MUSEUMS

This pair of men's black leather Blucher ankle boots from the 1840s was found under floor of an old military prison at Weedon, Northants, in 1939.

Lost Soles: When Concealed Shoes Kept Witches Away

The folk magic tradition of concealing shoes to trap witches probably started in the Middle Ages.

Bellagio Fountains in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Top Free Tourist Attraction in Each State

From world-class museums to stunning national parks, here are the top-rated free tourist attractions in all 50 states.

Which offbeat attraction do you want to visit?

The Coolest Offbeat Attraction in All 50 States (and Washington, D.C.)

Let’s take a roadtrip through the country, with stops at a self-flushing latrine, a collection of human brains, and much more.

Pablo Picasso: fond of painting over his own work.

8 Paintings That Were Hiding Something

Just underneath the surface of many paintings, both famous and obscure, is another hidden painting that could have been.

Ai Weiwei Recreated Monet's 'Water Lilies' Using 650,000 LEGO Bricks

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei used LEGO bricks to build a 50-foot long tribute to Monet.

Bizarre Wax Statues of Prince William and Kate Middleton Stun, Repulse Fans Online and in Poland

The royal couple has seen better days.

What’s on Alexander Graham Bell’s Early Audio Recordings? The Mystery Might Finally Be Solved

Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone helped fund his future experiments—some of which have proven tough to decipher.

The Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium is closing its doors.

Believe It or Not: The Ripley’s Odditorium in Atlantic City Is Closing

The monument to everything weird is closing up shop after 26 years.

Punk rock fans are about to have a museum to call their own.

Vegas Calling: The World’s Only Permanent Punk Rock Museum Is Set to Open in Las Vegas in Early 2023

The museum will feature a bar, wedding chapel, and tattoo parlor.

Ruttars' Vineyards in north-eastern Italy.

Italy’s Friuli Venezia Giulia Region Is Covering Visitors’ Train Fare and Museum Fees

In Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy, visitors get the benefit of free transportation and cultural experiences in exchange for their presence.

Museum visitors will now have some new insight into artwork with a questionable history.

In New York, a New Law Will Require Museums to Acknowledge Artwork Stolen by the Nazis

Hitler's Germany stole over 600,000 paintings during World War II. A new law will make sure museum visitors know about it.

A 72-Year-Old Woman Stole a Jacket From Paris’s Musée Picasso and Had It Tailored—Not Realizing It Was Artwork

The 72-year-old museum visitor claimed she had no idea the jacket was part of an art installation.

Take a Sneak Peek Inside "Harry Potter: The Exhibition" at Philadelphia's Franklin Institute

At the Franklin Institute’s Harry Potter exhibition, you can pot Mandrakes, brew potions, visit the Forbidden Forest, and much more.

The Forgotten Generation hasn't forgotten this.

Calling All Gen Xers: The Illinois State Museum Wants Your Help Curating a New Generation X Exhibit

If you were born during the Gen X years—1965 to 1980—the Illinois State Museum might feature your old Trapper Keeper.

Vincent van Gogh continues to surprise scholars.

A Newly Identified Vincent Van Gogh Sketch Is Going on Display for the First Time

The artist has left behind a body of work that keeps expanding. This time, it's a pencil sketch that's been in private hands since 1910.

More Than 1300 Retro Arcade Games From the Museum of Pinball Are Heading to Auction

After announcing its closure, the Museum of Pinball in California is auctioning off hundreds of classic arcade games this month.

The Mystery Model In Gustave Courbet's Most Scandalous Painting

For many years, the nude model for Gustave Courbet's 'L’Origine du monde' remained unknown.

7 Misconceptions About the Renaissance

There are a lot of things we don't quite get right about the Renaissance, including when it actually took place.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is preserving the recollections of over 1000 survivors and family members of victims.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum Is Sharing More Than 1000 Firsthand Accounts of September 11

The 9/11 Museum has compiled over 1000 firsthand accounts from survivors, first responders, and eyewitnesses from one of the most cataclysmic days in American history.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg during a Supreme Court photo shoot in 2006.

Notorious RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Life and Work Will Be the Subject of a New Exhibition at the New-York Historical Society

‘Notorious RBG,’ the bestselling book, has inspired a traveling retrospective dedicated to Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

This iceberg replica is innocent—the toppled wall is inside the museum.

The Iceberg Cometh: A Titanic Museum’s Iceberg Wall Just Toppled in Tennessee

Near, far, wherever you are, an iceberg is plotting revenge after years of being the butt of all your Titanic-themed jokes.

Michelangelo May Have Left a Thumbprint on This Wax Sculpture's Butt

Michelangelo is one of the most celebrated artists in history. While he disliked signing his work, time and humidity changes may have just revealed a thumbprint on a wax butt.

Penner, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

More Than 300 Pairs of Prince’s Custom Shoes Are on Display at Paisley Park

The legendary singer and performer Prince's massive shoe collection is on display at his former home and studio, Paisley Park.

Dorothy's dress displayed at Catholic University's Mullen Library.

One of Dorothy’s Long-Lost Dresses From The Wizard of Oz Was Found Hiding in Plain Sight

One of Judy Garland’s Dorothy dresses from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ was gifted to Catholic University in the 1970s, but nobody had seen it since.