Places paulbasford Wants to Go

A self-made museum in Queens, New York continues to display the work of a sculptor known for paving his own way.

The Vatican of the movie industry turned into an actual church.

A hidden architectural treasure in New York's Brooklyn.

Come for the waffles, stay for more waffles.

In the back of a nondescript sports bar is a museum-worthy mural by legendary cartoonists.

This speakeasy continues the Prohibition-era legacy of Harlem's jazzy Swing Street.

A uniquely lettered street sign marks the corner where the iconic word game was invented.

Finally, you don't have to be a pious Swedish seaman to relax like one.

A discreet little stairway on St. Nicholas Avenue leads to a quaint and unexpected cobblestone street of 19th century wooden rowhouses.

A collection of fanzines, recordings, and documents detailing the rise and influence of the feminist punk movement.

The crown jewel of the Queens Museum is a nearly 10,000-square-foot architectural model of the city originally built for the 1964 World's Fair.

An oasis of calm amid the chaos of the boardwalk, the museum traces the heritage of this beloved beachside amusement park.

This innocent-looking townhome is actually a subway exit.

Bowl in splendor, if you're lucky.

Detailed facade of a brownstone in Boerum Hill.

Named the fifth most beautiful building in America in 1885, this former courthouse boasts the best view in the Village.

One of the most enjoyable bits of history at Coney Island and “the most romantic ride in the world.”

One of the last Jazz Age "Wonder Theaters" in New York City.

Nikola Tesla's former home contains an homage hidden from plain sight.

This former Norwegian sailor's church is slowly being taken over by ramshackle robot musicians.

Tucked in a nondescript downtown Brooklyn mall is a bar containing a remarkable turn of the century anatomical wax collection last seen in 1920s Berlin.

Read between the lines of the subway map to find the hidden abandoned Civil War fort.

Nondescript elevator doors open to reveal a stunning, surreal world.

Just your average Marie Antoinette–themed speakeasy in an abandoned 19th-century subway tunnel.