This titanic oil company sign is a reminder of the Americana boom of the 1970s and also its commoditization.

One of few surviving standpipe water towers in the U.S.

One man's unrequited love stands in a glass box forever.

An abandoned factory along the Mississippi coated by a giant mural.

What was meant to be a temporary exhibit is now a permanent fixture at the St. Louis Zoo filled with beautiful birds.

The first rural cemetery west of the Mississippi is home to the elaborate tombs of St. Louis' local beer barons.

Speak to a companion on the other side of the room loud and clear through this architectural anomaly.

This is not your typical jungle gym.

A creepy sculpture of a decapitated head invites viewers to see St. Louis through its empty eyes.

This mosaic-covered bar is brimming with curated curios.

Less a museum than a bizarre fantasy world created by artists and engineers.

Huge abstract sculptures of the Puerto Rican Flag.

Partially submerged Buddha heads freckle Chicago’s neighborhoods.

A bloodstain from "the wound of the transverberation of the heart."

An eccentric park and pool.

Combination beer garden and music venue in the heart of Wicker Park.

The beloved home to all publications indie, erotic, and punky.

Nonprofit art center that promotes outsider, intuitive, and self-taught art.

The only Bahá'í house of worship in North America and one of only a handful worldwide.

A 19th-century horse lover's bequest led to the construction of this unique fountain in Chicago.

These chunky stone towers out in Lake Michigan are the key to Chicago’s drinking water.

The site of the first couple's first kiss is commemorated by the most adorable presidential monument ever.

This historic hotel invented the chocolate brownie.

This surprising gem is a world-class archeological museum hidden at the University of Chicago.