The Atlas Obscura Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Was It All A Hoax? Apr 01, 2026

Show notes

Today, we are celebrating the spirit of April Fools’ Day with two stories about hoaxes. One is about a mythical creature in Fouke, Arkansas and the other about a giant sea serpent in a small town of New York.

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Deadly Beard Mar 31, 2026

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For one sixteenth century Austrian mayor, a long, luscious beard was both his claim to fame – and the cause of his downfall.

Read more about Hans Steininger and his deadly beard: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/beard-braunau-steininger-hans

And how about a deep-dive into facial hair culture in 16th century central Europe?

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1468-0424.12538

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The Farewell Spit Mar 30, 2026

Show notes

Daren Grover was on vacation near the top of New Zealand’s South Island when he got a call: some whales needed help. Hundreds of them had stranded on a spot so notorious for whale strandings, it’s cause for celebration when a year goes by without a stranding: the Farewell Spit.

Check out Project Jonah: https://www.projectjonah.org.nz/

Giant searchable database of sustainable seafood (and seafood to avoid) from Monterey Bay Aquarium: https://www.seafoodwatch.org/recommendations

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Exotic Feline Rescue Center (Classic) Mar 27, 2026

Show notes

Long before Joe Exotic got the country talking about big cats, there was Joe Taft – regular guy – who began raising and rescuing these types of felines in Indiana.

MORE: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/exotic-feline-rescue-center-2

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Alone on the Alaskan Frontier Mar 26, 2026

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What drives a person to live in isolation? Meet Sue Aikens, who thrives in the icy expanse of the Arctic. She shares stories of survival, self-discovery, and the wild encounters that continue to shape her life. Her memoir, "North of Ordinary," was just published.

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Meet the Man Visiting 800 Museums in LA Mar 25, 2026

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Todd Lerew has spent a decade visiting every single museum in Los Angeles. He chronicled his journey in his book Also on View: Unique and Unexpected Museums of Greater Los Angeles.

Check out Todd’s map of the museums at Everymuseum.la. Plus, listen to our episode with Jane August who is undertaking a similar project in NYC.

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Alice Austen House Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

In the 1950s, a journalist doing archival research at the Staten Island Historical Society came across a collection of images that stopped him in his tracks. These photos featured women from the 1890s smoking cigarettes, dressed in men’s clothing, showing their petticoats or legs or hair. These photos were taken by a woman named Alice Austen, and Jensen decided to track her down…a trail which led him to the Staten Island poor house.

Today we learn Alice’s story, by visiting the house on Staten Island where she lived for most of her life – before she lost nearly everything – which is today a museum dedicated to her life and work.

Check out the Alice Austen House online: https://aliceausten.org/

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The Barbican Mar 23, 2026

Show notes

You may have heard the phrase 'third place' being used more often as the world started opening up post-pandemic. People were craving somewhere that was neither their home or work, but still a place to focus social connection. But the Barbican, in London, was WAY ahead of its time.

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Tell Us: What Rules Have You Broken? Mar 21, 2026

Show notes

We wanna hear your stories about the times you’ve accidentally broken the rules somewhere foreign to you.

Maybe you went into a temple with your shoes on, when you weren’t supposed to. Maybe you had a drink at a sacred place and were forbidden to enter again. Or maybe you even wound up in a brush with the local police for something minor that’s not against the rules where you live.

Tell us where you went. What happened? Why did you get in trouble? And how did you ultimately get out of it? Give us a call at (315) 992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Or leave us a voice memo at hello@atlasobscura.com.

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Old City Hall Station (Classic) Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

A producer takes a detour for a glimpse of what some call New York’s worst kept secret – a train station that’s been shut down and sealed away for nearly a century.

MORE: Visit the New York Transit Museum’s website to learn how to become a member and book a tour of the station.

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