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
Slovenia mushroom foraging
Slovenia • 6 days, 5 nights
Forest to Table in Alpine Slovenia
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 »
Statue of the Buddha in the main temple
Gadaladeniya Viharaya
McClellan Falls
McClellan Falls
Kraken Habitat
Skye Textile Mill
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Caru' cu Bere
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
Gumbo Hut Shioya
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Inside the Rothko Chapel
These Monuments Showcase the Beauty of Brutalism
2 days ago
Aerial view of Pulau Tiga
The Original ‘Survivor’ Island Changed Television Forever
3 days ago
Obscura Day Summer 2025: Roaming among Assateague's feral island ponies
3 days ago
The main reading room of the Athenaeum.
Obscura Day Summer 2025: Literary Landmarks Across Providence
3 days 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 Washington, D.C. Congressional Garbage Tunnel

Congressional Garbage Tunnel

The tunnel under the Capitol Building where Congress takes out its trash.

Washington, D.C.

Added By
Elliot Carter
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Entrance to the garbage tunnel   Elliot Carter
Entrance to the garbage tunnel   Elliot Carter
Timelapse of the tunnel construction   Google Earth historic imagery
Construction of the tunnel is visible on the right   Architect of the Capitol
  e1savage / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

In the early 2000s, a huge underground visitor center was built under the Capitol’s east plaza, and one of the eagerly anticipated (though rarely mentioned) features was an upgrade to the garbage collection system. Tens of thousands of legislative staff and millions of tourists pass through the building each year, generating a significant amount of rubbish and necessitating this unique bit of sanitation infrastructure.

The quarter-mile trash tunnel improved the visitor experience in the Capitol while also offering enhanced security screening at a safe distance from the building. (It may have additionally been aimed at placating some fussy members of Congress who are paranoid about people going through their trash.)

Work on the tunnel began quietly in February of 2003 and was completed two years later in time for George W. Bush’s second inauguration. The exact location has never been publicly disclosed, but can be worked out by examining the construction site through Google Earth’s historical imagery viewer. Other than Google Earth's satellite images, the only other photo of the tunnel is the third image at top, unwittingly published by the Architect of the Capitol and later deleted. All other photos of the Capitol Visitor Center under construction are angled away from the trash tunnel; presumably, that one was an oversight.

Update June 2019: There's construction going on in Senate Park, but you can still see the tunnel. 

Related Tags

Tunnels Trash Garbage Secret Passages Government Architectural Oddities Infrastructure Architecture Subterranean Sites

Know Before You Go

Lat/Long mark the tunnel entrance on New Jersey Avenue NW.

Community Contributors

Added By

Elliot Carter

Edited By

e1savage

  • e1savage

Published

June 21, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metacrs9754/m1/1/high_res_d/RL31121_2006Jul05.pdf
  • https://www.visitthecapitol.gov/exhibitions/timeline/image/construction-capitol-visitor-center-rtkl-architects-2004
  • http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18422-2004Nov28_2.html
  • https://www.aoc.gov/capitol-buildings/about-us-capitol-building
Congressional Garbage Tunnel
New Jersey Avenue NW & Louisiana Avenue NW
Washington, District of Columbia
United States
38.893068, -77.01015
Get Directions

Nearby Places

George Washington's Townhouse Lots

Washington, D.C.

miles away

Memorial to Japanese-American Patriotism in World War II

Washington, D.C.

miles away

Summerhouse

Washington, D.C.

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

United States

Places 285
Stories 50

Nearby Places

George Washington's Townhouse Lots

Washington, D.C.

miles away

Memorial to Japanese-American Patriotism in World War II

Washington, D.C.

miles away

Summerhouse

Washington, D.C.

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.

United States

Places 285
Stories 50

Related Places

  • Tower of Wind.

    Kawasaki, Japan

    Tower of Wind

    Curious onlookers have suspected this strange structure is a secret government base.

  • The tunnels all look slightly differiently

    Washington, D.C.

    Capitol Building Tunnel System

    Members of Congress have traveled between the buildings on Capitol Hill for a century hidden from tourists, press, and storm clouds.

  • Section of the tunnels

    Milan, Italy

    Milan's Hidden Bomb Shelters

    Vast network of air raid tunnels beneath Lombardy's capital.

  • Predjama Castle, Slovenia

    Predjama, Slovenia

    Predjama Castle

    Castle and secret tunnel withstood a siege until its owner was killed by the Holy Roman Empire, while sitting on the toilet.

  • Clean Rivers Tunnel.

    Washington, D.C.

    Clean Rivers Tunnel

    An 18-mile-long tunnel for sewage waste will soon wind within the bowels of Washington, D.C.

  • Catacombs of Washington, D.C.

    Washington, D.C.

    Catacombs of Washington, D.C.

    Franciscan monks created a facsimile of the Holy Land for North Americans who couldn’t afford the trip overseas.

  • The tunnel of books.

    Yangzhou Shi, China

    Yangzhou Zhongshuge

    Mirrored floors and arched shelves create the illusion of an infinite tunnel of books.

  • A discreet entrance to the White House.

    Washington, D.C.

    Secret Entrance to the White House

    The winding route passes through an enclosed alleyway, two tunnels, and leads to the White House basement.

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.