Washington, D.C.
General Sheridan's Horse Rienzi Winchester
This taxidermy horse was a Civil War hero.
Places rainablackcat Wants to Go
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Places I want to go
Places on this traveler's wishlist.
Washington, D.C.
Mummified Bison
The 28,000-year-old specimen is remarkably intact.
Washington, D.C.
Cher Ami
A heroic pigeon that, through a barrage of gunfire, delivered a message that saved over 100 lives in World War I.
Washington, D.C.
Owney the Postal Dog
A traveling postal dog covered 48 states and more than 140,000 miles, and he lives on as taxidermy, patched up with a rabbit's foot and a pig's ear.
Washington, D.C.
Martha, the Last Passenger Pigeon
The remains of Martha, the last known passenger pigeon, serve as a tool to educate about conservation.
Washington, D.C.
Holodomor Memorial
An easily overlooked memorial to a Ukrainian famine-genocide that killed over 4 million people.
Washington, D.C.
Sergeant Stubby
The most decorated dog of World War I is preserved in the Smithsonian.
Washington, D.C.
National Bonsai Museum
One of the dwarven trees dates back to 1625 and survived the Hiroshima bombing.
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.
The Exorcist Stairs
The site of the climactic scene from the classic horror film is now a historic landmark.
Mexico City, Mexico
Tlachtemalácatl (Mesoamerican Ballgame Stone Ring)
This ancient gaming tool was unearthed during the construction of this former town's central square.
Mexico City, Mexico
Mexico City National Cemetery
Though the name might suggest otherwise, this is an American cemetery.
Mexico City, Mexico
Franz Mayer Museum Courtyard
These museum grounds are a Dalai Lama-declared peace oasis.
Mexico City, Mexico
Xochipilli
The most complete statue of this Aztec god sits a top a throne carved with images of hallucinogenic plants.
Mexico City, Mexico
Biblioteca de México
This "City of Books" holds a museum, library, and the complete personal book collections of five of Mexico's greatest thinkers.
Mexico City, Mexico
Temple of Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl
Underneath the historic center of Mexico City, the remains of a temple dedicated to the Aztec god of the wind.
Mexico City, Mexico
Death Mask of Pakal the Great
The striking jade death mask of an ancient Maya king is displayed in a replica tomb in Mexico City.
Mexico City, Mexico
Baths of Moctezuma
The ruins of the bathhouse used by the ill-fated last Aztec emperor still lie in Chapultepec Park.
Mexico City, Mexico
Disk of Death
This strange sculpture of a menacing skull surrounded by sun rays was discovered at the foot of the Pyramid of the Sun.
Mexico City, Mexico
Santuario Nacional del Angel de la Santa Muerte
A church dedicated to the Mexican skeleton saint.
Mexico City, Mexico
Skull Rack of the Great Temple
A disquieting Aztec sculpture displays hundreds of stone skulls representing the victims of human sacrifice.
Mexico City, Mexico
Biblioteca Vasconcelos
A jaw-dropping "megalibrary" that turns book-browsing into a geometric adventure.
Dzitnup, Mexico
Cenote Xkeken
These azure waters were thought to lead to the Mayan Underworld.
Permanently Closed
Anamosa, Iowa
Hula Hoop Tree
Two hula hoops appeared on the tree after a storm, and the collection kept growing.
