Places Edited by SEANETTA ALLSASS

William Smith's iconic "map that changed the world" is hidden behind a curtain in the Geological Society building.

An unusual ode to the late Irish playwright, complete with a squiggly bust and coffin-shaped bench.

A living memorial to the trees London lost during the Great Storm of 1987.

These ornate arches show how the course of the River Thames has changed.

Colorful murals by Jean Cocteau hide within this peaceful London sanctuary.

A charming 17th-century alley is lined with secondhand bookstores and antiquarian shops.

Along a California highway is a kind of Jurassic Park made of metal.

The beloved bard's garb is proudly displayed within a Freemason's hall.

A little slice of Japan and its aesthetics in London's Holland Park.

A measuring mishap led to these artificial stone ladies losing their stomachs.

Buried for centuries, this hidden cellar is all that remains of London's medieval Whitefriars Monastery.

Tombstones and enigmatic inscriptions hide within a vault beneath a popular London arts venue.

This museum inside a museum tells the story of London's timepieces.

This otherwise ordinary close on the Royal Mile constituted the end of the world for Edinburgh’s poorest residents.

Tucked away in the Tower of London is the weapon once used to execute high-profile prisoners.

This 16th-century house tells the city's history through old artifacts and quirky tales.

The fierce beast perches atop a pedestal marking where the historic City of London gates once stood.

This king penguin is a knighted brigadier of the Norwegian Army.

Summer in Scotland begins with a spectacularly wild and colorful event rooted in ancient pagan traditions.

The world’s first museum dedicated to the history of childhood opened in Edinburgh in 1955.

One of the famous Czech artist's lesser-known Prague installations appears to be a glowing fetus affixed to a drainpipe.

This charming old building's loose connection with the Scottish Reformer is what saved it from demolition after it split apart.

This marine reptile was discovered by one of the 19th century's greatest fossil hunters.

This macabre painting of a Shakespearean scene looks like something out of a nightmare.