Liminal spaces 

are the subject of an internet aesthetic portraying empty or abandoned places

that appear eerie, forlorn, and often surreal. Pertaining to the concept of liminality, liminal spaces
can be places of transition, such as hallways or rest stops, but also include places with a broader
nostalgic appeal, including children's playgrounds or vacant houses. In general, liminal spaces
depict usually busy places shown as unnaturally empty, or imagery intentionally made to appear
unnatural and dream-like.
Research from the Journal of Environmental Psychology has indicated that liminal spaces may
appear eerie or strange because they fall into an uncanny valley of architecture and physical
places. An article from Pulse: the Journal of Science and Culture has attributed this eeriness to
familiar places lacking their usually observed context.
The aesthetic gained popularity in 2019 after a post on 4chan depicting a liminal space
called The Backrooms went viral. Since then, liminal space images have been posted across the
internet, including on Reddit, Twitter, and TikTok.