clairevoon's User Profile - Atlas Obscura

clairevoon

2014
joined atlas
obscura

countries
I've visited

places
I've been

places
I want to go

places
published

The Enduring Haute Couture of a 466-Year Old Kimono House

How Chiso, a relatively obscure Japanese textile firm, keeps an age-old craft fresh.

February 1, 2021

A Great Wave of Hokusai Drawings Resurfaced at the British Museum

“This is definitely one of the greatest discoveries of Hokusai works in a long time."

September 17, 2020

Found: A 1200-Year-Old Olive Oil Soap Factory in the Negev Desert

Excavations in Rahat also turned up ancient board games.

August 27, 2020

The Badass Black Cowboys of Compton, California

A new book honors the Compton Cowboys and the motto they live by: “Streets raised us. Horses saved us.”

How Students Built a 16th-Century Engineer's Book-Reading Machine

The bookwheel helps readers browse eight texts at once. The only problem? It weighs 600 pounds.

The Tiny Town Where Corrugated Iron Becomes Building-Sized Art

In Tirau, New Zealand, a classic construction material takes on a life of its own.

The Library-Themed Livestream Where Birds Stretch Their Wings

A little "library" that's literally for the birds.

secret lives of museums

The Epic Journey of an Exquisite Jade Pagoda

It started life as a jadeite boulder in modern-day Myanmar. Now it's a celebrated part of a Chicago museum.

Was a Classic Chinese Hat an Early Form of Social Distancing?

Zhanjiao futou, or hats with "wings," became a common accessory during the Song Dynasty.

Zoos Make Birthday Cakes From Bugs, Bamboo, Melons, and More

Henry the Aldabra tortoise turned 60 with a massive fruit-and-veggie confection.

Feast Your Eyes on Delectable Clay Replicas of Asian-American Foods

In the past two years, Stephanie H. Shih has folded more than 1,000 ceramic dumplings.

7 Spectacular Libraries You Can Explore From Your Living Room

You can almost smell the old books.

Photographs Capture the Ancient Elegance of Horseshoe Crabs

"Nature is there for you, especially when you need it."

Social Distancing Is Bringing Drive-In Theaters Back to Life

"I really think it’s gonna help the drive-ins. Will it last? Only time will tell."

secret lives of museums

A Loopy Library of Sounds Features Sprinklers, Sirens, and Freud's Toilet

The Museum of Portable Sound normally resides on an iPhone 4S. Now, you can hear it via video chat.

obscura academy

10 Cultural Craft Projects to Calm Your Cooped-Up Kids

Museums around the world have created new ways to play from home.

obscura academy

Lose Yourself in a Mesmerizing, Meticulous Map of the Met

The beloved New York museum comes alive in this massive and mysterious illustration.

A Healing Spirit From 19th-Century Japan Is Back to Face COVID-19

Artists are bringing back Amabie, a 'yōkai' associated with protection from disease.

How to Win a Hair-Freezing Contest in Northern Canada

"Finally, I could have zero-gravity hair!"

disappearing world

An Artist Immortalizes Hong Kong's Neon Signs, One Stitch at a Time

Percy Lam uses embroidery to preserve an art form that's hanging by a thread.

The Surprising Complexity of an Unfinished American Quilt

A community of feminist crafters grapples with a patriotic quilt that a 99-year-old nurse left behind.

December 12, 2019

moveable feasts

A Newly Digitized Menu Collection Shows Off America’s Lost Railroad Cuisine

Once, Americans rode the rails for charbroiled steak, golden French toast, and prunes.

December 2, 2019

To Protest a Feared Extradition Bill, Hongkongers Turn to Mooncakes

A bakery is churning out profane, popular protest pastries.

Meet the Farm Animals That Help One of America’s Busiest Airports Run

At Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, these hungry herds serve an additional purpose beyond simple gardening.