Underground Washington

Officials say the digging on the White House lawn is just for utility upgrades. But Washington’s height restrictions and security concerns have led to a long history of subterranean expansion.

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Walls obscure excavation on the grounds of the White House. Officials said the digging was for utility work.

Marvin Joseph / THE WASHINGTON POST

The large hole suggests the possibility of further underground construction at the White House, already home to the subterranean Situation Room and a nuclear shelter.

J. Scott Applewhite / AP

The Greenbrier resort in West Virginia was home to a Cold War-era bunker built to house the government in the event of a nuclear attack. It's now open for tours.

Alex Wong / Getty Images

A 25-ton blast-proof door led into the bunker under the Greenbrier, which was kept operationally ready until 1995.

Alex Wong / Getty Images

The skylights in the roof of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center offer a view of the building's dome. The center is three-quarters the size of the Capitol itself.

Michel du Cille / THE WASHINGTON POST

The National Aquarium is in the basement of the Commerce Department.

DOMINIC BRACCO II / THE WASHINGTON POST

Much of the Smithsonian's Sackler Gallery is underground.

/ Courtesy of the Freer and Sackler Galleries

Among the pieces of intel convicted spy Robert P. Hanssen was said to have passed to Russia was the alleged existence of a secret tunnel to the Russian Embassy in Glover Park, used by U.S. agencies for eavesdropping.

MARIO TAMA / AFP

The Metro system is a familiar part of underground Washington.

Andrea Bruce / THE WASHINGTON POST

When neighbors sought to find out the source of loud construction blasts at the Naval Observatory, residence of the vice president, in 2002, they were told that "project-specific information is classified."

David Bohrer / THE WHITE HOUSE

With space on the Mall at a premium, the designers of the planned visitors center at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial are also producing a design that will build down, not up.

Win McNamee / GETTY IMAGES

Featured Photo Galleries

In this image released by the Miss Universe Organization, Miss Washington USA 2012, Christina Clarke; Miss West Virginia USA 2012, Andrea Rogers; and Miss Wisconsin USA 2012, Emily Guerin compete in their swimwear by Kooey Australia and fashion footwear by Chinese Laundry during the 2012 Miss USA Presentation Show on May 30, 2012 at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino Theatre for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 2012 MISS USA Pageant will air LIVE on NBC June 3 at 9:00 p.m. ET from the Theatre for Performing Arts in Las Vegas. = RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT 'AFP PHOTO / Miss Universe Organization / DARREN DECKER' - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS =DARREN DECKER/AFP/GettyImages

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NEW YORK, NY - MAY 30: Jon Stewart attends the Sesame Street Workshop 10th Annual Benefit Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on May 30, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

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Jon Stewart, Justin Bieber, Bruce Springsteen, Lil Wayne, Michelle Williams and other celebrities.

The SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft is seen in a camera on the end of the International Space Station's Canadarm2 robotic arm as it moves away from the station in preparation for its return to earth in this image from NASA TV May 31, 2012. REUTERS/NASA TV (SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

SpaceX prepares to return home

The SpaceX Dragon capsule detached from the international space station Thursday morning.

Police investigate the scene where a man who was believed to have shot and killed several people earlier in the day shot himself Wednesday, May 30, 2012, in the West Seattle neighborhood of Seattle. A gunman opened fire at a Seattle cafe earlier Wednesday, killing three people and critically wounding two others and later a man believed to be the same suspect shot and killed a woman and took her car near downtown, abandoning it less than two miles from where the alleged shooter shot himself as officers closed in on him, authorities said. His condition wasn't immediately known. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

Gunman kills five, shoots himself in Seattle

A gunman killed five people in Seattle — four at a cafe and another in a carjacking.

LANDOVER, MD May 30, 2012 U.S. Men's National Team midfielder Fabian Johnson (23) hits a crossing pass to forward Herculez Gomez (9) for their 1st half goal against Brazil Men's National Team goalie Rafael (12) on May 30, 2012 in Landover, MD (Photo by Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post)

Brazil too much for U.S. to handle

Herculez Gomez scores just before halftime, but Brazil runs away with a 4-1 victory.

Camels rest at a watering hole outside the town of Aleg May 25, 2012. REUTERS/Joe Penney (MAURITANIA - Tags: ANIMALS SOCIETY)

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HANDOUT PHOTO: Camera men film as the Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft carrying the International Space Station (ISS) crew, U.S. astronaut Joseph Acaba and Russian cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin, blasts off from it's launch pad at Baikonur cosmodrome, May 15, 2012. (Courtesy of Shamil Zhumatov/ADAY.org)

A snapshot of life

ADAY.org aimed to capture a picture of life across the globe on one day: May, 15, 2012.

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