Oscar ' s trash can Oscar ' s trash can is the private domain of Oscar the Grouch on " Sesame Street " . It was previously situated between the 123 Sesame Street stoop and Big Bird ' s nest , and as of season 46 , sits within a recycling trash zone in front of 123 Sesame Street . Like " Doctor Who " ’ s TARDIS , the classic clown cars or Snoopy ' s doghouse , Oscar ' s trash can is considerably deeper than one would initially suspect . The seemingly bottomless domain houses a variety of diverse Grouch amenities and luxuries which are never seen . History . Oscar the Grouch was originally planned by Jim Henson and Jon Stone to live in a manhole or in a pile of trash in a gutter . This was changed to a trash can , in part because " the studio had no trapdoors that would allow a puppeteer to work from under the floor " . In the earliest episodes of the first season , the trash can was atop a big blue crate adjacent to a wooden crate at right , with a few more trash cans around ; later on in the season until 1974 , the base and the crate were replaced , the latter by a trunk , with a trash pail on top of another crate at left . In 1974 , and until 2015 , the perch was redesigned , with a big burlap crate replacing the trunk and a barrel as the base , and the rest of the area consisting of more crates , a garbage pail and a trash bag ( though the pervious look was re - instated for " Christmas Eve on Sesame Street " in 1978 ) . In one 1975 episode , Oscar installed an Olympic - size swimming pool inside his trash can . The 1989 book " What ' s in Oscar ' s Trash Can ? and Other Good - Night Stories " mentions the swimming pool as well as an ice - skating rink ( which , on the series , has been used by Peggy Fleming ) and a bowling alley . According to " Sesame Street Unpaved " other items include a piano , art gallery and hearth and a train set ( " Grouch Central Station " ) . A 1970 article in " Look Magazine " also notes a pastry kitchen and a rococo staircase . In the " Elmo ' s World " installment " " Oscar gives Elmo a tour of his farm ( shown in darkness with only the pair ' s eyes visible ) . As established on various occasions , the trash can also has a back door . Oscar shares his trash can with many pets . This diverse menagerie includes goats , a horse , elephants ( notably Fluffy ) , a dolphin , and his favorite pet , his beloved pet worm Slimey . His niece Irvine , and his girlfriend Grundgetta , and his mother and other Grouch friends and relatives are frequent visitors . For the most part , very few of the " nice " residents of Sesame Street dare venture into the bowels of the municipal waste container . In an appearance on " Jimmy Kimmel Live " , Kimmel asked Grover if he has ever been in Oscar ' s trash can . Grover said , " No . No , no , no . I can not go anywhere ten feet within that thing . " Kimmel asked , " Is anyone besides - - are Grouches only allowed in the trash can ? " Grover responded , " Well , no , anybody is allowed , but . . . Who would want to go in there ? Huh ? " Key exceptions have occurred over the years , however . While Big Bird was helping get ready for Miles ' arrival on Sesame Street a lonely Snuffy entered to play catch with Fluffy in a season 17 episode . Wanda Cousteau sought refuge in the trash can in a season 25 episode as a hiding place from the hungry Wolfgang . When Gina is studying to become a vet in a season 30 episode , she goes down into the trash can through the back door and successfully removes a splinter from Fluffy ' s foot with some elephants ' tweezers . In a season 19 insert , Linda sat in the trash can when filling in for an " Ask Oscar " segment . In a season 12 segment ( found in " 40 Years of Sunny Days " ) in which Oscar and Bruno go to the Cha - Cha Palace , the various humans ( and Barkley ) arrive from inside the trash can as well . The inside of Oscar ' s trash can was depicted on - camera for the first time in " The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland " . Oscar has a door in his trash can to take people to Grouchland USA . Elmo enters in search of his blanket and later a rescue party follows suit , including Big Bird , Gordon , Maria , Telly , Cookie Monster and Zoe . Big Bird in particular has a hard time fitting inside the trash can ' s narrow opening . The inside of Oscar ' s trash can was later shown in a season 33 episode , though this time , the inside was a lot more like the normal inside of a trash can . In addition to being able to store a wide variety of items in his trash can , Oscar has also put holes into the bottom and has been able to walk with his legs outside of the bottom . He first walked like this in the season three premiere . He has continued to travel like this for many years , though he has also frequently been seen outside of the trash can . Outside of the show Oscar has traveled with his legs sticking out of the bottom in " Christmas Eve on Sesame Street " , the " Sesame Street Live " stage shows and " Don ' t Eat the Pictures " . This feature was also utilized in the opening dancer number in " Julie on Sesame Street " , where a series of dancing trash cans with fuzzy grouch legs danced with Julie Andrews . In season 46 , Oscar ' s trash can changed locations for the first time in the show ' s history , moving into a dumpster unit with a recycling bin in the low wall outside of 123 Sesame Street under Elmo ' s apartment . Oscar now also has the ability to pop from multiple trashcans and receptacles around the street . Designer David Gallo explains : Visitors . Behind the scenes . Oscar ' s trash can is a favorite photo op for celebrities and other visitors to the set . Sources . _ _ NOWYSIWYG _ _