Atlas Obscura

Last updated

Atlas Obscura
Atlas Obscura logo.svg
Type of site
Travel and Exploration
Available inEnglish
Founder Joshua Foer Dylan Thuras
CEOLouise Story
URL www.atlasobscura.com
CommercialYes
Registration2009;17 years ago (2009)
Launched2009;17 years ago (2009)
OCLC  number 960889351

Atlas Obscura is an American-based travel and exploration 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 professional and user-generated content, operates group trips to destinations around the world, produces a daily podcast, as well as books, TV and film. [6] The brand covers a number of topics including history, science, food, and obscure places.

Contents

History

Co-founder Dylan Thuras at BookCon in June 2019 Dylan Thuras at BookCon (26553).jpg
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] Annetta Black was the site's first senior editor. [8]

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] Eliza Swann has also taught an online course on alchemy and related practices through Atlas Obscura. [10]

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.

In October 2014, Atlas Obscura hired journalist David Plotz as its CEO. [5] David Plotz was 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. [11]

Co-founder Joshua Foer in 2013 Foer Headshot.jpg
Co-founder Joshua Foer in 2013

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. [12] [13]

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." [14]

In 2019, Series B funding round raised $20 million from investors like Airbnb (lead investor), A+E Networks and New Atlantic Ventures. [15] [16]

In April 2025, Louise Story was announced as their CEO. [17] In November, after disagreements with Story's direction for the company, Foer and Thuras were removed from the company board by shareholder vote. [18]

Publications

References

  1. ↑ Lessley, Sara. "You'll find eclectic L.A. tours like these only at offbeat Atlas Obscura". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  2. ↑ Foer, Extracted from Atlas Obscura by Joshua; Thuras, Dylan; Morton, Ella (September 19, 2016). "10 of the world's most unusual wonders – chosen by Atlas Obscura". The Guardian . Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Nine of Canada's most curious sights, courtesy of Atlas Obscura". The Globe and Mail . Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "About Us". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  5. 1 2 Kaufman, Leslie (November 23, 2014). "Slate's Former Top Editor Takes Helm at Travel Site". The New York Times . Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Sawers, Paul (February 27, 2015). "Atlas Obscura raises $2M to become a National Geographic for millennials". VentureBeat . Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 Cooper, Arnie (July 24, 2013). "Celebrating Obscurity". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  8. ↑ Black, Annetta (October 12, 2009). "Hello from Annetta". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  9. 1 2 Glusa, Elaine (April 10, 2016). "A Day to Explore, Above Ground and Below". The New York Times. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Poems from the Deep: An Introduction to Scrying With Eliza Swann". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved February 26, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Warren Webster Will Lead Atlas Obscura". www.adweek.com. March 2, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2020.
  12. ↑ "'Atlas Obscura' Offers a Reference Book for Wonder Seekers". Boston . September 23, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
  13. ↑ Atlas Obscura: An Explorer's Guide to the World's Hidden Wonders. Workman Publishing Company. 2016. ISBN   978-0761169086.
  14. ↑ Hufford, Austen (August 2, 2017). "Atlas Obscura to Expand in Video After Funding Round Led by A+E Networks". The Wall Street Journal . Retrieved November 26, 2017.
  15. ↑ Alpert, Lukas I. "Airbnb Leads $20 Million Funding Round Into Atlas Obscura". WSJ. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  16. ↑ Guaglione, Sara (January 30, 2023). "Atlas Obscura wants to be profitable before raising funds in a tricky media market". Digiday. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Leading travel community brand Atlas Obscura announces new chief executive officer, Louise Story, and new board member, Sam Wick" . Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  18. ↑ Tani, Max (December 4, 2025). "Staff cuts and strategy squabbles split Atlas Obscura leadership". Semafor.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ↑ "Reviewed by Andrew Liptak in The Verge". September 21, 2016. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  20. ↑ "Reviewed by Cindy Helms in New York Journal of Books". September 18, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
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