Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Old Town Hall Bank Museum And Exhibit Hall
The Old Town Hall Bank Museum and Exhibit Hall
Der Mensch bezwingt den Kosmos (The Potsdam Mosaic)
De Tijdtrap
Qadian rooftop, Minaratul Masih, and Masjid Mubarak.
Aqsa Mosque
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Solo travel can be challenging and sometimes lonely, but it also often leads to the greatest adventures.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Unplug on a Solo Trip?
about 9 hours ago
Museum of Friends
The Art in This Museum Was Donated for Free
about 10 hours ago
Grasshopper Chapel and grounds.
How the Rocky Mountain Locust Plague Spawned Federal Disaster Relief
1 day ago
The Guy Bradley Visitor Center at Flamingo in Everglades National Park.
America’s First Game Warden Died Fighting for the Birds
1 day ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Oklahoma Tulsa The Center of the Universe

The Center of the Universe

An acoustic anomaly with a mysterious cause.

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
The Center of the Universe, Tulsa OK.   jill, jellidonut... whatever
The Center of the Universe, Tulsa OK.   jill, jellidonut... whatever
The Center of the Universe, Tulsa OK   jill, jellidonut... whatever
Artificial Cloud statue and circle  
Looking up at the Center of the Universe   Figgz / Atlas Obscura User
March 22, 2021   biodieselbarry / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Center of the Universe - Downtown Tulsa, OK   snapshotfreak / Atlas Obscura User
Center of Universe May 2021   JulsMaya / Atlas Obscura User
  leannatron / Atlas Obscura User
  notoriousFIG / Atlas Obscura User
Center of the Universe in the middle of Oklahoma.   David Evers
Looking down from the Center of the Universe.   Angela Severn
Center of the Universe - Downtown Tulsa, OK   snapshotfreak / Atlas Obscura User
Artificial Cloud sculpture next to Center of the Universe.   jill, jellidonut... whatever
Some graffit on the circle during this visit. [Taken April 2020]   donnatalarico / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The so-called Center of the Universe in downtown Tulsa is marked by a small concrete circle in the middle of a larger circle of bricks. It's not much to look at, but looking isn't really the point.

The "Center of the Universe" is a little-known mysterious acoustic phenomenon. If you stand in the middle of the circle and make a noise, the sound is echoed back several times louder than it was made. It's your own private amplified echo chamber.

As the legend goes, a foghorn could be going off in the center of the circle and those on the outside wouldn’t hear it. This may be an exaggeration, but your voice does sound extremely distorted when heard from outside the circle. It's an incredible effect.

Like the Lake George Mystery Spot—another acoustical vortex that seems to defy the laws of physics—the effect is thought to be caused by the sound reflecting off a circular wall, in this case a nearby planter. Still, though many people have studied the cause of the odd anomaly there's no clear consensus. Whatever the causes of this natural sonic distortion may be, it is truly an amazing place.

Related Tags

Geographic Markers Sounds Science Monuments

Know Before You Go

A brick path leads to the pedestrian bridge that goes over the railroad tracks, accessible from the corner of W. Archer St. and N. Boston Ave. It is located directly northwest of the old Union Train Depot (now the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame), and immediately north of the Williams Center Tower. A stone's throw away from the Center of the Universe is another Tulsa landmark, the "Artificial Cloud" statue.

Community Contributors

Edited By

shatomica, wrwilbanks, Meg, notoriousFIG...

  • shatomica
  • wrwilbanks
  • Meg
  • notoriousFIG
  • Collector of Experiences
  • leannatron
  • JulsMaya
  • donnatalarico
  • snapshotfreak
  • biodieselbarry
  • Figgz
  • c99j6hjh64

Published

October 6, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.unbelievable-facts.com/2016/10/center-of-the-universe-tulsa.html
  • http://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/how-was-the-center-of-the-universe-spot-in-downtown-tulsa-created
The Center of the Universe
20 E Archer St
Tulsa, Oklahoma
United States
36.156924, -95.991527
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Woody Guthrie Center

Tulsa, Oklahoma

miles away

BOK Tower

Tulsa, Oklahoma

miles away

The Blue Dome

Tulsa, Oklahoma

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tulsa

Tulsa

Oklahoma

Places 16
Stories 4

Nearby Places

Woody Guthrie Center

Tulsa, Oklahoma

miles away

BOK Tower

Tulsa, Oklahoma

miles away

The Blue Dome

Tulsa, Oklahoma

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Tulsa

Tulsa

Oklahoma

Places 16
Stories 4

Related Stories and Lists

Tell Us About the Most Amazing Parts of Tulsa, Oklahoma!

atlas obscura

By Eric Grundhauser

Haunted Milk Bar, Pyramids of Zone and the 8 Best Places From This Week

list

By Meg Neal

Related Places

  • Polotsk, Belarus

    Geographic Center of Europe

    A monument in the Belarusian city of Polotsk claims to mark the exact midpoint of the European continent.

  • Écaussinnes, Belgium

    ‘Bonhomme de Fer’ (‘The Iron Man’)

    This human-shaped statue is actually a geodesic station.

  • Tri-States Monument and Delaware River

    Port Jervis, New York

    Tri-States Monument

    A pair of 19th-century granite markers symbolically record where the state boundaries of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania intersect.

  • 49th Parallel North Monument in Prešov, Slovakia

    Prešov, Slovakia

    49th Parallel North Monument

    A quirky monument to the 49th parallel in downtown Prešov, Slovakia.

  • Monument to the geographic center of Belgium

    Walhain, Belgium

    Geographic Center of Belgium

    This metal monument marking the middle of Belgium represents three regions coming together to form one country.

  • Leuven, Belgium

    Middelpunt van Leuven

    This unassuming stone bollard is a centuries-old marker denoting the center of the city.

  • Buggenhout, Belgium

    Middelpunt van Vlaanderen

    The geographic midpoint of the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium.

  • Beach at Basin Head

    Souris, Prince Edward Island

    Singing Sands Beach

    A walk along this white sand beach creates a symphony.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.