Permanently Closed
New York, New York
The Evolution Store
A terrific purveyor of natural history objects and curios.
Places bjmsam Wants to Go
53
Places I want to go
Places on this traveler's wishlist.
Baltimore, Maryland
Edgar Allan Poe’s Grave
The trials and tribulations of marking Poe’s grave.
Baltimore, Maryland
Papermoon Diner
This beloved Baltimore spot features caged dolls, a giant Pez collection, and many, many mannequins.
Washington, D.C.
Washington Aqueduct Castle Gatehouse
A building shaped like the Army Corps of Engineers logo, because why not?
Washington, D.C.
Ben's Chili Bowl Mural
A gorgeous mural outside a beloved D.C. restaurant pays homage to famous Black Americans.
Washington, D.C.
NIST Newton Apple Tree
A clone of a cloned tree that was so important it allegedly had its own guards.
Washington, D.C.
USNO Master Clock
The most accurate timepiece in the world.
Washington, D.C.
House of the Temple
This imposing Masonic temple a mile from the White House was the first public library in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Florida Avenue Grill
The world's oldest soul food restaurant is also one of its best.
Washington, D.C.
The Mutilated Currency Division
An obscure public service from the U.S. government that redeems burnt, moldy, and soiled old greenbacks.
Washington, D.C.
Ruins of the McMillan Sand Filtration Site at Reservoir Park
An Industrial Revolution-era public work that purified water using nothing but sand.
Washington, D.C.
Titanic Memorial
This lonely waterfront memorial to the men of the Titanic was erected by the "Women of America."
Washington, D.C.
Albert Einstein Bronze Statue
The beloved statue at the National Academy of Sciences is oh so inviting to sit on.
Washington, D.C.
Zero Milestone
A monument in Washington D.C. marks the spot from which all other roads were supposed to stem.
Washington, D.C.
Catacombs of Washington, D.C.
Franciscan monks created a facsimile of the Holy Land for North Americans who couldn’t afford the trip overseas.
Washington, D.C.
Lincoln Book Tower
A three-story tower of books about Abraham Lincoln is one of the more unusual monuments to the president.
Rome, Italy
Sisinnius Fresco in the Basilica San Clemente
A rather vulgar example of the transition from Latin to the Italian vernacular.
Rome, Italy
Basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati
A fortified medieval basilica on the Caelian Hill preserves extraordinary frescoes and one of Rome's most beautiful hidden cloisters.
Rome, Italy
Nymphaeum of Egeria
Roman politician Herodes Atticus built this nymphaeum to honor his wife, whom he may have murdered.
Rome, Italy
Meridian Line of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs
Installed in an act of one-upsmanship, the annual sundial in this church is also a symbolic victory for the Gregorian calendar.
Rome, Italy
Domus Aurea
The engineering wonder and pleasure dome of a much-maligned emperor still holds undiscovered secrets.
Rome, Italy
Via Appia
2300-year-old Roman road connecting the empire.
Rome, Italy
Pyramid of Cestius
The only "Egyptian" pyramid in Europe and the legendary tomb of Remus.
Rome, Italy
The Mouth of Truth
The yawning maw of this pagan visage is said to bite off the hands of liars.
