Southernmost ATM in McMurdo Station, Antarctica
At the bottom of the world, the world’s southernmost ATM offers an ordinary convenience in one of the least ordinary places on Earth. Located at 77°51′ south, it's the southernmost cash machine in the world—and the only ATM anywhere in Antarctica. The ATM was installed to serve the staff working at McMurdo Station, Antarctica’s largest research base. It functions just like any ATM in the United…
At the southernmost point on Earth, there exists an ATM that provides a familiar convenience amidst the stark, inhospitable conditions of Antarctica. This machine, the world's most southerly cash dispenser and the only one found anywhere within the frozen continent, serves the staff at McMurdo Station, the largest research base in the region.
Installed with the intent to assist those working at the remote outpost, the ATM operates much like its counterparts in the United States, dispensing U.S. dollars to residents and workers thousands of miles away from the nearest conventional bank. The cash can be utilized within the station's store and, prior to the establishment of a cashless environment, at two bars within the facility.
Intriguingly, there are two ATMs in place, yet only one is functional at any given time, with the second ATM reserved for spare parts. Wells Fargo ensures the ATM's upkeep by dispatching a technician to Antarctica every two years for maintenance and any necessary upgrades. Interestingly, cash is interchanged between the store and ATMs, making it unnecessary for fresh funds to be transported to the station.
Written by urgent.news from Atlas Obscura's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
