Global Seed Vault, Svalbard

A secure seed bank built deep into a mountain near Longyearbyen, holding over a million samples of crop seeds from around the world, as a backup against disaster. Its entrance, a concrete wedge with a glowing art installation, sticks out of the snowy mountainside.

The vault itself isn't open to the public, but you can see the entrance from the road near the airport. The Svalbard Museum and a virtual tour explain how it works.