Philadelphia hosted the 1876 Centennial Exposition, the United States’ centennial celebration. The event took place in Fairmount Park from May 10 to November 10, 1876.
Officially called the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures, and Products of the Soil and Mine, the exposition marked 100 years since the Declaration of Independence was adopted in Philadelphia. It was the first official world’s fair held in the United States.
The exposition displayed industrial, scientific, agricultural, and cultural exhibits from the United States and 37 other countries. Nearly 10 million people attended, an extraordinary total for the period. Major exhibits included machinery, manufactured goods, mining displays, and examples of new technology.
Philadelphia’s role is sometimes confused with Washington, D.C., because the national government participated in the event. However, the fairgrounds were in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park, along the Schuylkill River. Its centennial setting also makes it a direct historical predecessor to later national anniversary observances, including the 1976 Bicentennial and America250.