The Atlas Obscura Guide To Philadelphia

69 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Updated October 25, 2023

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Unusual Attractions in Philadelphia

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Eastern State Penitentiary

World's first "penitentiary," meant to be humane, drove men insane.

Einstein's Brain Slides

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Mütter Museum

America's most famous museum of medical oddities is home to the remains of Albert Einstein's brain.

Main entrance to the cemetery

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Mount Moriah Cemetery

An abandoned cemetery lies in ruins as the surrounding forest swallows it whole.

Magic Garden

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia's Magic Gardens

A layered tribute to the work of mosaicist Isaiah Zagar.

Summer at Shofuso

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Shofuso Japanese House and Garden

Philadelphia boasts one of the best — and most often overlooked — traditional Japanese gardens in North America.

The cave from the front.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cave of Kelpius

Where America's first doomsday cult awaited the end of the world.

A raven statue outside the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site

Tour the dark and beloved poet's former cobwebbed basement, which may have inspired "The Black Cat."

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Wagner Free Institute

A rare view of a preserved Victorian science museum.

See All 69 Things To Do in Philadelphia

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Philadelphia

The backyard features a giant mural by local artist Hawk Krall.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pizza Brain's Museum of Pizza Culture

Enjoy a slice while browsing the world's largest collection of pizza memorabilia.

The interior is a perfect example of turn-of-the-century shop design.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Shane Confectionery

Step into a pastel time capsule where candy is truly dandy.

The old Adam Scheidt Brewing Company in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Old Adam Scheidt Plant

This forgotten building was one of the few Philadelphia-area breweries to survive Prohibition.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Fiume

A tiny, unmarked beer and whiskey bar above an Ethiopian restaurant in West Philly fails to conceal live bluegrass.

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6 Fascinating Medical Marvels in Pennsylvania

In the 1700s and 1800s, Philadelphia was the center of medical scholarship in the United States. The city not only attracted the brightest minds, but also the most curious cases and characters. From the oldest quarantine facility in the country to a museum that memorializes a traveling dental circus, here are six places to marvel at the trials, errors, and triumphs of medical history in Pennsylvania.

Displays at the Weaver Dental Museum include a jumble of dentures.

Explore Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

History 11

Collections 7

Statues 7

Aletrail 6

Museums And Collections 5

Parks 5

Homes 4

Music 4

Houses 4

Architectural Oddities 4

Sacred Spaces 4

Medical Museums 4

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Stories About Philadelphia

There’s something ill-sounding about the Philadelphia prison’s corridors.

Bump in the Night: The Rackety Reason People Think This Prison Is Haunted

Sound and electricity play all kinds of tricks at Eastern State Penitentiary.

by Fayge Horesh

October 4, 2023

Katherine Moore (left) shows vessels for storing and serving food from Pachacámac at the exhibit.

How to Trace Food History With Ancient Leftovers

The Penn Museum's new exhibit showcases the art of edible archaeology.

Talia Young founded Fishadelphia to bring seafood from regional suppliers to economically and culturally diverse communities.

The Scientist Bringing Fresh Fish Back to Philadelphia's Underserved Neighborhoods

Welcome to Fishadelphia.

by Ann Finkbeiner

January 16, 2023

Podcast: Maillardet’s Automaton

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

by The Podcast Team

Podcast: Eastern State Penitentiary

Join us for a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places.

by The Podcast Team

Midas Touch is based off archaeological evidence from an ancient tomb.

The Art of Brewing Historical Beers

Drink like King Midas and George Washington with these brews.

December 7, 2021

(detail) The cover of the first paperback edition of Dracula, published in 1901, from the Rosenbach's collection.

Dracula Lives! (in Philadelphia)

The Rosenbach museum is home to Bram Stoker’s original notes on vampires and a growing collection of undead literature.

October 27, 2021

A smashed pumpkin might be the trick, regardless of the presence of a treat.

Why Is Mischief Night Different From All Other Nights?

How a local tradition has hung on for centuries.

by Dan Nosowitz

October 21, 2021

Lists Featuring Philadelphia

A view of the Cushing Center from the entrance

Brain of Helen Hamilton Gardener

The World's Most Fascinating Displays of Preserved Brains

The mind is a terrible thing to waste.

Including The Cushing Center, Mammalian Brain Collection, and Brain Museum

The House of the Temple.

Statue of George Washington

Novus Ordo Seclorum: 14 Places to Unearth Masonic Secrets

Your best bets for gaining insight into the real history of Freemasonry.

Including Zedekiah's Cave, Masonic Lodge of the Andaz Hotel, and House of the Temple

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