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atlasobscura 16h ago 29°

Art of Play in Brooklyn, New York

A tiny mechanical bird named Molly has become an unlikely celebrity in Brooklyn. She sings, she dances, and she recently found herself at the center of a very public feud.

atlasobscura 42h ago 9°

World’s Largest M in Platteville, Wisconsin

Four miles northeast of Platteville, a gigantic white “M” dominates the landscape. At 241 feet high and 214 feet wide, it is the world’s largest “M”. Set at a 45-degree angle and facing south, the landmark proudly celebrates the region’s mining heritage.

atlasobscura 20h ago 8°

‘Birds of the World in the Skies Over Alcorcón’ in Alcorcón, Spain

Look up in Alcorcón and you might spot a flock of birds frozen forever in flight. They won’t migrate, sing, or flap their wings, but these colorful creatures have an important story to tell. Birds of the World in the Skies Over Alcorcón, created in 2009 by Peruvian artist Luis Arias Vera, fills Plaza de la Hispanidad with an exuberant celebration of flight and the natural world.

atlasobscura 44h ago 5°

Alton Military Prison Site in Alton, Illinois

Alton, Illinois's State Penitentiary officially opened in 1833, making it the first state prison in Illinois. It was used to incarcerate convicted criminals from across the state and later served as a military prison. During the Civil War, the facility became the Alton Military Prison and was used to hold Confederate prisoners of war. More than 11,000 Confederate soldiers were held there before the prison closed.

atlasobscura 48h ago 4°

Statue of Žorik in Tallinn, Estonia

Žorik was the best-known dog in Tallinn for most of his roughly fifteen years alive, at a time when free-roaming dogs had already grown rare in the city. Born in 2007 in Kalamaja, once a working-class fishing district that has since gentrified, he lost his first owner as a puppy and spent most of his life on the streets nearby.

atlasobscura 22h ago 4°

Steaming Tender Restaurant in Palmer, Massachusetts

Palmer, Massachusetts is a relatively small city around 15 miles from the City of Springfield. It’s the smallest city in the state and it’s one of the handfuls of cities that calls itself a town within the official name. The nickname of the city is "Town of Seven Railroads", and one location in Palmer helps explain why.

atlasobscura 46h ago 3°