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
Píllaro, Ecuador
Casa El Pacto
The devil masks on display at this small museum are part of an annual festival that has been taking place for centuries.
vampires
The Strange Endurance of Consuming Human Blood for Our Health
From draining slain gladiators to modern-day "sangs," people have long looked to blood as a panacea.
19th century
Today's Creepy Clowns Have Roots in Bawdy and Crass 19th-Century Circuses
Pennywise, Art the Clown, and other modern, face-painted menaces recall an era when their kind were strictly adults-only entertainers.
haunted
Podcast: Scary Stories From Real Places
Our contributors share stories from spooky locations they’ve visited and which continue to haunt them.
cemeteries
A Cookbook for Dining With the Dead
Learn to make amaranth skulls, “buried” tamales, and other regional Día de Muertos recipes.
mountains
The Transformation of Pamola, the Protector of Mount Katahdin
How a fearsome Penobscot Nation legend became a mascot of outdoor adventure seekers.
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