Explore 179 Magic Collections - Atlas Obscura
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A bowl of cinnamon-topped Risengrød.
Gastro Obscura

Christmas Risengrød

This Danish rice pudding appeases wicked elves.
In the 1890s, many magical potatoes were donated to the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford, England.
museums

Why an English Museum Has a Collection of Magic Potatoes

Touch of the rheumatiz? Try carrying around a purloined spud.
Anne Ewbank November 7, 2018
The Magic Shop in Pike's Place Market in Seattle is a classic.
stores

33 of the World's Most Enchanting Local Magic Shops

Atlas Obscura readers share their personal favorites.
Eric Grundhauser November 6, 2018
A succesful dumb supper in action.
food

When ‘Dumb Suppers’ Were a Halloween Love Ritual

To see into the future, young women held mystical meals.
Anne Ewbank October 30, 2018
The allure of a classic magic shop is no illusion.
stores

Help Us Reveal the World's Best Magic Shops

This is no trick, we're collecting recommendations and need your help!
Eric Grundhauser October 9, 2018
A ghirlanda.
museums

6 Unusual Objects From the Macabre History of Magic

Feathered death garlands, a pierced bull's heart, and more.
Sarah Laskow August 29, 2018
The side exterior of the Magic Castle.
architecture

L.A.'s Famed Magic Castle Has an Unlikely Twin

One blueprint gave California two totally different landmarks.
Vanessa Armstrong July 23, 2018
Permanently Closed
São Paulo, Brazil

Ao Rei das Mágicas

São Paulo's oldest magic shop has been hiding in plain sight for nearly four decades.
The inside of Al Flosso's magic shop with some magicians clowning around.
magic

An Insider's Tour of New York's Disappearing Magic History

Peek behind the curtain of once-magnificent venues and the back rooms where magicians share their secrets.
Sarah Laskow June 26, 2018
The Nine Ladies.
Stanton Lees, England

Nine Ladies Stone Circle

Legend says this little-known stone circle is formed from people petrified as punishment for dancing on the Sabbath.
The mysterious elephant.
Catania, Italy

Elephant Fountain

A mysterious ancient elephant said to possess magic powers is now the symbol of a Sicilian city.
Athens, Greece

Magic Sphere of Helios

This mystical orb covered in strange symbols is thought to have been used in ancient Greek magical rituals.
A coconut, hopefully not cursed.
black magic

Why Coconuts Were Accused of Meddling in Politics

The fruits are thought by some to power black magic rituals.
Paula Mejia April 10, 2018
Tintagel, England

Merlin’s Cave

It is said the legendary wizard once lived in this sea cave beneath Tintagel Castle.
'Boy,' the dog of Prince Rupert of the Rhine, is depicted here being killed at the battle of Marston Moor in 1644.
animals

375 Years Later, English Schoolchildren Still Learn About a Magic Propaganda Dog

Prince Rupert of the Rhine's poodle, Boy, was said to be a witch, but it was all fake news.
Eric Grundhauser March 22, 2018
A bowl of picked elderflowers.*
mountains

The Long Tradition of Folk Healing Among Southern Appalachian Women

Whether their practices are rooted in the Bible, Mother Nature, or common sense, there’s no denying that there’s something enchanted in it.
Beth Ward November 21, 2017
A skeleton, found inside the box.
31 days of halloween

Discovering a Rare Box of Ghostly Props in My Dad's Antique Collection

The contents included glowing gloves, a spirit lamp, two skeleton bodysuits, and a ghost with "ectoplasm."
Tony Wolf October 9, 2017
The spells are often more than whispers, but involve rituals as well.
rites and rituals

In Belarus, the Ancient Tradition of Healing Whispers Slowly Disappears

A centuries-old practice with little place in the modern world.
Anika Burgess September 28, 2017