Here's A Peek Inside The Super Elite Club That Counts Elon Musk, James Cameron, And Buzz Aldrin As Members

World history is full of secret clubs with elite members, like Skull and Bones, the Freemasons, the Illuminati. Shrouded in mystery, these clubs become the stuff of legend. In a lavish upper Manhattan townhouse lies the headquarters of similarly legendary, though far less secretive society - The Explorers Club.

Founded in 1904, The Explorers Club is a professional society that serves as a meeting place for explorers, scientists, and just about anyone with an interest in scientific exploration. The Explorers Club funds, promotes, and assists in expeditions around the world, often bringing together business bigwigs like Amazon's Jeff Bezos with enterprising explorers hell-bent on doing things that no one else has done. Among the club's current and historical members are astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong, film director James Cameron, Space-X founder Elon Musk, President Teddy Roosevelt, and aviator Charles Lindbergh.

Located on the Upper East Side, the Explorers Club operates in a Jacobean townhouse that, in style and extravagance, recalls a miniaturized version of the mansions of old-time robber barons.

Recently, New York City-based Business Insider headed uptown to take a look at the priceless historical artifacts and beautiful architecture the Club has been storing there all these years.