The Integratron

I've recently been informed of something awesome: The Integratron. It's a big wood-and-fiberglass dome in the Mojave Desert, built by UFO contactee George Van Tassel upon the instructions of friendly Venusians. Built as a "rejuvenation machine" (a sort of mechanical fountain of youth), the Integratron's dome is supposedly constructed atop an "energy vortex" and shares design features with the Tabernacle of Moses and the King's Chamber inside the Great Pyramid of Giza. From the Wikipedia page on Van Tassel:

Meditating beside Giant Rock in 1951, Van Tassel claimed to have been transported astrally to a huge alien space ship orbiting the earth, where he met the all-wise "Council of Seven Lights." In 1952 Van Tassel reported he had been visited in the flesh by human-appearing, friendly space aliens from Venus, who suggested that he attempt to build a structure aimed at extending human life, to help people take advantage of the wisdom acquired through age. It was of course the Integratron, and it became his apparent obsession for the next 25 years. The structure actually was finished by 1959, but seemed completely non-functional; Van Tassel tinkered with it fruitlessly for the rest of his life. It was supposedly a domed time/energy machine built partially upon the theories of Nikola Tesla. Created to recharge and rejuvenate people's cells, at the behest of an advanced entity with which Van Tassel communicated telepathically, for a coming "Lord" from outer space, it was however not without its risks, according to Van Tassel's theory. An overcharge could make a person spontaneously combust -- or even explode. The wood structure lacks a rotating metal apparatus on the outside which was to be the functioning part. Now it is simply an empty all wood dome, lacking even metal screws or nails. In recent times New Agers have declared the structure a power spot and claim to be rejuvenated by staying there, and experiencing sound baths inside.

Indeed, you can visit the Integratron to try out its powers for yourself. There are various events at the dome, including Sound Baths in which visitors are "bathed" in sound produced by nine quartz crystal "singing bowls." Apparently it's pretty awesome...there's even a Facebook group called I went to the Integratron and good things happened.

You can read an account of a visit to the Integratron, check out photos of the Integratron on Flickr, or read more about it at Wikipedia.

Have you visited the Integratron? Did good or bad things happen? Share your experiences in the comments (or tell us about other neat places!).

(Photos courtesy of Flickr users grabadonut and Alhazred, used under Creative Commons license.)