Dupont Underground
The tunnels of Dupont Underground Washington opened as an artistic space in late 2016. The underground space occupies about 15,000 square feet and was once a derelict streetcar line. The project was spearheaded by Julian Hunt, who moved to Washington and re-envisioned the space. Artists have used graffiti-style painting to transform the tunnels into works of art. You can see some of the works in the food court of the Dupont Underground. It is located at 19 Dupont Cir NW, Washington, DC 20036.
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Previously, the tunnels were used as storage and a fallout shelter. In the 1990s, they even housed an underground trolley-themed food court. However, most of these tunnels were left to rot until the 2000s. This project gave the space a much-needed face-lift. Today, visitors can enjoy a variety of art installations and immersive live theatre.
Dupont Underground was once used as a fallout shelter during the Cold War, but was eventually shut down for civilian use. After the Cold War, it served as an underground storage facility for supplies. In 1975, however, civilian use of the tunnels ended and the tunnels were closed off to the public. Entrepreneur Geary Stephen Simon transformed the west platform of the tunnels into a twelve-vendor food court. The food court was designed to look like a vintage streetcar.
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The Dupont Underground is located in Dupont Circle in Washington DC. Thousands of people used to use the subway for commutes. Then, it was shut down due to increased motor vehicle use. Today, the historic underground station has been repurposed for art exhibitions and performances. The Dupont Underground began as an electric streetcar in 1890. It was considered a cleaner, more efficient option than horse carriages.
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