What was the name of Philadelphia’s 1876 exhibition marking the centennial of American independence?

Philadelphia’s 1876 exhibition marking the centennial of American independence was the Centennial Exposition.

Officially called the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures and Products of the Soil and Mine, the event took place in Philadelphia from May 10 to November 10, 1876. It celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and displayed industrial, agricultural, artistic, and technological achievements.

The exposition was held in Fairmount Park. Its main buildings included Memorial Hall, Machinery Hall, and Agricultural Hall. More than nine million visits were recorded, a remarkable figure for the era because some people attended repeatedly.

Philadelphia again hosted a major anniversary exposition in 1926, the Sesquicentennial Exposition, which marked 150 years. The 1876 event is therefore the centennial predecessor to later national anniversary celebrations, including the 1976 Bicentennial and 2026 America250.