The Truman show said:
Leaving aside that such a thing is wrong in the first place (see something like Sentinel Island) there are a lot of abandoned and forgotten places, even in your local area. It goes by various names, Urban exploration being a fairly good one an Haikyo being what a lot of Japanese people call it ( http://gakuran.com/the-mysterious-island-in-skyfall-hashima-gunkanjima/ is a good jumping off point if you want the Japanese stuff).
There is a phrase in urban exploration communities along the lines of "take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprints", however there it is a reasonable bet that my microscope collection would have grown several sizes that day (or more likely several microscopes would have been stashed so I could get them later).
One does not need to spend your time hopping fences, dodging security and picking locks either.
Anybody here do it, used to do it, otherwise enjoy it or have something to share? I like the idea and do wander around such places, however that is usually more for trying to find something to ride a bike/skateboard/motorbike on, or find something someone abandoned so as to be able to pull it apart -- I do like old tools that can be still be useful and many old tools still are. Personally I much prefer the old factory/industrial and similar things but a good house also works and a good abandoned train station/tunnel/underground place or garden is worth seeing.
