A working model of the entire San Francisco Bay and much of the Sacramento River Delta, complete with regular tides that change every 14 minutes.

Four glass boxes hover over 1,000 feet in the air to give visitors an unparalleled view of Chicago.

Half-sized replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa built to honor Galileo.

India’s only Brain Museum displays over 200 fascinating ways that your brain might kill you.

The miraculous hydrant that saved the Mission District in 1906.

This one-block alleyway is stuffed with street art that is colorful, cultural, and intensely political.

Radioactivity still cause for concern at this urban explorer's paradise.

Once the largest windmill outside of Holland, with enormous 114 foot sails.

A library built during San Francisco's pioneer times is a student's retreat, bibliophile's sanctuary, and chess player's delight.

A trail weaves through the verses of a poem illustrated by stone sculptures inspired by Native American pictographs.

A modern frieze of ancient Grecian mythological figures playing a national pastime.

The original place where water met land in the City by the Bay is outlined in brass.

A classically inspired temple in Redwood City.

The randomness of this wall of lava lamps helps encrypt up to 10 percent of the internet.

Prone to disastrous fires, the city of San Francisco has the Guardian, a fireboat gifted by residents, to watch over them from the bay.

A classic advertising icon immortalized in regal bronze.

A walk-in working camera obscura produces 360-degree live images of the San Francisco coast.

Centuries of biking history are nestled in the shadow of the birthplace of contemporary mountain biking.

George Lucas donated this park to honor the birthplace of his two biggest movie franchises.

Successful artist residence program has filled this ranch with dozens of sculptures over the years.

Playable, historic pinball machines fill this Alameda museum.

A psychedelic labyrinth on the San Francisco bay.

California's own medieval Italian castle, authentic down to the 300-year-old iron maiden in the dungeon.

Statue of Lenin, from Cold War era Czechoslovakia, now in a neighborhood of Seattle.