What was the name of Philadelphia’s 1876 world’s fair celebrating the United States centennial?

Philadelphia’s 1876 world’s fair celebrating the United States centennial was called the Centennial Exposition.

Officially titled the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures, and Products of the Soil and Mine, the fair ran in Fairmount Park from May 10 to November 10, 1876. It commemorated the centennial of the Declaration of Independence while also presenting American industry, technology, agriculture, and culture to an international audience.

The exposition was the first official world’s fair held in the United States. More than 10 million visits were recorded, and exhibits included machinery, agricultural equipment, consumer products, and new technologies.

The fair’s association with the 100th anniversary makes it an important predecessor to the 1976 bicentennial and the America250 observance in 2026. Philadelphia also hosted the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition, a separate event marking 150 years.