What was the name of Philadelphia’s 1926 exposition celebrating the 150th anniversary of American independence?

Philadelphia’s 1926 exposition celebrating the 150th anniversary of American independence was the Sesquicentennial Exposition.

The Sesquicentennial International Exposition opened in Philadelphia in 1926. Its main purpose was to mark 150 years since the Declaration of Independence, while also commemorating the 50th anniversary of Philadelphia’s 1876 Centennial Exposition. The fair’s name comes from sesquicentennial, meaning a 150th anniversary.

The exposition opened on May 31, 1926, on grounds in South Philadelphia. Its attractions included a large illuminated replica of the Liberty Bell, a stadium, international displays, entertainment, and commercial exhibits. The event encountered financial difficulties and ultimately failed to meet its debts.

The name is easy to confuse with the 1876 Centennial Exposition and the 1976 Bicentennial. America250 is the next major national milestone in this sequence: 250 years after the Declaration’s adoption. The 1926 exposition therefore provides a direct historical predecessor to the 2026 commemoration.