Oklahoma City Underground

Useful Information

Location:	Sheraton Hotel, 1 N Broadway Ave, Oklahoma City. (35.467077, -97.515468)
Open:	All year Mon-Fri 6-20. Closed 01-JAN, Memorial Day, 03-JUL, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, 25-DEC. OKC Underground Tour: All year Mon-Fri 13. [2026]
Fee:	free. OKC Underground Tour: Adults USD 20, Children (12-17) USD 10, Children (0-122) USD 5. [2026]
Classification:	Underground City
Light:	Electric Light
Dimension:	L=1.6 km.
Guided tours:	self guided OKC Underground Tour: L=800 m, D=1.5 h.
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	partly
Bibliography:
Address:	Oklahoma City Underground, 1 N Broadway Ave, Sheraton Hotel, Oklahoma City, OK, Tel: +1-405-235-3500, Tel: +1-405-240-1944.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1931	tunnel built by oilman WB Skirvin to connect his hotel to the newer Skirvin Tower.
1974	first tunnels opened.
1984	tunnels completed with the connection to Leadership Square.
2006	tunnels renovated.

Description

Oklahoma City Underground is a series of tunnels and passageways which connects the skyscrapers in the city center, covering more than 20 blocks. The first tunnels were opened in 1974 and named the Conncourse in honor of Jack Conn, an Oklahoma City banker who also lead the construction. That’s at least what you can read everywhere, but actually the oldest tunnel was built by oilman WB Skirvin in 1931 to connect his hotel to the newer Skirvin Tower. For some reason it was so controversial that it was a central issue in the 1935 mayoral election. They are obviously a good way to avoid the notorious weather, which includes storms and twisters. The tunnels are color coded in pink, lime, orange, yellow, light blue, purple, green, red, and blue neon colours. Each colour represents a tunnel, so when you see the colour you can check the map in which tunnel you are actually. Some passages have only some coloured light, the main light is white to show the exhibited artworks.

The tunnels have a length of about 1.6 km and are full of stores, shops, and even a post office, resembling a regular underpass. But the strange thing is that the entrances are somewhat secret. Normal underpasses have huge public staircases from the streets, so pedestrians can enter them freely. Here they are generally located in the basements and parking garages of big buildings, which are more or less only accessible to tennants. Most entrances has the Banc First Building, but actually it’s easier to enter through the basement of the Sheraton Hotel. Just enter the hotel lobby and take the elevator to the basement. This basement has green fluorescent lights and an underground café, a post office, and a barber shop. Follow the yellow tunnel to an underground Chinese restaurant. Other entrances are at First National Center,

The company OKC Underground Tour offers guided tours which take about 1,5 h. With a minimum of two participants its possible to take such a tour even for individual travellers. Starting point is the lobby of Skirvin Hotel, in the hallway between the ice cream shop and front desk.