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Lorcan Ortway turned his lifelong obsession with organized crime into a museum in New York.

This Mobster Museum Was Once One of New York City’s Most Notorious Speakeasies

See shell casings from Bonnie and Clyde’s final shoot out and John Dillinger’s death mask in the Museum of the American Gangster’s unusual collection

A gold-painted statue of Chairman Mao has been erected in a remote part of central China.

Cool Finds

Chinese Capitalists Built a Gigantic, Golden Statue of Chairman Mao

Like the Chairman’s legacy, this 121-foot statue is hard to ignore

A wall of suitcases and photos inside the National Blues Museum.

Switzerland

Twelve New Museums to Visit in 2016

Whether you’re a fossil hunter, a history buff or a basketball fan, you won’t want to miss these 12 must-see museums in the new year

Romanian villagers dress up in real bearskins for ursul.

Cool Finds

Ring in the New Year by Dressing Up as a Bear

Romania’s famed bear dance scares away winter

An Underwater Museum in Egypt Could Bring Thousands of Sunken Relics Into View

The proposed site might revive tourism in Alexandria and also further research into the ancient ruins

The entrance to the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur mall is covered with sparkling archways.

Giant Christmas Displays Are Taking Over Malls Throughout Asia

These malls know how to get into the holiday spirit

Everybody Loves Lists

Our Top Ten Stories of 2015

From treasures buried in glaciers to the racial history of a vanished city in Oregon, here are the most-read stories on Smithsonian.com this year

Artist Sidney Mobell created this gold and jewel-encrusted Monopoly set in 1988. Following strict guidelines put forth from Parker Brothers, the game's manufacturer, he used 24-karat gold and 165 precious stones to create the set, which is valued at about $2 million.

From Teeth to Toilets, This Dazzling Exhibit of Gold Artifacts Has the Midas Touch

An exhibit at New York City’s Museum of American Finance tracks the allure of gold through the centuries

Abstract shapes of glowing-eyed cats would play and pose on top of five or six pedestals along the bridge.

Trending Today

A New San Francisco Overpass Could Be Bedecked With Demonic-Looking Cats

“Catbridge”: Unnerving or adorable?

Trending Today

This Weekend’s Southern Lights Were Nothing Short of Spectacular

The Northern Hemisphere hasn’t yet cornered the market for glorious aurorae

Jon Lovitch stands in front of the 2013 incarnation of GingerBread Lane. The village becomes larger and more elaborate each year.

Behold: The World’s Largest (Three-Ton) Gingerbread Village

Experience the glory of GingerBread Lane

A Stormtrooper Mask

Austria

These Are the “Star Wars” Exhibitions You Are Looking For

Grab your light saber and celebrate the art of the movie series at museums around the world

Part of the Capitol Christmas Tree's splendor comes from marine debris collected along the Alaska coast.

Cool Finds

The Capitol’s Christmas Tree Is (Partially) Made of Trash

Marine debris bedecks a 74-foot tree from Alaska

This architectural drawing shows the VOID that will soon take over suburban Salt Lake City.

Cool Finds

Utah Will Soon Have an Imaginary Theme Park

In 2016, virtual reality fanatics will step into a VR “VOID”

Aurora Borealis over Reykjavik, Iceland

Illegal in Iceland: Quirky Bans From the Land of Fire and Ice

From historical bans on Basques to modern-day naming restrictions, Iceland’s laws leave a lasting impression

The "Great Garuda" seawall will be shaped like Indonesia's national symbol—a mythical, birdlike creature.

Cool Finds

Jakarta Is Building a Gigantic Bird-Shaped Seawall

But will the Great Garuda project be enough to save a sinking city?

The Green Mill Cocktail Lounge, once partially owned by a member of the Chicago mafia syndicate.

Eat (and Drink) Your Way Through Sinatra’s Chicago

See why the Windy City was without a doubt his kind of town

Smart Startup

College Football Fans, Here Is a Vacation Rental Site for You

Looking for lodging near Penn State? How about Ole Miss? Notre Dame alum Mike Doyle wants you to “Rent Like a Champion”

The 14-foot holiday tree at The Corning Museum of Glass contains 2,000 glass ornaments made by a team of glassmakers.

This One-of-a-Kind Christmas Tree Is Made of 2,000 Handmade Glass Ornaments

The Corning Museum in New York has a glittering holiday tradition of its own

A man dressed in a traditional Perchten costume and mask performs during a Perchten festival in the western Austrian village of Kappl, November 13, 2015. Each year in November and January, people in the western Austria regions dress up in Perchten (also known in some regions as Krampus or Tuifl) costumes and parade through the streets to perform a 1,500 year-old pagan ritual to disperse the ghosts of winter.

Austria

The Origin of Krampus, Europe’s Evil Twist on Santa

The mythical holiday beast is once again on the prowl, but beware, he’s making his way across the Atlantic

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