Atlas Obscura

Atlas Obscura is an American-based online magazine and travel company.[1][2][3][4] It was founded in 2009 by author Joshua Foer and documentary filmmaker/author Dylan Thuras.[4][5] It catalogs unusual and obscure travel destinations via user-generated content.[6] The articles on the website cover a number of topics including history, science, food, and obscure places.

Atlas Obscura
Type of site
Online magazine
Available inEnglish
Created byJoshua Foer
Dylan Thuras
URLwww.atlasobscura.com
CommercialYes
Registration2009
Launched2009
OCLC number960889351

History
Co-founder Dylan Thuras at BookCon in June 2019

Thuras and Foer met in 2007, and soon discussed ideas for a different kind of atlas, featuring places not commonly found in guidebooks.[7] They hired a web designer in 2008 and launched Atlas Obscura in 2009.[7]

Sommer Mathis (formerly of The Atlantic's CityLab) was the site's editor-in-chief from 2017 to 2020. She was succeeded by Samir Patel, formerly of Archaeology magazine, who became the site's editorial director in 2020 and editor-in-chief in 2021.

David Plotz remained as the site's CEO for five years (October 2014 – November 2019). Warren Webster, former president and CEO of digital publisher Coveteur, and co-founder of website Patch, assumed the position in March 2020.[8]

Obscura Day
Co-founder Joshua Foer in 2013

In 2010, the site organized the first of the international events known as Obscura Day.[9] Thuras has stated that one of the site's main goals is "Creating a real-world community who are engaging with us, each other and these places and getting away from their computers to actually see them."[7] As of 2021, Atlas Obscura has originated Atlas Obscura Societies organizing local experiences in nine cities, including New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and Seattle.[4][9]

In October 2014, Atlas Obscura hired journalist David Plotz as its CEO.[5] In 2015, Atlas Obscura raised its first round of major funding, securing $2 million from a range of investors and angels including The New York Times.[6] In September 2016, the company published its first book, Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders written by Foer, Thuras, and Ella Morton under Workman Publishing Company.[10][11]

Gastro Obscura

Following a second fundraising effort that netted $7.5 million, in late 2017 the site launched Gastro Obscura, a food section covering "the distinctive food locations of the world."[12]

Publications
  • Joshua Foer, Ella Morton, and Dylan Thuras, Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders, Workman Publishing Company, 2016[13]
  • Dylan Thuras, Rosemary Mosco, and Joy Ang, The Atlas Obscura Explorer's Guide for the World's Most Adventurous Kid, Workman Publishing Company, 2018[14]
  • Cecily Wong and Dylan Thuras, Gastro Obscura: A Food Adventurer's Guide, Workman Publishing Company, ISBN-13: 978-1523502196, 2021
  • Dylan Thuras, Atlas Obscura Explorer's Journal: Let Your Curiosity Be Your Compass, Workman Publishing Company, ISBN-13: 978-1523501731, 2017
  • Atlas Obscura Page-A-Day Calendar 2023: 365 Days of Extraordinary Destinations, Bizarre Phenomena, and Other Hidden Wonders, Workman Publishing Company, ISBN-13: 978-1523516520, 2022

References
  1. Lessley, Sara. "You'll find eclectic L.A. tours like these only at offbeat Atlas Obscura". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  2. Foer, Extracted from Atlas Obscura by Joshua; Thuras, Dylan; Morton, Ella (19 September 2016). "10 of the world's most unusual wonders – chosen by Atlas Obscura". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  3. "Nine of Canada's most curious sights, courtesy of Atlas Obscura". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  4. "About Us". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  5. Kaufman, Leslie (23 November 2014). "Slate's Former Top Editor Takes Helm at Travel Site". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  6. Sawers, Paul (27 February 2015). "Atlas Obscura raises $2M to become a National Geographic for millennials". VentureBeat. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  7. Cooper, Arnie (24 July 2013). "Celebrating Obscurity". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  8. "Warren Webster Will Lead Atlas Obscura". www.adweek.com. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  9. Glusa, Elaine (10 April 2016). "A Day to Explore, Above Ground and Below". The New York Times. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  10. "'Atlas Obscura' Offers a Reference Book for Wonder Seekers". Boston. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  11. Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders. Workman Publishing Company. 2016. ISBN 978-0761169086.
  12. "Atlas Obscura to Expand in Video After Funding Round Led by A+E Networks". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  13. "Reviewed by Andrew Liptak in The Verge". 21 September 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2019.
  14. "Reviewed by Cindy Helms in New York Journal of Books". 18 September 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
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