The 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition was held in Philadelphia as a predecessor to America250.
Philadelphia was closely linked to the founding era: the Declaration of Independence was adopted there, and the city served as a major center of revolutionary political activity. The exposition celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Declaration’s adoption and also recalled Philadelphia’s earlier Centennial Exposition of 1876.
The 1926 event was formally called the Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition. It opened during the national observance of the sesquicentennial, a term meaning a 150th anniversary.
Philadelphia has therefore hosted or been central to multiple milestone commemorations connected with U.S. independence. The 2026 America250 observance is broader and nationwide, rather than being defined by a single world’s fair in one city.