Amy Crawford's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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angels

Decoding the Gun-Wielding Angels of Bolivia

The 'angeles arcabuceros' morphed from Catholic messengers to symbols of Indigenous independence.
November 30, 2023
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historic homes

In Colonial Williamsburg, Thieving Rats Save History

Historians owe a debt of gratitude to these furry pilferers.
August 10, 2023
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artists

This Was One of the Most Famous Faces of the 17th Century

But we're only starting to learn the facts of artist Juan de Pareja's life.
May 18, 2023
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artifacts

How Denmark Became a Nation of Metal Detectorists

The valuable ancient artifacts unearthed by these amateur archeologists are now on display at the national museum.
April 6, 2023
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nasa

The Forgotten Women Aquanauts of the 1970s

These scientists spent weeks underwater doing research—and convincing NASA women could also go into space.
March 24, 2023
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linguistics

Meet the Man Collecting Fading Place Names

What do we lose when we forget about locations like "Troll's Cave" and "Window Claw"?
March 10, 2023
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secret lives of museums

Revealing the Risqué Art of Pompeii’s House of the Vettii

Inside the two-decade-long effort to restore the mansion’s colorful frescos.
February 7, 2023
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cities

What Can We See in the Oldest-Known Photographs of Kandahar?

These 72 images are a rare glimpse of an ancient city lost to time and conflict.
January 3, 2023
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virtual worlds

The Archivists Who Rediscovered 700 Years of Irish History

The Virtual Record Treasury is recreating much of what was lost in a Dublin fire a century ago.
July 20, 2022
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archive

What’s Up With Columbia, Maryland’s Quirky Street Names?

From Nodding Night Court to Dove Sail Lane, the town’s address choices are both practical and poetic.
June 16, 2022
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archive

What We Overlooked in King Tut's Tomb

A new exhibit focuses on the Egyptians left out of the story of the most famous archeological find of the 20th century.
June 8, 2022
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explorers

This Is What a Polar Explorer Looks Like

Thirty-three-year-old Harpreet Chandi recently became the first woman of color to make the difficult solo trek to the South Pole.
March 29, 2022
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women's history

Elizabeth Freeman Demanded Her Freedom—and Helped End Slavery in Massachusetts

A monument to the formerly enslaved woman will soon stand in the town she called home.
March 3, 2022
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secret lives of museums

The Museum Where Everything Is on Display

The new Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam takes visitors "backstage" to see its entire $9 billion art collection.
January 21, 2022
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plastic

The Race to Preserve East Germany's Colorful Plastic Past

Meet the conservators trying to keep plastics around longer. It's harder than you think.
November 15, 2021