrate the macabre, the mysterious, and the monstrous. Join us on a wild ride through a landscape of unsolved hauntings, terrifying legends, and hidden places almost too creepy to be real. It’s going to be ghoulish good fun.
Tales of Terror: Ominous animals, a dinner to die for, exploring an ancient netherworld, and more.
astronomy
In October, Our Night Sky is Full of Scary Stories
Stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere can find the demon star Algol, a murdered monster, and victims of vengeful gods.
military history
How Gremlins Went From Fairy Stories to Warplanes to Hollywood Legend
Meet these slippery, mischievous reflections of our anxieties about technology.
An Extra-Creepy Atlas: Create your own Road Trip of the Damned with these unsettling Places you can visit IRL (in this life or the next).
Gardner, Massachusetts
S.K. Pierce Mansion
This historic Victorian mansion is allegedly so haunted that a signed waiver is required to enter.
New Delhi, India
Feroz Shah Kotla
The ruins of a medieval citadel believed to be haunted by a ministry of wish-granting djinns.
Paris, France
Catacombes de Paris
The vast, legendary catacombs hold secrets much stranger than stacked bones.
You Are Fearless. You Have Scrolled Deep Into the Atlas Obscura Crypt.
Venture even deeper into the shadows for more spine-tingling Stories, positively paranormal Places, and other spooky surprises.
Scroll down at your own risk
horror
The Modern Resurrection of the Dybbuk, Demon of Jewish Folklore
How a superstition goes from the Talmud to TikTok.
ancient
In Ancient Egypt, Soul Houses and False Doors Connected the Living and the Dead
Rich or poor, you could reach out to friends and family in the afterlife—and communication went both ways.
witchcraft
The Nightmare of Sleep Paralysis Makes a Comeback in Modern Horror
Centuries-old superstitions about troubled sleep are reawakening thanks to scary movies.
photography
Spine Chilled? Share Your Favorite Spooky Pic and Win!
A trip to Dracula’s Castle in Romania could be in your future, when you enter Atlas Obscura’s Spooky Snaps photo contest.
List
10 Locations from Horror Films of the 1970s and 80s
A spine-tingling tour through cinematic history.
haunted
Why Are There So Many Female Ghosts?
Female ghosts seem to dominate the afterlife. Whether the spirits are real or not, the reasons for the disparity could be revealing.
Still hungry for more mischief and mayhem?
Satisfy your appetite for all things Halloween, from tasty treats to unsolved mysteries, with these classics from years past.
Explore now