As a person aged 14 it becomes really aparrent that in life there are choices as to quantity or quality. Should I spend ten years in a particular country or visit 100. Should I visit 1001 places before I die or spend a month at each of the 28 mentioned. I guess the purpose of life is to find a balance, all that considered practicalities come into play such as time and money. All the same it sound like a goal worth persuing - visit the smithsonians top 28 sites.

Brilliant list - more to be added to http://www.facebook.com/BeforeYouDieApp

Awesome..must to learn to know for peoples like us to travel became fortune...expensive..thank you..for publishing good things

Would love to travel to all these places

Would love to travel to all these places

The amazing Dead Sea must be there in the list

Here is a list of the places I've been and seen: Vatican City Sistine Chapel (Vatican Museum) Colosseum Cinque Terre Chichen Itza Tulum Poas National Volcano Park Taj Mahal Elephanta Caves Qutab Minar Agra Fort Humayan's Tomb Mahatma Ghandi's Gravesite French Quarter Niagara Falls Liberty Bell, Philadelphia Independence Hall, Philadelphia Betsy Ross House, Philadelphia Times Square Ellis Island Lincoln Memorial Washington Monument Route 66 Grand Canyon Bridgetown, Barbados U.S Capitol Statue of Liberty Brooklyn Bridge Accademia di Belle Arti Hollywood Walk of Fame Stone Mountain State Park St. Mark's Square I'm sure I'm missing some, but I can't think of them at the moment. Places I'd like to see: Sugarloaf Mountain, Brazil Sydney Opera House CN Tower The Louvre Eiffel Tower Palace of Versailles Champ Elysses Machu Picchu and the Pyramids of Giza were on the list at one point, but I have since removed them.

Years ago the Illustrated London News (I believe) surveyed a number of architects and other notables (Including as I recall Prince Charles) and ran two articles on the selection of the greatest buildings in the world. The Taj Mahal was number two! Number One? It was a place of which I had never heard: Durham Cathedral. The next time in the UK, I took a train to Durham and visited it. The photos I have seen posted don't convey the sense of serenity and beauty within, nor the magnificence of its setting, the building rising magnificently above the river, sited there for defense. (For centuries as Walter Scott wrote, it was "half church of God, half castle 'gainst the Scot.") It was worth the journey

Sureley the Banff National Park & Jasper National Park have to be on everyone's list!! Just look up "Morraine Lake" or "Lake Peyto". Simply breathtaking !

Machu Picchu seems to make everyone's list. Peru is a fantastic place to visit. Miles of untouched beaches, amazing food (from the oceans, mountains and jungle regions) ... and the dollar goes a loooong way.

I have been to these:
Westminster Abbey
Bath
University of Oxford
Westminster Houses of Parliament (Big Ben)
British Museum
Tower of London
CN Tower
Niagara Falls
Old Montreal town
Sydney Opera House
Three sisters mountain (Sydney)
Melbourne Gaol
Great Ocean Road
Sigiriya
Dambulla Rock Temple
Temple of the Sacred Tooth, Kandy
Sri pada
Santhome Cathedral
Eiffel Tower
Notre Dame de Paris
Brussels Square
Vietnam veterans memorial
Lincoln Memorial
Capitol Building
Liberty Bell, Philadelphia
Independence Hall Philadelphia
KL Tower
Hong Kong island
Burj Al Arab

Would like to see:
Pyramids of Giza
Great Wall
Angkor Wat
Times square
Statue of liberty
The terracotta army
Taj Mahal
Sistine Chapel
Vatican city
Colosseum
Dome of the rock Jerusalem
Western wall tunnel Jerusalem
Mount of Olives
Stratford upon Avon
Stonehendge
Petra
Lourdes
Chitchen Itza
Hagia Sophia
Cochin house boats

I compiled a list of about 80 places. The ones marked * are the ones I haven't visited but would like to.

England and Wales:
1.British Museum
2.Cutty Sark
3.Greenwich Maritime Museum
4.Westminster Abbey
5.St Pauls Cathedral.
6.Brompton Oratory.
7.Buckingham Palace
8.Madame Tussauds
9.Tower of London
10.Cardiff town
11.University of Cambridge
12.University of Oxford
13.Bath (The Roman Baths)

Scotland:
Edinburgh Castle*

Canada:
14.CN Tower
15.Niagara Falls
16.Old Montreal Town
17.Ottawa City

U.S.A.
18.Capitol building
19.Vietnam Veterans memorial
20.Lincoln Memorial
21.Sears Tower
22.Lake Michigan
23.The Grand Canyon *
Golden Gate Bridge*
New Orleans*
Yellowstone National Park*
Times Sqaure, New York.*
Central Park*
Statur of Liberty*

India:
24.Taj Mahal*
25.Velankanni shrine
Qutub Minar*
Red Fort*
Elephanta Caves*
Hawa Mahal*

Sri Lanka:
26.Sigiriya
27.Anuradhapura & Polonnaruwa
28.Galle Fort
29.Temple of the tooth relic, Kandy
30.Dambulla Rock temple
Nuwara Eliya
Jaffna

Australia:
31.Sydney Opera House
32.Jenolan caves
33.Seven Sisters
34. Bondi Beach
35. Manly Beach
36. Featherdale Wildlife Park.
37. Old Melbourne Gaol.
Uluru Rock*
The Great Barrier Reef*

France:
37.Eiffel Tower
38.Versailles Palace
39.Notre Dame cathedral
40.The Louvre
Arc de Triomphe.

41.Brussels Square
42.Bruges city

China:
43.The Great wall of China*
44.Hong Kong city

Middle East
Jumeirah Mosque*
Jumeirah Beach*
Wild Wadi Waterpark.*
Deira Gold Souk.*
Burj al Arab.

Kenya
Masai National park.*

Egypt
The Pyramids of Giza.*

Vietnam:
One Pillar Pagoda.*

Italy:
The Vatican*
The Colosseum*
Pantheon*
Sistine Chapel*

Russia:
St. Petersburg*

Cambodia:
Angkor Wat*

Nepal
The Kathmandu Valley*

Bangladesh
Chittagong*

Portugal:
Mosteiro dos jeronimos

Uluru and Kata Tjuta (the latter is the most otherworldly place I've ever seen).

Gros Morne, Newfoundland (the primeval freshwater fjord called Western Brook Pond is staggering).

Copan, Honduras, and Quirigua, Guatemala (a fascinating shared Mayan history; with incomparable arrays of beautifully sculpted stelae).

Carlsbad Caverns (not only spectacular speleothems, but the unique spiraling exit of the bats -- always counterclockwise, viewed from above).

Arenal volcano, Costa Rica (in a resting stage now, but will return to daily booming and spewing, which can be viewed at rather close range).

Sequoia National Park (I thought going there might be ho-hum, since I'd seen photos of the big trees since childhood, but standing beside the giants was an awesome experience).

Yellowstone (here you might well be viewing the next global cataclism), and the Snake River, where basalt outpourings conceal Yellowstone's predecessor calderas).

Channeled Scablands of Washington (world's most gigantic ripples, from world's greatest deluge from burst glacial lake).

Topkapi Palace, Istanbul (the tiles alone are worthy of a pilgrimage).

Dervish Evi, Turkey (where the Whirling Dervishes perform their mesmeric religious ceremony to Medieval musical accompaniment and sonorous chants from Seljuk times).

Tadoussac, Baie Ste. Catherine, Quebec (where the belugas curiously examined us in our zodiac at very close range).

I recommend the blue mosque in Mazar-E-Sharif, Afghanistan. I didn't go there by choice (haha) but once I was there, driving past a mosque constructed from Lapis Lazuli from a tactical vehicle was quite a sight to behold.

Jamaica!!! :)

Perfect

crossing of the river mara by migrating wilderbeast in east africa "massai mara"

I've been to 10 on your list, however, the list is very limited and arbitrary, anyone can make their own list. Here are some of the most exotic places I've been, in no order except the first three listed;

Fez Morocco Medina (most exotic)
Pyramids of Giza Plateau
Teotihuacan, Mexico
Chichen Itza, Mexico
Petra
Pompeii
Buddhist temples and monuments of Thailand
Itaipu Dam, Brazil
Amazon River jungle,Brazil
Havasu Falls, Arizona
Keet Seal, Arizona
Mesa Verde, Colorado
Glacier Bay, Alaska
Swiss Alps (Gornergrat by Zermatt)
Norway's Fjords
Fourteeners of Colorado and California
Sugar Loaf mountain, Rio.
Old town of Istanbul
Kanab Canyon, Grand Canyon, Arizona
Iguassu Falls, Brazil
Fishermans wharf, San Francisco
Old Town Montreal
Vatican Museum
Westminster Palace, London
Stoget, Copenhagen
etc etc etc

Andaman and Nicobar Islands and also the backwaters of Kerala are really amazing...!!!

....and stunning Halong Bay in Vietnam:)

If you’re looking for breaking the monotony of your life, the only cure is to pack your bags and go. But where to go?
I recommend: http://recommendeo.com/2011/10/19/best-pleace-to-visit-in-the-world/

NICARAGUA!!!! (:

see it on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_gDzzYNtv0

i want to add LADAKH.

This is a wonderful, but not inclusive or accessible list of places to visit. Why not publish a list of fully accessible places to see before you die for people with disabilities and/or the aged to possibly visit, please? Thank you.

Fallingwater was truly one of the most amazing places i have ever been to in my life. I have been to 5 out of the 28 on this list, I have experienced alot. But Fallingwater was simply something else. As an architect, its inspiring to witness first hand the vision someone had and was able to make a reality so beautifully for so many people to enjoy for many years after he has passed. I will never forget what it felt like to be there at Fallingwater.

Honestly, not much can compare to standing on the Great Wall of China. A truly humbling and amazing experience.

We made a list of essential landmarks to see before you die, and it looks like the Great Wall and the pyramids are neck and neck with user votes so far: http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/historical-landmarks-to-see-before-i-die

You should make a list for people that can't afford to travel the world of places in the US (or at least the North American continent).

Some I have seen, many more on my "Bucket List". One place that absolutely deserves inclusion is Machu Picchu; an awesone achievement...visually and spiritually breathtaking.

The city of Paris is a must see. Get out and walk the city and see the neighborhoods, the wonderful people, the markets, the gardens, and then do the museums. Paris is amazing!
so i love Paris

I have been to all 7 continents and the most amazing is Antarctica by far. Apart from the amazing beuty, it was the feeling of going somewhere that is truly untouched by the tourism industry until recent times . City & engineering wise is the city of Dubai, i'm going back soon to see if my previous holiday there wasn't just a dream. Dubai is full of eye popping engineering feets that truly amaze.....I promised I would not go to the same destination twice but i'm going to break that promise this once.

Been to 19, but Yellowstone National Park should be addeed to the list.

To me the any sights list that does't contain the old walled city of Jeruselem is truly incomplete,and I am not religous

I got twelve of them, but Yosemite should be on there

The city of Paris is a must see. Get out and walk the city and see the neighborhoods, the wonderful people, the markets, the gardens, and then do the museums. Paris is amazing!

I was at a Sportsman's Expo this weekend & one of the outfitters told me how seeing the woods via dog sled was on his bucket list. Imagine his surprise when I told him that's what I do - dog sledding bucket list adventures! Life Through Dogs Unleash Your Potential in Life!
http://lifethroughdogs.com

Click on the "Galapagos Islands" link and the article and you will find the reason it is listed under "Visit these threatened destinations before they disappear" is the harmful effects of an increase in visitors. That's right: Galapagos Islands is in danger is because of too many visitors. How sadly ironic that here the Smithsonian is recommending more people visit.

There are many beautiful places to visit around the world. I'm always amazed that the Bridge that connects the lower and upper pennisulas of Michigan is not on the list. I think it is the most beautiful bridge I've seen and certaintly a major engineering undertaking as there was a concern about the ice around the supports. I remember as a child hearing that this bridge would never be built. The bridge is also the most beautiful bridge as it is surrounded by the Great Lakes and the pine forest; you can't get any better.

I also suggest "Rainbow Bridge" in the southwest. I remember having a box lunch served under the bridge; it was awesome.

My favorite National Park in the USA is Yellowstone. There just seems like there is everything to see; you have a major waterfalls, gysers, and Mammoth Hotsprings.

If your looking for antiquity try Luxor Egypt or anywhere else in Egypt.

This is a brilliant list. If you love this and want to see stories of people who have accomplished many of these, pop by our website and check out the My Life List 90 at http://www.mylifelist.org.

My Life List is the premiere social network for goal achievers. The tools you find on the site will help you CREATE your Life List, ACT on your goals, and CELEBRATE your accomplishments.

Bill Starr
CEO, MyLifeList.org

The subtitle of the picture and the place showed doesn't match. That's Pompeii.

Niagara Falls Always amazes me. I have been there 10 or 12 times. When my "kids" came back from deployment we all went there (from Ohio) They never had been there before as adults. Now the pictures provide a great memory including the 2 year old granddaughter.
The river and surrounding area is great.

Great post, check out our website for 100 places to see before you die www.100placestovisit(dot)com

This list is surely fun to read, I enjoyed looking at all of the pictures and dreaming about each place. I've only been to the Grand Canyon on your list, but I think it's important for each person to choose a list that is feasible for them and fits in with what they really want to see. I'd rather say that I lived a full life and visited the places that I've always wanted to rather than saying I visited 28 places on someone else's list. I got to walk the 500 mile pilgrimage route on the Camino Francés to Santiago in northern Spain this past year and it was a beautiful experience. Thanks for the list though, it got me dreaming about my own!

To see with the eyes? Some of these places have a tragic history behind them, like the Taj Mahal which has been built by a horrible human being who massacred millions of Hindus. I prefer not to see such a place.

I want to go to all these places but I'm only 12 years old and I'm are ready planing my trip a round the world. And im going to all yhe places on this list.

Great stuff. I wanna add one more that is Berlin, there is many things to do in Berlin if you are looking for historical tour, it offers fun sides and stories that really makes Berlin and it's history live.I have been there and I would like to recommend this place.

It's a wonderful list. I've been to the Louvre and Macchu Pichu. Would like to suggest:
giants Causeway
Alhambra
The Prado and
Manhattan.

All truly marvelous

If you have a Roku box, check out the 50 Places To See Before You Die app. It shows beautiful pictures of 50 Places on your big screen TV. The list was a result of a survey done by BBC.

I went to England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales over the summer and I must say I am surprised, like so many others, that my destinations are not on this list! If I could recommend one place to go it would be The Giant's Causeway in Ireland--so incredibly beautiful. Take a tour. Immerse yourself in nature. In Wales, there is a program called Full-On. I highly recommend you find out about it and do it. It was definitely one of the most empowering and wonderful days of my life. It was the day I realized I can do anything I want to as long as I believe it possible.

I would add the California Redwoods. Go to Yosemite then go west to San Francisco.When you visit the Golden Gate drive north (on Highway 1 if you have time). They are enchanting like another world. Soft sunlight filters through the tall trees to wild ferns and wildflowers with wisps of fog settling along the Pacific in the morning. At night the fog creates a deep quiet like no other place.

I recommend one place, rural India. Maybe the biggest accomplishment in life: how to enjoy this moment regardless of how long is the to do list. Slow down the rush and and get in touch with our senses. Without senses and time to merge in even the greatest list will fail to satisfy. I tell my experience of one year traveling remote "anonymous" villages across India: www.myindiaexperience.com

In addition to the 28 places in my opinion "Persepolis" should also be added to the list.

I was surprised, with my passion for travelling and all my travels that I have only visited 6 of the 28 places? Of course, I think that this list is really incomplete?!? I worked for Royal Caribbean's cruise ship, Splendour of the Seas and have seen and done many other amazing things and been to amazing places, not even mentioned!? For instance, Skydiving over amazing Auckland, NZ, Australia's Great Ocean Road, ziplining over the Costa Rican rain forest, the Panama Canal, feeding giant Stingrays in Cayman, and La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain. So many amazing places to c and do and so little time!?

Newgrange. Older than the pyramids and one of the earliest indicators that humans have long known that the universe is predictable.

Here is a great site for people to create, manage and share bucket lists.

http://www.sharebuckets.com

Check it out and let me know what everybody thinks.

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park, on the Big Island of Hawai`i, should be on anyone's must-see list! Seeing the formation of the newest land on earth is an awesome experience. I consider myself fortunate to have experienced it on multiple occasions.

So many places to see! I would add Sequoia National Park (the giant sequoias are the most massive living things, and they make you seem so small and insignificant) and Yosemite Valley. Both are especially beautiful in the winter.

Dogon Country in Mali- the Cinque-Terre of West Africa, and by far one of the most beautiful places!

Yes, these are wondeful sites. But I think you have left out a great many worthy places.
Teotejuacan has the largest pyramid in the world by volumn. Yes, even bigger than Giza!
The Labrea Tar Pits has produced more fossils than any other site in the wold, and it still continues to crank them out. There are literally millions of bones that have been recoverred from this site!
Carlsbad Caverns is the foremost cavern in the world with astounding formations and galleries!
The Forbidden City in Chna is unsurpassed for its beauty , excuisite design and majesty.
And how could you neglect to mention Mt. Everest???
Madagascar, with its many unique creatures found nowhere else on Earth deserved a mention too. From the Lemur, Aye-Aye, and Galago to the Coelacanth thought to be extinct for 60 million years, the extraordinary wildlife on and around Madagascar must be seen to be believed!

I think you need at least 50 sites on your list!!

Your List Is Amazing.Im 15 now and wish to travel most of the places on your list before I die.

these places are so cool i wish i can visit every single one of these places and by the way great list but maybe someday i will be able to visit every single one of these places and ill take my family along with me!!!!

i been to all these places

Are you really put Jerusalem outside all the lists?
Kind of wierd.

So much wonderful places to go i just wished i could visit all those places, but i dont think i could afford it all :P

thanks for the list,its been always my desire to travel, i'm 26 and i've been in few countries, but none of them is on the list. Same thing,i've never been in any of the place.. But due to this article,i came up to the idea of doing it once or twice in a year.. anyway i think too much work is so boring,and yes..there's a lot of things the world has to offer out there.. and since i am here in UAE now.. i think (Pyramids of Giza) in Egypt would be the best place to start with. thank you guys so much

thanks for posting these wonderfull places.im 41 but i have not visited either of the 28 and by my situation, i dont believe i can have the chance to see even one.

I think everyone should make their own list, and then follow through. Staycation or trip of a lifetime - you get out of it what you put into it.
My top five:
Las Vegas
Hollywood
Macy's Thanksgiving Parade/NY,NY
4th of July in D.C.
My own backyard - no phone, no work, no stress - well, I can dream can't I?

Don't just see nature's most spectacular sites—experience them I would add New Zealand's Milford Sound.

I have seen a number of these but since I am 70 yrs old I think it is time I created a "Bucket List" and included more of them. I have seen the Zen Gardens of Kyoto, the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon. But I think Monument Valley should be there as well as Arches National Park. I also want to see the mysterious towers of Tibet and the Himalayas. Having grown up in Upper Michigan, I saw the Northern Lights magnificently there in the winter. There is so much to see!

Thanks to the absolute inefficiency of the government, not many people have heard of the Ajanta and Ellora complexes in India.

If you like Petra, you will like these. Simply magnificent! The precision engineer that was needed in chiseling the Kailashnatha temple at Ajanta is to be seen to be understood. The complexes should be on the lists of people interested in Petra and Angkor Vat and Tikal....

I truly enjoyed your list of 28 places to visit while traveling. I have been blessed to have visited 11 on your list, plus many more from the list my wife and I created early in our marriage; due to our desire to travel as much as we could during our lives. We are now in our 54th year of marriage and until this last Fall, going strong. Unfortunutlly bad health has cought up to me, and I am not allowed to fly any more due to the threat of Bloodclots in one leg. Ah So that is life; with all of it's good and bad.
Please consider adding to your list some of the following places, from our list, that we have had the pleasure of enjoying: Yosemite valley and the highlands, Yellowstone Park, the Eifel Tower, Hoover Dam, The Gateway Arch, Neuschwanstein Castle, Panama Canal, Ayer's Rock, the Golden Gate Bridge, Teotihuacan,(the Great Pyramids of Mexico), Victoria Falls, Niagra Falls, the subway systems of London or New York, a tour through the Everglades Park, the Copper Canyon Railroad in Mexico, and boating down the Rio Grihalva in Chiapas, Mexico.

Ah, we Americans and our "lists," much like the "Today is Tuesday, it must be Belgium" type fast-food approach to travel. I was born to military parents, so I lived in Germany, Japan and Korea. I have since traveled over most of Western & Central Europe, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, et al -- but what stands out are the EXPERIENCES and the PEOPLE that I have met. It almost seems as if the PLACES or MONUMENTS were just backdrops (and I have been to many of the sites you listed.) Each of us will have different sensations to these places, depending on our own lives, experiences, and reference points. Despite the wondrous sites/places/events that I experienced, traveling to Kamkura, Japan to see the Great Buddha stands out -- not so much because it's an "incredible site" but because that 11 yr old American LIVING in Japan got a bit of insight into the Japanese sense of place, time, culture, etc. DO NOT WORRY IF YOU DON'T EVER GO TO ANY OF THIS PLACES. IMHO, the important thing is not WHERE you've been, but HOW you have lived. Do you have strong family ties? Good friends? Then you are RICH beyond means. Travel certainly is enlightening, but not if you take it like some "To Do" list to check off. As one way said, it's not the destination . . . it's the JOURNEY~

The list is greta, but a question-How does everyone go to the places and still have them exist in the condition they are in?

I agree with all those places as being must-visit. But I also think you should add the Northern Lights of Iceland. When I saw it, I lost my breathe because it is REALLY amazing. It looks unrealistic and dreamlike, very beautiful and romantic

Three years ago I was taken by native people into the lush, dense rain forests of Bella Coola on the West Coast of BC to see numerous ancient petroglyphs carved in the stones on the forest floor. Not much is known about these interesting carvings. Surely they should be preserved and seen.

I want to say that as a single parent, I am very proud that I took my son to ALL seven continents by the time he was 11 years old. He is 20 now and just spent a summer in Uganda, studying primates. He has founded a non-profit called the Pantanal Partnership and will be going to Brazil this summer to help build a school. Such are the results of a life of travel.
In terms of other places that I believe should have made the list, number one is MADAGASCAR, the most amazing place on earth. The others include Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, Khiva, and all of Mongolia.

I expect that that vampire movie series filmed in Forks, Washington will bring attention to the fantastically green American rain forest in Washington state. It is surrounded by stunning rivers, elegant animals & silence. Unbelievable silence. Heaven.

Having worked in a cruise ship for many years enabled me to see almost all places mentioned in the list. However, to truly "see" a place you have to live there & experience it longer which is not possible due to the fast, hectic schedule of those trips. It was a life-changing experience though and there were places you can go to only in a ship, like when we passed over where the Titanic sank, the island in the "Mutiny in the Bounty", the place in the ocean where the winds of South, North, East & West meet, the boundaries of time zones, etc. Also seeing aurora borealis and a volcano exploding as the ship glides through the waters at night is awesome.

Have been to many of these places in my travels but I have to say that the Himalaya, as they stretch from Bhutan, Tibet, Nepal, India and Pakistan have to be considered the most spectacular natural phenomenon on this planet. The more you can lose yourself amongst these abodes of the gods, the more you develop that most precious of gifts, your sense of wonder.
Bruce "Born to Wonder" Diksas November 7, 2009

Since reading this article when it was first publish I have been fortunate to visit Antarctica and see the Iguazu Falls.
In contrast, Antarctica experience was a very surreal harsh world while the Iguazu Falls was spectacular (something I will never forget).

But the funny thing about this list...it's like a subliminal message saying "get out there and see the world!"

-John Delaware Wedding Photographer
http://www.delawareweddingphotographer.net

I have just returned (Oct 17, 2009) from two weeks in Egypt.
I am 84 years of age and had the vacation of my life.
I rode a camel twice, once at Giza when visiting the Pyramids and the other at the Monastery of St.Katherine on Mount Sinai where I saw the Burning Bush.
I swam in the Red Sea at Sharm El Sheik in the Sinai and in the Mediterranean at Alexandria.
A five day cruse on the Nile was another highlight of my trip.
Cairo is one of the most exciting cities I have ever been in.The bazaars and restaurants in Old Cairo, the frantic automobile traffic with pedestrian's playing chicken with the onrushing traffic,the night life that never ends.The wonderful food and the warmth and generosity of the Egyptian people.
I say... go to Egypt for the time of your life.
Dr. Charles R Bender
Sunrise, Florida USA

The USA has plenty of reasons to stay home and see its majesty and history. 1st and foremost,see Yellowstone and spend time to really see it. Walk the geyser basins and get to know what they are all about. Walk to the bottom of Yellowstone Canyon below the lower falls and walk to the brink of the lower falls. Walk the terraces at Mammoth and climb to the top of Mt WAshburn. Remember, this was the 1st National Park in the World let alone the USA. When you think you have covered it, go back and try it in the winter. Surreal experience in the geyser basins and seeing the 308 ft lower falls covered in solid ice is awesome. 2nd it is a must to see Yosemite. Probably the most beautiful and awe-inspiring valley in the world.3rd is the Grand Canyon and see it from both sides and the bottom if possible. It is breathtaking.4th Carlsbad Caverns is an underground wonderland. 5th try to see the giant Sequoias or the Redwoods in California. It is so hard to believe that a tree can be that massive, tall and so old. Mesa Verde for a wonder at our human past is so interesting. Be sure when there to walk through Cliff Palace and the little known jewel, but most interesting trip is through Balcony House. Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon and most especially Arches National Park in Utah. Arches is a little known, but absolutely stunning show of the force of nature. For coastal grandeur try the coast of Maine with its rocks,& hidden beaches. Also if looking for the most beautiful beaches in the USA, look no further than the panhandle of Florida. From Desitin, Ft Walton, and all of Santa Rosa Island off Pensacola Bay and over to Orange beach in southern Alabama, you will find Real white as table sugar sand and clear clean water. I know that I have left out a bunch, but if you do these things you will have a life pleasing experience without every leaving the lower 48. Throw in the Big Bend National Park in Texas and venture out to our largest state, Alaska and you won't ever regret it

One that I would suggest; taking a dip in the Blue Lagoon midwinter in Iceland. It is unreal.

I think you should delete three places from this list and perhaps add a couple.
None of the places in the US mentioned in this list are worthy of being on this list.I went to Fallinwaters PA last month and was utterly disppointed. Nor do I think the Grand Canyon is anything special....there is nothing compared to the other places mentioned in this list.
Fallingwaters is nothing but a tourist's trap and a poor one at that.
The only places in the US that deserve to be on this list are the Yellow Stone National Park and the Red Wood Forest.

As Jim posted, I would like to see a list of "28 in USA", thanks for the good work. Bill May

to Kudakwashe Lionel your not alone.... i only visited grand canyon but that was 7 years ago. = ) im travelling but im surprise the places i already went are not on the list. thanks to this list. i will use it as my guide. tnx.

really well written article, Still need to hit up quite a few of these places and this piece made me want to do it even more. I love travelling and I write a travel blog too http://wewillseetheworld.blogspot.com/ and have touched on a few similar subjects, check it out if you have time :)

To Star Dust, I couldn't disagree with you more. Setting aside the few cranky locals, there are entire communities of people associated with all these wonderous sites whose livlihood is entirely dependent on the "traveling class". I live in a tourist town (Washington, DC)and I shudder to think what would happen if tourism dried up. So, if your budget allows, do your part for the global economy and KEEP ON TRAVELING. Consider Washington, DC, and experience the glories of the capital of the world's oldest democracy (no apologies to Athens; they made this list).

i love this site

I have been doing some serious travelling the last 25 years I have managed to visit all seven continents and have beeen to 24 of your impressive list. In my travelling I have seen hundreds of places that could easily been on tyour list. Many places that qualify are right here in North America. People should really take the time and explore what we have right in our own back yard. Unfortunately because of the high altitude I had to cancell a trip to the high Andes. Will try to get too them next time around. Max

Can someone recommend a manageable (less than 100 - preferably considerably less) limited to the United States?

For some reason, Persepolis, the Okavango Delta, and Victoria Falls are left out.

Imagine! I haven't been to even a single one of those 28 places. Thank you for this impressive list. I've got a long way to go!

Great Stories and truly great places. I have only been to the Great Barrier Reef but i learned that you don't travel to these places to say you've done it. You travel to these places to get inspired and find out about our wonderful earth. Each one of these places is a story. Having said that, I would add the Great Ocean Road and its twelve apostles to the list for the wonder and awe you feel when you see them. Overall great list though.

I have enjoyed the many stories of everyonje adventures in their lives. It is an amazing world we live in. I have been blessed to see 2 places on your list. I was fortunate enough to be in a military family and be stationed in Italy for 4 years. Live for the moments that make your heart skip a beat, take your breath away, make your knees go weak, inspire your world with whatever you do or wherever you go. If you cannot reach these destinations then research them and imagine yourself there. I have always loved the quote, "Today well lived, makes yesterday a dream of happiness and tomorrow a vision of hope." I am not sure who wrote or stated it but, I overheard a gentleman say it to his son one day. Be inspired. That is all this list is for, to inspire you.

Today we added one to our list, having visited Fallingwaters. It is fantastic...a truly amazing creation of man in harmony with nature. We took our kids to the Louvre and Uffizi in one trip a few years ago. It is exciting to see them on the list. We have also been to the Grand Canyon. So we are only up to four from this list, but everywhere we go, we are enthralled with the beauty and wonder and diversity of the world.

Totally agree with you there fluffany. Plus the whole notion of going to these places and "losing" yourself in a an exotic land is really insulting. So you have a bunch of middle aged, middle class americans heading off to "tropical" and "unusual" locations, and they never stop to think that the people they're oogling don't appreciate it. Not anymore than you'd appreciate someone walking down your street in the suburbs and snapping shots of you in your neighborhood.

Are these 'the only wonderful places on Earth'? I don't quite agree with you. Thank God, I had the chance to visit lots of incredible places in the Argentinian Patagonia and it seemed to me I was in a kind of dream. The lakes, the Andes in their great splendor... sitting by the route or trekking at the foot of the Mt Aconcagua is a lifetime experience! And what about the Alps with their white peaks? Watching the summer sunset in the mountains, visiting and interacting with local people... As a true Argentinian and Slovene I can state for sure that either country has everything I need to feel a deep and ever-lasting happiness.

I had been to 16 of the 28 places you mentioned. All those places were amazing. They are must see before you die. I want to add another one who we take it for granted. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA. The architecdural design of the building and the whole shenanigan. There is no place in the world like Vegas. The feeling it give when you first see the place is like those you mentioned.

I am extremely inspired by everyone who posted. I have always had a desire to travel, but I like taking the less road traveled. I have to admit that I shy away from these tourist places but I feel now that some of these are a must. It is so inspiring to know that there is such a large world out there and I have so much time to see it. I am only 16, and as a hopeful photographer, I get so excited seeing all these places. Last summer, I lived in Thailand and I am extremely lucky to be able to go back. (Next destination..... Israel.... then hopefully India....and every other country I can land in )

I'm sure if you asked many elderly people what the most memorable and rewarding experiences of their lives were, these places would only feature sporadically.Sure, there are some places one should make a special effort to see, assuming the experience is not ruined by millions with the same idea! As one reader points out, the Vatican must be on a list like this, but then what about say Kashmir, the Nepal Himalaya (still possibly the most uplifting experience I have had in 22 years as a travel photographer), the desert cities of Rajasthan, the ancient cities of the Silk Road - Samarkand and Bukhara, Cartagena on the Colombian Caribbean,Carnival in Brazil,the perfectly labyrinthine medieval city of Fes in Morocco, the Sahara, the Holy City of Varanasi, and I would suggest the entire country of Vietnam. These have been some of the most rewarding and memorable experiences for me.I found I couldn't get out of Pompei and the Parthenon fast enough. Amongst intense heat and swarms of tourists it is difficult to savour any magic a place has to offer. By this token the Inca Trail is arguably more rewarding than Macchu Pichu.One can miss the real experience by focusing too much on the destination rather than the journey itself! My 2c worth!

I stayed at Bamiyan in a teahouse in December '71 and wandered around before breakfast the next morning in the market before heading over to look at the statues of Buddah. Ironic contrast to (then) modern Afghanistan. The cobalt and cerulian lakes at Bandiamir nearby are like nothing else on the planet. This was before the Russians. Not sure you'd want to go back there right now. Also not so sure about going around checking things off a lifetime goal list. I liked the lady's comment about the sunset today being pretty nice. Until they took it down we liked taking the first tram to the top of Jackson Hole first thing in the morning on a powder day.. Mainly I like waking up alive in the morning and making a pot of coffee before my wife gets up.

I am surprised you did not mention the Capadocia area in Turkey. I have been to 9 from your list so far, and I can easily say that The Roses Valley in Capadocia is one of the most amazing natural places I have ever seen, both geologically and historically.

I , as a boy never expected to see the following, but did. Taj Mahal, Pyramids of Giza, The great wall (walked one mile up at Beijing) In 1995 my guide, on my second visit to China , Yuan Fei, was grecious enough to walk with me up the wall until the buildings below looked like match boxes) Mentally I can see this to this day. What a site to behld. Aurora Borealis, The Louve, Yangtze River,Grand Canyon, As one of the aircraft ,C-46, flying for the Executive HQ following WW II, I covered China and Inner Mongolia, taking Peace Teams from Manchuria to Canton China and from Kung Ming to Shanghat to Patou to Kalgon. Met wonderful people on both sides of the conflict who were gracious and kind, and a shame our mission did not succeed.

In January I decided this would be the year I will begin seeing the world. Our world is so big and there is no way to know how long I will get to enjoy it. So at age 21, I am getting started. I booked a trip to Israel and Jordan (Petra included) for this summer and applied/was excepted to do volunteer work in the Amazon Rain Forest over Spring Break. You can never know how excited I was when my lovely grandmother sent me a copy of your "list of 28 places to see before I die" and I was already going to TWO of them this year! Hurrah! I immediately added "seeing all the Smithsonian's 28" to my life-time goal sheet. :)

I have visited 7 of your wonders but I think my country, Spain, deserves a place in your beautiful list: The Alhambra. There are also many amazing places in your country that are not included: New York, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Disneyworld...The World is an endless list of wonders

My good fortune has taken me to 10 of these places. Like many of you have said, there are many wonderful and amazing places that are not included. I loved the Hermitage & Hagia Sophia - all of Turkey, if truth be told. Petra was a beautiful four days in my life and I spent an entire afternoon just gazing and admiring the Sphinx. Seeing the Galapagos Tortoises was a chilhood dream come true, but Machu Picchu was very disappointing after having spent four days in the Sacred Valley leading up there. The Amazon, an afterthought on my trip through Ecuador became a highlight of my trip to South America. Thank YOU to all of you for sharing your thoughts - is it not lovely to talk about travel.

We agree that Ephesus is a "must see", but then why illustrate it with a picture from Pergamon? (the acropolis Temple of Trajan)

Having been to both Mesa Verde and Canyon de Chelly, I disagree that one can be substituted for the other. Canyon de Chelly is one experience; but be sure to see Mesa Verde--it is worth 2 or 3x the amazement of C de C. And just for the added bonus, go see Montezuma's Castle in Arizona. Now that is an amazing piece of American "ancient" architecture. And as to North American natural wonders, what about Niagara Falls? Wedding cliches aside, the power and magic of the falling water at Horseshoe Falls will renew your reverence for the awesome quality of nature. I wonder, though, in putting Venice on the list, was that Venice, Florida? Or perhaps Venice, California? Or Venice, Italy? Good thing I have been to all three. :-)

I consider myself fortunate to have visited eight of the places discussed in your article. One that I think is missing is Stonehenge. Going there in the very early morning with only a few others was an absolutely astonishing experience and worthy of comparison to the Grand Canyon and Mesa Verde. Sylvia Firth

Although they may not fit nicely into your categories, I am surprised to see there are no sites on your list that capture our nation's history. I am all for experiencing the world's offerings and seeing exotic things, but what kind of message are you sending your readers (the majority of which I assume are Americans) when you don't encourage them to experience our nation's capitol, or walk through Arlington National Cemetery to understand the meaning of the word sacrifice, or to visit one of our battlefields whether it be Valley Forge, Gettysburg or Antietam?

To the soul who said this is a list for the wealthy: not so. I'm a teacher and have been blest to see 4 of the places on this list: Mesa Verde, Grand Canyon, the Louvre and Pompeii. Have a dream, work and save towards it. Eschew cheap thrills for the moment (do you really need a new iPOD?) for the thrills that last a lifetime. You can do it!

There are many amazing places. However, some, such as Galapagos, can't take the traffic of all the people who would like to go there. I'm so glad some folks have taken marvelous pictures to share with the rest of us.

I think that your list is truly awe-inspiring. I have only been to 3 on the list, with my urge to see Machu Pichu being the next. This may lead one to think about establishing a "List" that would encompass the fabulous sites in our own United States. I have been to 47 of our lovely states and each has it's own beauty. Of course, living in Beautiful Door County I have the opportunity to gaze at hundreds of the "Great Northern Lights" throughout the year. Every time it is still breath-taking!

We've traveled widely on 6 continents, including visiting about half of the places on your list. The most beautiful place we have ever been is the Himalayas of Nepal -- most notably the Khumbu region around Mt. Everest and Tengboche monastary. We would also agree with the commentator who mentioned the Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg -- to us the most impressive museum in the world.

Truly there are many splendid sites that our world has for us to discover that to skim all of them down to a mere 28 for me would be impossible. I had a chance to see a few things on the your list but due to money restrictions was not able to during my livings and travelings abroad. Machu Pichu was one of them. I'm extremely surprised that a natural wonder made by the flood, just as was the Grand Canyon, Kentucky's Mammoth Caves did not make the list. Right here to see and experience, and to marvel at the longest cave in the world is truly an experience. This I saw as a child and have never forgotten it. Or the Atacama Desert in San Pedro de Atacama which holds some of the largest salt lakes in the world as well as known for it being the dryest desert in the world is quite incredible. And where else in the world are you going to see flamingos living in a desert? Quite fascinating and truly mind blowing as they survive my eating types of microorganisms and as the betacarotine in the water gives them their vibrant pink color. And the list could go on as I am sure could many others here as well, and each experience reminds me how Great and Wonderful is our God!

Have been to several of the sites, and by way of the computer have see them all..............Thanks.

It's a wonderful list, but since you list 26, why not make it 27 or 28 or 50? Also, how can you justify leaving out the "Center of the Universe" - JERUSALEM and the rest of Israel?

My goodness, To visit just one of these many places was such an experience. I visited the Grand Canyon last year, stood at the edge of it and thought I was certainly in the very presence of God. One can feel the majesty all around. I know that my mouth was wide open and the hair stood up in the back of my head! I will have to visit the remaining 27 places of the world through the National Geographic Magazines that I have collected over the years. I would recommend everyone visit the Biltmore Estates before you die. It too, will take your breath away. Visit during Christmas when it is decorated with the "Reason of the Season", Christmas. It is very captivating and regal indeed. Sincerely, Linda Wempa Dallas,Texas

I've visited 23 of the 28 and have plans to do at least two more this year. The making of lists is endless but, in the case of yours, not mindless. I've been traveling for 30 years and do not regret a minute or a dollar of it!

We have been to most of the places on your list. The most beautiful scenery for four seasons is Yosemite which you did not mention. As for country, we love Turkey, a country of many cultures. The awesome place of old artistic stones and carvings we admire is Angkor Wat. Of course, we thank the countries with their wonderful museums, the British Museum, Metropolitan in New York, Hermitage, Louvre, Alhambra, Uffizi, Cairo, Berlin and many others including the new Capital Museum in Beijing, China.

I have to mention the "mixed up" days and nights of the northern European countries. It is such an experience to walk around all night in summer in St. Petersburg's mysterious atmosphere, merging 22 hours of light with the city's romantic architecture, or in the winter, to witness Finnish children, looking like pork sausages, playing in the park in the dead of...10 a.m.!

This is a wonderful e-mail and I would love to see many of the places mentioned. Do you sponsor tours to any of these destinations? If so, why not include a link to them. If not, why not?

I've visited a few. And they are all worth visiting. But based on all the rhetoric I hear in the media these days concerning global warming, (if it is to be believed), then advocating mass travel around the globe seems to be the kind of thing we ought not to do, because it generates mass quantities of CO2. So I'll see them online.

I have been to a few of the sites mentioned, but would actually like to comment on a post by John Kulczycki. Thank you for mentioning the churches of Lalibela. They are truly spectacular and deserve a place on this list.

My husband and I haven't been to too many of these places, though we've seen our share of lovely sites. I'd add these that we have visited and loved: England's splendid Yorkshire and the Lake District and Scotland's Trossachs (not to mention the incredibly beautiful Highlands). We also remember a breathtaking sunset in Carmel, California. In addition, while nodding to Paris, how could you omit the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame as examples of fabulous feats of engineering? We hope to make it to some more that appear on the list but realize, wistfully, that we'll never accomplish all. (To be completely honest, some don't appeal to us all that much.)

How could anyone come up with a list like this and not include the churches of Lalibela, Ethiopia?! The rock-hewn churches were built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Their age, size, and beauty makes the local legend that some were built by angels seem credible.

I and my family have seen many of the places on the list, and are still amazed that the list did not include Yosemite National Park in California! Its natural wonders are amazing, and many people consider it one of the most beautiful places on earth, and it should have definitely made the list.

First trip, the summer of 1958, covered all the European listed sites. The last trip that included a listed site was in 1996. 20 out of the 28 sites, but at 89, I've stopped. Now I use my world-wide travel experiences to add meaning and understanding of world events and add enjoyment to reading and TV and movie viewing. Thanks for the Smithsonian Life List and thanks to all who posted comments. Happy, rewarding travels!

I have been lucky enough to visit many of your destinations over the years. I could add some one of which, the Bhudda Statues in Bamian Afghanistan were destroyed out of religious hatered, the exquisite frescoes on the walls and ceilings of the caves surrounding the statues. Compare this senseless destruction to the preservation of Hagia Sophia by the Moores when they conquered Constantinople, The Christian symbols and mosaics survive to this day in this architectural masterpiece. My fondest memory is probably Petra, the legacy of the Nabateans. I went there in 1972, it was an adventure to get there from Amman through the desert by Land Rover and then by mule through the the canyon. I must have taken my picture of the first glimps of the Treasury from the same spot as the National Geographic photographer years later. I wonder what damage 'progress' has done to Petra with hotel and other tourist amenities. In 1972 there was nothing except some bedouine sheperds who lived in the caves and tended their herds of sheep and goats and sold 'genuine roman coins' to the few adventurous souls who visited then. Now I am looking forward to a trip to Egypt which holds many jewels ofof antiquity besides the pyramids.

It is exciting and impressive to see how many people have seen and experienced so much of this Smithsonian Life List. I personally have only seen/experienced 5 of them and hope to see and do more on my full life list whenever I can. I wanted to suggest a website for people that either already have a life list or don't, but would like to create one using articles like these as inspiration or by just browsing other people's lists on the site. The site is one of the 'cottage industry' sites that the article mentions called www.elifelist.com. You are able to create, track, and share your list with your friends with pictures, videos, and stories as you finally get to check something off like climbing Kilamanjaro. I will give you full disclosure here, I am one of the co-founders of the site and am proud to say that I recently checked off one of the big items on my list this summer...bicycling across the US.

I was excited to see that I have been to 11 of these great places by the age of 34. I strive to do one major trip each year and hope to go to these and many other amazing places. Its great to see so many people have the passion to experience what this world has to offer. Besides places, it is important that people focus on culture and life experiences as well. My volunteering with Aborigines in Australia was just as amazing as seeing the Taj Mahal and I think that I grew more as a person from the volunteering, so also remember to give of yourself

@40 with the following under the belt: Pompeii Pyramids of Giza Aurora Borealis The Louvre Grand Canyon Parthenon Venice Amazon Rain Forest Galapagos Islands Thanks to all the taxpayers who funded these trips.

Where should you go? CUBA! I just spent a week in Havana and it was truly life changing. The culture, the people where so amazing. Get there before Castro is gone and the embargo is lifted. See a whole different world - in your own back yard! Don't stay in a resort - they are the same all over the world. We stayed in a Casa Particular - a home licensed by the government where you can stay (like a bed and breakfast). To find out more, check out my buddy's blog http://whiteyinhavana.blogspot.com/ viva cuba libre!

Great list! They look amazing...and I'd love to visit. Unfortunately, I've never been to any of these places.

I've seen the Serengeti (or close enough, Ngorongoro crater and Lake Manyara), the Grand Canyon, Mt. Kilimanjaro (though I didn't climb it), and Angkor Wat. Talking about timing, how about a total eclipse of the sun?

It s so funny to read all the comments,who saw more,who traveled more and so on. The point of the travel is not to see,to take a picture but to experience something different,to see over the borders(of our brain).The numbers are just material world,the list of the things we should see are also so stupid. I am asking myself how many of you really get involved by the things you saw. It s always stupid to make list...the world is so beautifull where ever you go...it just depends on what we are searching,and if we can look out of the box. I saw a nice sunset today....i am so happy

I'm 24, I shall master this list someday!

A great list, but the Vatican is a must see!

and what of those who are unable to afford the luxuries of such travel? are they doomed to a lesser existence, to a somehow less fulfilled life? your lists would cost the average traveler a king's ransom when compared to the incomes of the greater populations of the world. this is a club for the wealthy. i will find my happiness in books and pictures.

sadly I have only experienced Tikal, Pompeii, Uffizi and Grand Canyon. nice list

I would add Glacier National Park: so much beauty packed in one place it's not fair for the rest of the world.

Man, among this, Taj Mahal is really cool. I've been there.

I've done 13 of these, But it seems odd to have something as modern as Fallingwater instead of the Terracotta Army, a real world wonder, if only for its scale and vision...

I think it is mostly an impossible task to rank the must sees as there is so much in the world that's worth a visit, this is a good list. I think some of these comments are funny as they are just a checklist of where they've been as if anyone else really cares about their list. What I care about is their impressions and insights. My insight is that to see these sights and marvel at the world and feel the humility that comes with it puts ones life in a realistic perspective.

I find it very interesting that no one has commented on their visit to Tikal. My husband and I were in Guatamela 9 years ago to pickup our then 6 month old adopted daughter. We were able to squeeze in a two day visit to Tikal. The size of the site and the ancient architecture are amazing. I commend you for your selection.

I feel so fortunate to have visited/seen 10 of your 28 places. The first was as a child, growing up in Northern Alberta, where my Father would awaken us in the middle of the night to see the Aurora Borealis. As an adult, I have seen: Pyramids of Giza, The Great Wall, Serengeti, Iguazu Falls, the Louvre, Mount Kilimanjaro, Tarthenon, Amazon Rain Forest, and the Great Barrier Reef. So many more to enjoy. Thank you for the article

Only 11 to go! If wishes were flying horses and I could ride across the skies, or if I had the $60,000 for your private jet trip, I could finish my list in one trip!

I have visited 18 of the places on the list and have most of the rest of them on my "to do" list. During 2007, I visited all 7 continents--a fabulous year of travel. In all, I have visited 68 countries and will visit two more (Burkina Faso and Mali) in February. I plan to keep traveling as long as my money and my knees hold out!

I've been to 23 of the 28 places on the list (not yet to Easter Island, Iguassu, Kyoto, Falling Water, or the Aurora Borealis). I feel compelled to add a few: at least one of the great Gothic cathedrals such as Chartres, the Potala of Lhasa, one of the splendid Islamic centers such as Isfahan or Samarkand or the Alhambra, the temples of South India, and Rome....

I have visited Mesa Verde,Pompeii,the Louvre, The Zen Garden of Kyoto, the the Grand Canyon bottom,the Uffizi Gallery,the Parthenon, and Venice. I look forward to more visits.

I'm happy to say I have visited 11 of the 28 places on the list. And I have a couple more coming up the the next year or so. And when I retire I will have time to see the rest and hopefully have the money to do so! If you ever have a list of things to EXPERIENCE without needing any particular skills, I would add listening to the dawn chorus (of birds) under the Cathedral Fig Tree in the Atherton Tablelands, Australia. I have never forgotten that symphony of avian vocals! Karen Giorgianni

My husband and I have seen six of the twenty-eight. They are Mesa Verde, Pompeii,Aurora Borealis(only him),Uffizi Gallery, Grand Canyon and Venice. We would like to see some of the others mentioned but as we are getting on in years, probably won't make it.

I have been to the Pyramids of Giza (3X)(inside 2 of the main 3, sat between the paws of the Sphynx, and visited an underground tomb that had just been discovered), the Louvre, saw a weak Aurora Borealis in Denali National Park, Canyon de Chelly (as someone else mentioned a substitute for Mesa Verde), Grand Canyon, Venice, Ephesus, Fallingwater (2X), and the Parthenon (3X). The first time I was able to actually walk up the steps and onto the floor. There was no one else there and so I was able to spend a lot of time looking for all the special features mentioned in an old book I had found. Additionally I have driven through all 50 states most 2X), often getting off the main roads and not only going to the main attractions but having many memorable experiences in out-of-the-way places(such as waking up one morning and finding myself in the middle of a migrant worker camp in the Gila National Forest.)

We have only managed 2 things on your list, but we did them well. I didn't want to be one of the people who stood on the rim of the Grand Canyon and said "WOW" and then went home. We did a 7 day rafting trip, with side hikes so we could experience the canyon. Then we rented a car and drove to the south rim to see from the top where we had been. When we went to Mesa Verde we climbed down to Cliff Palace, and walked to one of the other villages. These were part of the best vacation we had ever had.

I've been to 15 of the 28, and when possible, I haven't just "seen" them but have been fortunate have have had enhanced experiences. My husband, my son and I climbed Kilimanjaro. With a group of friends, my husband and I hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and up to the Tonto Platform to camp and hiked back out, and on another trip, we rafted it. We rented a car on Easter Island to see the moai at sunrise and spent hours gazing at the ocean waves crashing against the cliffs. We visited the Galapagos on a small sailboat and Antarctica on a small passenger ship. We took a boat up the Yangtze before the Three Gorges Dam was completed, and I returned once it had been. "Only" snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef made me feel like a spectator, so I got my scuba certification so that I could dive it the next time adn feel like a participant. Some of the places on your life list that I haven't seen yet are also on my life list. And of course, there are far more than 28 compelling splendid places in the world. I can only imagine the debates when it came to narrowing them down. Claire Walter @ http://travel-babel.blogspot.com

I'm glad to say I have visted 5 of the 28. My five are (1) the Louvre, (2) the Uffizi Gallery; (3) Venice; (4) Pompeii; and (5) the Grand Canyon. In fact I'm taking my son and family to the Grand Canyon this spring so they can be amazed by its wonder. I'm sorry Rome with the Pantheon was not included in your list.

I have been fortunate to visit 9 of the places listed....so many more to go...one of the places, the Galapagos Islands, I loved so much I went twice, most recently this year. It is likley my favorite place in the world.

My wife and I have been fortunate to visit only four of "The 28 places to see before you die", described in the January 2008 issue of the Smithsonian magazine. These four are (1) The Louvre; (2) the Uffizi Gallery; ((3) the Parthenon; and (4) Venice. However, I enjoyed reading about the other 24. Your description of them makes me feel almost like I have been there. I enjoy reading the Smithsonian Magazine each month.

I am amazed so few suggestions were made about deleting or adding to your list. Why oh why was the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg not on your list? I think it would be more important to see it then Fallingwater. As to Aurora Borealis why go to Alaska to see it? Many years ago, as a grade school student I watched it one cold winter night from the front porch of my house in Cleveland, Ohio.

We are both 80 this year and have been lucky enough to see 21 sights on your list. Hopefully we can manage two more, but travel has gotten so expensive that I doubt if we'll ever see all 28. However, we have been on all seven continents and seen many wounderful sights not on your list.

At 46, I have yet to visit any of these places on the list. But I have resolved to visit all of them (one per year), within the next 28 years (God willing I live so long). This year I plan to visit Mesa Verde.

We have been fortunate to have visited 15 of the 28 sites. Mesa Verde, Pompeii, Petra and the Pyramids of Giza last month, Machu Picchu, The Louvre, Uffizi Gallery, Fallingwater, Grand Canyon, Parthenon, Ephesus, Venice, Amazon Rain Forest, Great Barrier Reef and the Galapagos Islands. We will visit Angkor Wat in 2008 and several others are on our list for the future. There are so many wonderful places to experience in this world. We are thankful to have the opportunity.

Ihave been to the Great Barrier Reef once, Galapagos Islands twice and the amazon rain forest 17 times. I have traveled most of europe, russia, all of the US and most of central america but have always returned to the amazon basin and to rainforests all over the world. These are the most exciting, beautiful places in the world. They take you out side of yourself. They are also being destroyed at an incredible rate. Having been in and out of the amazon area so many times over a period of 20 years, seeing the damage is heart breaking. The Galapagos are being developed to death and the same fate is befalling the Great Barrier Reef.

I have been fortunate enough to have visited: Taj Mahal, Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Uffizi Gallery, Venice, Louvre, Fallingwater, Parthenon and this year, Ephesus. It's so hard to compile a list, the world holds so many beautiful places but I'm glad your list is a combination of natural and human wonders. I would add Ayers Rock, which was on my must-see list and I did go there. I treasure all my travels but am always open to new adventures.

We have been lucky enough to have visited 10* of the 28 listed - would that there could have been more. I do agree with WP Mallow's comment about the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and would also like to add the Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia iin central Turkey. *Technically, only 9 but we substituted Canyon de Chelly in southern Arizona for Mesa Verde--explored both on foot and by small Piper Cub in the air.

I have been to 11 of the 28 places featured in the January 2008 issue 2 more than once. Mesa Verde, Pyramids of Giza, Great Wall, Northern Lights, the Louvre(three times) Zen Garden Kyoto, Uffizi Gallery, Grand Canyon (three times), Parthenon, Venice and the Yangtze River. In 2008 I would like to visit either Angkor Wat or Petra. There really are so many wonderful places to see on earth. But as Catherine says so little time.

We accomplished one of our retirement goals this year. We have now visited all seven continents. Our travels have included 14 of your 28 sites. We are scheduled to travel to two more next month. One of the most impressive places is Ephesus. It not only demonstrates the social and physical structures of past civilizations, it brings the bible to life also. You have made wise choices for a vast and wonderful world.

We were pleased to note that we have seen 20 of the 28 places you featured.... working on the other 8!! Some of them(Parthenon) seen with a Smithsonian tour. AS you say, there is always another destination, but as we are both in our 70"s time is fleeting!!

The 28 was interesting but it is clear that there is a bias which ignores the greatest Roman structure, with a dome, build between the Pantheon and Florence Duomo. The Great Church, Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom), in Constantinople is an example of the Roman arch pushed to its limits. There was no larger structure built from 537 to 1520 anywhere in Europe, and today it is fourth. This qualifies as a “feat of engineering”, by physicist Isidore of Miletus and the mathematician Anthemius of Tralles, and “in the presence of gods”, a true sense that these people had a god, and “triumphs of vision” by Emperor Justinian I, “Solomon, I have surpassed thee”.

I have been fortunate to have visited 19 of Smithsonian's Life List: Pompeii, Petra, Pyramids of Giza, Taj Mahal, The Great Wall, Serengeti, Iguazu Falls, Machu Picchu, The Louvre, Zen Garden of Kyoto, Ufizzi Gallery, Yangtze River, Mount Kilimanjaro, Grand Canyon, Parthenon, Ephesus, Venice, Great Barrier Reef, and the Galapagos Islands.

I have visited 4 of the places mentioned; the pyramids at Giza, Iguazu Falls, the Grand Canyon, twice and the Louvre three times. There are lots of places still to be visited, but so little time!

I enjoyed your list of 28 places. I have been to 19 of them, just having completed the trip to Antarctica on an expedition ship (not the one that sank). I would like to add one more. Both my husband and I agree that Papua New Guinea should be on that list. Going on the river and in the highlands and visiting the people and seeing the lushness of the country is not to be missed.