1964 New York World's Fair pavilions

The 1964 New York World's Fair took place at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York, United States, during 1964 and 1965. The fair included 139 pavilions with exhibits by 80 nations, 24 U.S. states, and 350 corporations. The exhibits were split across five regions—the Federal and State, International, Transportation, Amusement, and Industrial areas—which in turn were centered around the Unisphere.
The New York World's Fair 1964 Corporation (WFC) oversaw the 1964 fair and leased out the land to exhibitors, who developed their own pavilions. The different sections were designed in various architectural styles. Anyone could rent exhibition space as long as they could afford to rent the land and pay for their pavilion, though U.S. state pavilions could rent land for free. Many nations from Asia, Africa, and Central and South America, though relatively few from Europe, exhibited at the fair. The fairground also hosted many large corporations, in addition to eight religious pavilions, a fraternal order pavilion, and other exhibits. After the fair, some pavilions were preserved or relocated, but the vast majority of structures were demolished.
The New York World's Fair 1964 Corporation (WFC) was formed in 1959 to organize a world's fair in New York City during 1964. The Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) refused to formally approve the 1964 New York World's Fair, despite advocacy from WFC president Robert Moses. Moses wanted to save the WFC money by having exhibitors erect most of their own pavilions. Nearly all buildings were to be temporary structures. Exhibitors designed their own pavilions, and the construction contractors hired members of local labor unions to build the structures. William Everett Potter, who was hired to organize the exhibits, predicted that the pavilions would use relatively novel construction methods such as structural plastics, thin-shell structures, and prestressed concrete. Construction of the first building began in 1960. The World's Fair officially opened on April 22, 1964, and its first season ended on October 18, 1964. The fair reopened for a second and final season on April 21, 1965, closing on October 18, 1965.
The fairground was divided into five regions, centered around the Unisphere, a representation of the Earth designed by Gilmore D. Clarke and constructed by the American Bridge Company. Exhibits for individual U.S. states and the U.S. federal government were concentrated in the Federal & State Area at the center of the fairground near the Unisphere. The international exhibits were concentrated in the International Area—a group of pavilions surrounding the Unisphere. Industry pavilions were concentrated around the Industrial Area on the eastern end near the Van Wyck Expressway. The Transportation Area was on the western side of the fairground. South of the Long Island Expressway, connected with the rest of the fair only via one overpass, was the Lake Amusement Area. The 1964 World's Fair had 139 pavilions and 34 other attractions on its opening day. Either 121 or 124 pavilions and attractions were free; the rest required an additional payment. The last pavilion to be completed was the Belgian Village, which was not finished until the end of the 1964 season.
No new pavilions were planned for the 1965 season because it would be costly and time-consuming to add any such pavilions. Between the 1964 and 1965 seasons, several exhibitors renovated and modified their pavilions. At least fifty exhibits were upgraded, and five major attractions were added. Some exhibitors increased the capacity of their attractions, while other pavilions received new exhibits or interior renovations. The Florida pavilion took over much of the Lake Amusement Area, which became known as the Lake Area.
The different sections were designed in various architectural styles, and many of the pavilions were designed in a Space Age style. The New York Times described the buildings as a collection of "domes, disks, cubes, spires, pylons, ovoids, arches, triangles, curves and soaring free forms." Elliptical forms and disks were used extensively throughout the fair, and several pavilions used experimental designs, such as the Bell System, GE, IBM, Kodak, and Port Authority pavilions. Most structures were designed so they could be demolished easily after the fair and rebuilt elsewhere. Some of these pavilions, such as the Schaefer Brewing Company Pavilion, were inflatable structures. Most of the state pavilions, and many of the industrial and transportation pavilions, were wheelchair-accessible. However, many of the international pavilions were not fully accessible because these pavilions were often designed in traditional architectural styles.
Anyone could rent exhibition space as long as they could afford to rent the land, and pay for their pavilion. Thus, the space was dominated by large corporations. Private companies spent a combined $300 million on their pavilions, and companies such as General Motors and Ford Motor Company spent tens of millions of dollars apiece. Several companies funded their pavilions by reducing promotional spending elsewhere. The Walt Disney Company manufactured several exhibits but did not itself have a pavilion. There were several religious pavilions scattered across the fairground, in addition to one fraternal order pavilion (the Masonic pavilion). Initially, Moses refused to construct structures for the arts, education, or sciences. The General Motors and Vatican City pavilions were the fair's most popular exhibits.
WFC rules officially prevented the fair's officials from influencing the design or contents of any exhibits, although in practice, WFC officials had a significant impact on the contents of exhibits. For example, developing nations were encouraged to showcase their art and culture, rather than technology, and WFC officials pressured Islamic nations to emphasize their religion.
Twenty-three state pavilions were built. The fair included exhibits from 24 states, including Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the six states in New England. In addition, New York City had its own pavilion, as did the neighborhood of Hollywood, Los Angeles. Nineteen of the state pavilions were in the federal and state section, and three of the other four state pavilions were clustered around Meadow Lake at the southern end of the fair. None of the state governments had to pay rent for the pavilion. State governments still had to pay for their own pavilions, and about half the states and Washington, D.C., did not pay for exhibits at the fair. Pavilions for the states of Alabama, Georgia, and Arkansas, as well as the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, were canceled before the fair formally opened.
There were 45 pavilions in the International Area, most of which featured foreign countries' exhibits. Individual exhibits were presented by 66 nations, including the United States. If nations that were represented only by one city or region are included, the fair featured attractions from 80 countries. Many nations from Asia, Africa, and Central and South America, though relatively few from Europe, exhibited at the fair. Among the countries with official exhibits were Guinea, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sierra Leone, South Korea, Spain, Sudan, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Arab Republic, and Venezuela. Other nations set up unofficial exhibits, including Austria, Denmark, Greece, Sweden, and Switzerland, as well as the colony of Hong Kong and the enclave of West Berlin. Japan set up both an official and an unofficial exhibit. Foreign nations rented the land from the WFC, and they also paid for lodging, food, and other expenses for their staff.
Numerous BIE members did not participate in the fair. These included members of the Commonwealth of Nations, like the United Kingdom, as well as many nations from western Europe. Communist countries boycotted or were disinvited from the fair. Lebanon was the only BIE member with an official exhibit, though some BIE members did host unofficial exhibits or were represented by private companies' exhibits. The privately sponsored pavilions generally showcased commercial products instead of exhibits about their respective nations' cultures. The WFC encouraged BIE members' governments to lend art to their countries' unofficial exhibits, and several BIE members (including Italy and France) even tried to subsidize their respective unofficial exhibits. Other countries were represented by regional pavilions, such as the Caribbean and African pavilions. The fair also attracted many countries that were not BIE members.
Fifty countries displayed craftwork or items manufactured in their respective nations. Many of the international pavilions also sold merchandise, as did the International Plaza.
The Industrial Area had 43 pavilions in total, representing nearly 350 American companies. Large firms such as Bell Telephone Company, DuPont, IBM, Kodak, RCA, The Travelers Companies, and US Royal Tires, participated. Many of these companies had also participated in the 1939 World's Fair. The 1964 fair included few companies in the food, chemical, tobacco, cosmetic, or pharmaceutical industries. Corporations also rented land from the WFC, except for religious organizations, which were given the land for free.
In general, most of the companies shared space in one of several multi-exhibit buildings, though about three dozen companies had their own pavilions. The fair included several interior-design and domestic-architecture exhibits, including at least six houses and 29 kitchen displays. Several of the industry pavilions offered free merchandise to visitors, which often succeeded in attracting customers. In addition, numerous buildings such as the Tower of Light and Ford pavilions had executive lounges.
Transportation companies, such as car manufacturers Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors, displayed products in the Transportation Area section of the fairground.
Robert Moses also provided about 7 acres (2.8 ha) for religious groups at the fairground, and he invited every major sect of Christianity to the fair. Eight religious pavilions were built: the Billy Graham, Christian Science, Mormon, Protestant and Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, Sermons from Science, Two Thousand Tribes, and Vatican pavilions. The Protestant and Orthodox pavilion was the only religious pavilion to house more than one sect. Each religious pavilion was staffed by volunteers. A proposed Jewish pavilion was canceled and replaced by the American-Israel Pavilion, and a unified Temple of Religion for Protestants, Catholics, and Jews was also rejected.
Other pavilions included:
The World's Fair originally was supposed to contain a five-story World of Food pavilion, which was dismantled shortly before the fair opened. WFC officials wanted the World of Food pavilion demolished because it was located near the fair's main entrance and would not be completed in time for the fair's opening. The American Indian pavilion, which would have contained five structures, was never completed. The Argentine pavilion was completed but was never used as such. At the western end of the fairground, land had been reserved for an "aerospace island". The WFC had also considered a pavilion for fashion firms, though fashion shows were ultimately split between the New York State Pavilion and Better Living Center. Other pavilions were canceled by the WFC, including an art pavilion and an exhibit for the People's Republic of China. Some foreign exhibitors were rejected in late 1963 because there was not enough time to develop their pavilions.
The Soviet Union (along with its 15 Soviet republics) and Israel were supposed to have operated exhibits as well. The Soviet Union withdrew after a spat regarding the United States' participation in two Soviet world's fairs, and it refused to join for the 1965 season. Israel withdrew after its government decided to reallocate funds away from the planned Israeli pavilion. Several BIE members, including Canada, France, and the Netherlands, canceled plans for official pavilions at the 1964 fair after the BIE approved Expo 67 in Montreal, Quebec. A privately sponsored French pavilion, which was supposed to have contained three structures, was partially built and then canceled. Puerto Rico also canceled its planned pavilion due to a lack of money. Some of these nonexistent exhibits were displayed on official maps, causing confusion among visitors.
After the fair, most pavilions were demolished, while some pavilions remained in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park or were moved elsewhere. Several exhibitors chose to sell off their buildings due to the high cost of demolition, including U.S. Steel and Thailand. In other cases, exhibitors sold off the contents of their pavilions, or people offered to salvage specific parts of pavilions.
The New York Daily News wrote in 2012 that the remaining structures from the fair "have provided Flushing Meadows–Corona Park with some of its most striking structures". Preserved at the center of the park is the Unisphere, which is a New York City designated landmark. Near the Unisphere is the New York City Pavilion, which hosts the Queens Museum and continues to display Panorama of the City of New York, an exhibit created for the 1964 fair. Also nearby is the New York State Pavilion, which is largely unused as of 2024; the State Pavilion's former Theaterama is used by the Queens Theatre in the Park. The U.S. Post Office pavilion became a skating rink, then a warehouse.
In the northwestern part of the park, the New York Hall of Science was preserved as a museum and was expanded in 2004. The Hall of Science includes two rockets from the fair's Space Park. The Port Authority pavilion became the Terrace on the Park banquet hall. The Winston Churchill Tribute became the aviary for the neighboring Queens Zoo, which opened in 1968. Near the zoo is the Flushing Meadows Carousel. The World's Fair Marina, built for the 1939 fair and expanded for the 1964 fair, still operates along Flushing Bay. The fair's Press Building became a New York City Police Department (NYPD) facility, and the Greyhound Building became a New York City Fire Department facility. In addition, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks) took over several other structures. NYC Parks and the NYPD jointly took over the fair's main entrance building at the northern end of the site; the structure, known as the Passerelle Building, also includes a ramp to the New York City Subway's Willets Point station.
Several monuments remain on the sites of former pavilions. The Column of Jerash, an ancient column of Jordan, stands on the site of the Jordan pavilion near the Unisphere, while a stone bench marking the site of the Vatican pavilion stands east of the main fountain. A plaque marks the site of the Garden of Meditation.
Other buildings remained for several years before being demolished. The Travel and Transportation Pavilion was destroyed in 1967 after a failed conversion to a fire station, and the United States Pavilion was demolished in 1977 after extensive deterioration. The Aquacade amphitheater, originally built for the 1939 fair, also decayed extensively and was ultimately demolished in 1996. The Singer Bowl became a sports venue. The Louis Armstrong Stadium replaced half of the Singer Bowl in 1977, while the remainder of the venue was preserved as a grandstand, which was razed in 2016.
Other structures were relocated at the end of the fair. Several international pavilions remained near New York City. Denmark's pavilion became a mall in Westport, Connecticut; India's pavilion became an office building in Clifton, New Jersey; and Japan's pavilion went to Manhattanville College. Further away, Austria's pavilion became a ski lodge in western New York; Malaysia's pavilion was donated to the University of Plano; the Paris pavilion became a bowling alley in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania; Spain's pavilion was relocated to a hotel in St. Louis, Missouri; and Switzerland's pavilion became a ski lodge in New Hampshire. The Thailand pavilion was rebuilt at Expo 67 in Montreal, the only structure from the 1964 fair that was reused as a world's fair pavilion. The West Berlin pavilion was acquired by a college in Woodridge, New York.
In the state area, part of the Wisconsin Pavilion became a radio station in Neillsville, Wisconsin, while another part of the Wisconsin Pavilion was relocated to Pennsylvania and used as a ski lodge. The New England pavilion was moved to a mall in South Portland, Maine. Of the religious exhibits, the Christian Science pavilion was moved to Poway, California, while the Mormon pavilion became an meetinghouse in Plainville, New York. The US Royal Ferris wheel became the Uniroyal Giant Tire in Allen Park, Michigan, while the Johnson Wax pavilion became the Golden Rondelle Theater in Racine, Wisconsin. In addition, the Parker Pen pavilion became an administrative building in Missouri. One of the three structures near the World's Fair Marina became a cabin in upstate New York. Other structures, such as the Steaktown USA restaurant, Identity building, and South precinct building, were also acquired by organizations based in New York.
In some cases, only part of a pavilion was preserved due to the high cost of preserving the full pavilion. Part of the Vatican pavilion was moved to Saint Mary Mother of the Redeemer Church in Groton, Connecticut, the Coca-Cola pavilion's carillon was moved to Stone Mountain near Atlanta, Georgia. Arches from the General Mills pavilion were sent to Warwick, Rhode Island; Huntsville, Ohio; and West Hempstead, New York. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York acquired the fair's color televisions, while the fair's cubical lampposts were moved to Penn Hills Resort in the Poconos. The Railroad Museum of Long Island in Riverhead, New York, received the LIRR pavilion's miniature railway, and other Long Island businesses also received objects from the LIRR pavilion. The footprints from the Hollywood pavilion were moved to the Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.
Several rides and museum exhibits were preserved. The IBM pavilion's Mathematica: A World of Numbers... and Beyond exhibit is at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn, Michigan, while Travelers Insurance sent its Triumph of Man exhibit to the COSI museum in Columbus, Ohio. The GE pavilion's Progressland carousel was moved to the Magic Kingdom theme park at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake, Florida, becoming the Carousel of Progress. The It's a Small World ride was shipped to Disneyland in Anaheim, and the Swiss Sky Ride was moved to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey. The Belgian Village carousel became Le Galopant at La Ronde in Montreal, Quebec, though the ride no longer operates as of 2023. The fair's log flume became a ride at Pirates World in Florida.
Some pavilions also became traveling exhibitions, such as Clairol's "color carousel" and Sinclair Oil's dinosaur exhibits; the dinosaurs were ultimately scattered across the United States. Construction material was also salvaged. Walls from the Mormon, Socony Mobil, and Ireland pavilions were reused in buildings in New York and Pennsylvania, and one man in Glen Cove, New York, built his house using materials from multiple pavilions. A seaplane terminal in the Bronx salvaged parts of the fair's monorail, Poupées des Paris, and wax museum, while Texas oil magnate John Mecom Sr. bought the rest of the monorail.
There was commentary on the pavilions' conflicting architectural styles. Ada Louise Huxtable of The New York Times wrote that the fair was architecturally "grotesque", while other critics lambasted the structures as befitting Coney Island or a street fair. The critic Vincent Scully Jr. derided the fair in a Life magazine article, "If This Is Architecture, God Help Us". Conversely, Time magazine wrote in June 1964 that the fair had "grace and substance" despite the presence of some "tacky" attractions, a sentiment repeated in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The American Institute of Architects gave awards to several pavilions for "excellence in design". A Newsday reporter described the fair as "both garish and subtle, tawdry and tasteful, ephemeral and lasting". After the fair closed, architectural critic Wolf Von Eckardt lambasted the fair as "a frightening image of ourselves" because of its "chaotic" architecture.