1964 New York World's Fair

Before European settlement of the area, the site of the 1964 World's Fair, Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City, was a natural wetland straddling the Flushing River. In the early 20th century, the site was occupied by the Corona Ash Dumps, before it was selected as the site of the 1939–1940 World's Fair. The theme of the 1939–1940 was "the world of tomorrow"; the event was unprofitable, recouping only 32% of its original cost. but fell into disrepair due to a lack of funds. The development of the 1964 fair coincided with social upheavals of the early 1960s, including the civil rights movement, Vietnam War protests, and the aftermath of U.S. President John F. Kennedy's assassination. Planning World's Fair Corporation The idea for the 1964 fair was conceived by a group of businessmen. Among them was Robert Kopple, a lawyer who first discussed the idea at a family dinner in 1958 before suggesting it at a meeting of the Mutual Admiration Society the following year. The year 1964 was nominally selected to coincide with the 300th anniversary of the British conquest of the Dutch colony of New Netherland. Kopple and two friends, Charles Preusse and Thomas J. Deegan, met with 35 potential financiers at the 21 Club restaurant. New York City mayor Robert F. Wagner Jr. and parks commissioner Robert Moses formally endorsed the proposal in August 1959, and 75 businessmen formed the New York World's Fair 1964 Corporation (WFC) that month. Moses, who saw a 1964 fair as a means to develop the Flushing Meadows site, offered to let the WFC use Flushing Meadows for a nominal fee. The bid required approval from the United States Congress and the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), the French organization that was in charge of approving world's fairs. Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., were submitting competing bids, so in October 1959, U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed a committee to review the 1964 world's fair bids, and he approved the New York bid later that month. By late 1959, 75 nations had informally indicated an intention to attend the fair, and the WFC began looking for a president and three additional managers in early 1960. Moses was tentatively selected as the WFC's president that March, despite Kopple's objections that Moses was too old. In turn, Moses would not take the job unless Kopple resigned, as the two men had disagreed bitterly over the canceled Mid-Manhattan Elevated Expressway. After Kopple quit the WFC, Moses formally became the WFC's president that May. Moses wanted the fair to run for two years, and consultants for the WFC predicted the fair would have 70 million visitors during that time. Moses traveled to Paris to ask for the BIE's recognition of the fair. The BIE allowed the WFC to begin planning the fair in November 1959, but its officials decided to not formally recognize the fair. Under BIE rules, world's fairs could run for only one six-month period, though the WFC had tried to request an exemption. The New York fair would also charge rent to foreign governments, contravening another BIE rule that prevented rent from being charged to exhibitors. In addition, the BIE allowed only one exposition per country every ten years. belittling the BIE as a "bunch of clowns in Paris". and directed its members to not host official exhibits at the 1964 New York World's Fair. Financing and initial exhibitors The WFC planned to issue $500 million in bonds, a figure that was later decreased to $150 million. Moses said the 1964 fair would be a "billion-dollar" event, though this included expenses for related projects such as roads and the nearby Shea Stadium. The WFC leased about from the city government in May 1960. Moses hired the former lieutenant governor Charles Poletti and the military engineer William Everett Potter to organize the exhibits. A design committee proposed a massive, doughnut-shaped pavilion; Moses rejected the plan Moses did not devise a master plan for the fair; which Potter enforced. Nearly all of the buildings were to be temporary structures. WFC member Jerome Weinstein suggested the motto, which was inspired by an ideal Kopple had wanted for his daughters. Exhibits were to be divided into five areas, including a transportation area the Port of New York Authority would operate. The original plans called for an amusement park area, By August 1960, the first ten exhibitors had applied for space at the fair, and architectural blueprints for the fair's first pavilion had been submitted. The WFC began sending delegations abroad to invite foreign governments to the fair. the WFC later reduced the amount to $64 million, consisting of $40 million in notes plus $24 million from the city. The WFC's finance chairman predicted the fair would earn over $200 million. By the end of 1960, seven countries had agreed to sponsor exhibits. and one-third of the industrial pavilion sites had been leased. Early in 1961, Moses announced the Unisphere would be built as the fair's symbol, and the WFC also hired the detective agency Pinkerton to provide security and first-aid services. A report published that January said the fair itself would cost $768 million, Construction was selected as the fair's symbol in early 1961. Wagner predicted 10,000 people would be employed during construction. The WFC hosted "preview days" where selected guests could view the construction. The Travelers Companies built information centers across the U.S. to promote the fair, and local chapters of the Elks, Kiwanis, and Rotary clubs promoted the fair nationwide. that were manufactured by Medallic Art Company. Commemorative postage stamps were issued to celebrate the fair, both inside and outside the U.S. Some New York license plates also bore slogans advertising the fair. Several hotels were built nearby to accommodate fair visitors, and public transit and roads linking the venue were also upgraded. Private businesses promoted their products for the fair, and discounted tickets were sold in advance of the opening. 1961 and 1962 William Whipple Jr., the fair's chief engineer, said in September 1960 exhibitors would be able to begin erecting pavilions by 1962. Construction of the first building, an administration structure, began in August 1960 and was finished in January 1961. In early 1961, almost all of Flushing Meadows–Corona Park was closed to allow the fair's construction, and the Long Island Rail Road's (LIRR) World's Fair station opened. Workers moved trees and diverted parts of the Flushing River into tunnels. By April 1961, thirty-four countries had accepted invitations to the fair, and the city agreed to spend $24 million improving the park. Moses secretly obtained additional funds from the city government; according to Moses's biographer Robert Caro, the city government may have spent as much as $60 million on the fair. hiring the billionaire H. L. Hunt to operate the rides. By mid-1961, the WFC had privately raised $25 million and was predicting a $53 million profit. The groundbreaking ceremony for the first pavilion took place that June. The WFC had difficulty selling the remaining bonds; it had sold around $30 million in promissory notes—three quarters of the total—by the end of 1961. During the fair's construction, civil-rights activists expressed concerns the WFC's leadership included very few African Americans. Moses met with activists but he still did not appoint African Americans to leadership positions, which attracted controversy amid the ongoing civil rights movement. Later that year, New York governor Nelson Rockefeller formed a committee to investigate persistent complaints about discrimination within the WFC. By the beginning of 1962, more than 60 nations, the governments of 30 U.S. states, and 50 companies had agreed to exhibit at the fair. The WFC also created a scale model of the fairground. The LIRR constructed a siding from the Port Washington Branch, allowing trains to deliver material onsite. At a luncheon in March that year, Moses said construction had fallen behind schedule. The WFC had allocated $6 million to advertise the fair by mid-1962, and Deegan predicted its participants would spend another $75 million of their own money on promotion. The WFC tried to attract Latin American countries to the fair. By late 1962, exhibits were being finalized and many pavilions were being constructed. Either 68 or 71 nations had announced plans for exhibits at the fair by then, though only 35 countries had formally leased space. Additionally, 125 businesses had expressed interest, Groundbreaking ceremonies were hosted for many of the international pavilions. 1963 and 1964 In early 1963, the World's Fair Housing Bureau was formed to coordinate the development of hotel rooms for the fair. Despite commitments from state and national governments, only some of these governments were actively constructing pavilions. The WFC wanted to hire 40 concessionaires and sell 70 intellectual property (IP) licenses, which the corporation hoped would raise $130 million. On April 22, 1963, exactly a year before the fair's opening, Only 48 of the 200 proposed buildings had begun construction, even though construction of all major structures had to be underway by the following month. and the following month, an insurance syndicate was formed to protect the exhibits. By mid-1963, civil-rights groups were protesting the lack of racial diversity in the fair's development, and filed a lawsuit to halt construction. That July, Moses denied rumors that construction had fallen behind schedule. Materials from overseas began arriving in August 1963, though work on 50 structures had not started by the next month. but the city government ultimately forced him to sell discounted tickets. The first pavilion, the Port Authority Heliport, was opened in October 1963. The same month, Hunt resigned as the amusement area's operator following disagreements over ticket prices and rides. Despite these difficulties, many pavilions were nearly completed by late 1963, To draw attention to the fair, the WFC displayed models of exhibits at the Time-Life Building in Manhattan. and the WFC borrowed $3 million to fund the fair's completion. That month, WFC officials said work on 26 buildings was behind schedule, and they sought to demolish the World of Food pavilion, which would not be ready for the fair's opening. The WFC signed a document outlining ways profits from the fair were to be used. By that February, most of the major pavilions and attractions were complete, but Whipple estimated up to 10 pavilions would not be finished before the fair's opening. The same month, the WFC stopped selling advance tickets, having sold 28 million. There were still 4,800 construction workers on site in late March, when the state government began hiring people for the fair. Before the fair opened, the WFC had spent $30 million. == Operation ==

The WFC originally predicted a daily attendance of 225,000. Deegan predicted at least 6.7 million foreign visitors, out of an estimated total of 70 million. Visitors 13 and older were originally charged the adult admission price of $2.00 (), while children 2–12 years old were charged $1.00 (). Moses predicted ticket sales of $120 million and a net profit of $40 million. an estimate that was later reduced to $2.5 billion. Nine garbage trucks, nine emergency medical services (EMS) vehicles, 25 police cars, and three fire engines traveled the fairgrounds. while United World Films had exclusive rights to produce and publish films about the fair. Allied Maintenance was the only maintenance firm allowed to work at the fair; it charged exorbitant fees, earning $10 million during 1964 alone. Allied also handled deliveries during the 1964 season but was replaced the following year with Rentar Corporation. Other companies, such as Hertz and Cities Service, sponsored free services or events. the Vatican pavilion was the only attraction with a live-in caretaker. Many exhibitors hired racially diverse staff. In addition, the WFC required each exhibitor to purchase insurance from Campo & Roberts, which earned $3 million from insurance commissions. 1964 season Opening '' broadcast an opening celebration. When the World's Fair officially opened at 9:00 am on April 22, 1964, the first visitor was a college student from New Jersey. The opening was celebrated with speeches by Robert Moses, Nelson Rockefeller, and the U.S. president Lyndon B. Johnson. The same day, Johnson dedicated the United States Pavilion, while Rockefeller and Moses dedicated the New York State Pavilion. During the opening ceremonies, hundreds of civil-rights activists organized a sit-in and were arrested. The civil-rights group Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) proposed a "stall-in" to block roads leading to the fair, but few activists participated. The opening ceremony attracted 90,000 attendees, fewer than half of the predicted number, The WFC banned picketing on the grounds, prompting lawsuits from civil-rights groups; a federal judge later ruled protesters could give out handbills to passers-by. The New York Times reported fifteen pavilions and three amusement attractions were not finished by opening day. One pavilion, the Belgian Village, was not completed until the end of the 1964 season, though it did operate for part of that year. Some pavilions could not open on schedule because artifacts in the pavilions had been damaged or were incomplete. Three incomplete pavilions were abandoned, May to October toward the New York State Pavilion The fair needed 220,000 daily visitors to recover its operating expenses of $300,000 per day. and 150,000 daily visitors—60 percent of initial projections—in the first month. Several problems arose; disputes occurred over labor unions, maintenance fees, and a mural in the Jordan pavilion. Thefts and breakdowns regularly occurred. Exhibitors complained about high rental rates and insufficient maintenance of the fairground. The Lake Amusement Area was especially unprofitable; it had few attractions and was difficult to access. The Texas pavilion's show in the Amusement Area, "To Broadway with Love", closed in July 1964, and the "Wonderwork" show nearby also closed before the first season ended. The WFC unsuccessfully attempted to entice visitors by offering discounts to taxi drivers and improving fairground lighting, By mid-1964, some exhibitors had gone out of business, including the two largest shows in the Lake Amusement Area. Employees, especially the 4,000 college students who worked the fair, faced occupational burnout. Despite the troubles, the WFC was able to buy back one quarter of its promissory notes in mid-1964, and to attract visitors, exhibitors publicly downplayed their grievances with the WFC. The industrial and international pavilions were more profitable than the amusement area, whose financial troubles did not bother Moses. The fair had difficulty attracting more than 200,000 daily visitors, even during July and August when students were on summer break. and it received 5.8 million visitors that August, the highest of any month during the 1964 season. Nearly half of visitors came from the New York City area, Attendance declined significantly in September In response, Moses said journalists were tarnishing the fair's reputation and accused them of suppressing attendance. An exhibitors' committee made several recommendations for increasing attendance but Moses rejected nearly all of them. The fair closed for the season on October 18, 1964. There had been 33 million visitors, including 27 million who paid admission. The New York Times cited several reasons for the reduced attendance figures; these included fears of crime, lengthy queues, and high prices. The WFC had significantly overpaid several contractors, and the fair's operating expenditures during 1964 amounted to $33.3 million, twice the original budget. The WFC reduced its estimated total profit for both seasons to $30 million. Off-season Between the 1964 and 1965 seasons, the WFC hired 400 security guards to oversee the fairground, and 3,000 workers began winterizing the fairground in November 1964. The WFC planned to create a promotional film and advertisements for the fair, and it kept some of the paths and fountains illuminated. Deegan said several pavilions would be renovated and 12 new restaurants would be added. Moses also traveled around the world to persuade foreign exhibitors to display additional artifacts, such as a Gutenberg Bible and Spanish artwork, during 1965. and anticipated 37.5 million visitors. Unless the fair had at least 37.5 million visitors in 1965, it would not be profitable. The WFC's financial advisors raised suspicions of financial mismanagement the next month. In January 1965, several of the WFC's financial advisors quit following bitter disputes, and the WFC requested $3.5 million to reopen the fair. The city controller Abraham Beame began auditing the WFC, and the WFC fired Deegan's public-relations firm, which had been receiving $300,000 annually for four years, following criticism over the firm's compensation. The WFC's internal audit found a $17.5 million deficit, but lawsuits delayed Beame's audit for several months. By February 1965, at least 14 exhibitors in the 1964 season had declared bankruptcy. Franklin National Bank offered to lend the WFC $3.5 million, but the WFC indicated it needed only $1 million. Though city officials wanted to remove Moses as the WFC's president, he retained his position. When Moses said he would spend $6.4 million to renovate Flushing Meadows–Corona Park before repaying debts, the WFC's finance chairman resigned. Two Marine Midland Bank branches provided a $1 million loan to the WFC that March, which the WFC repaid two months later. During the off-season, several exhibitors renovated and modified their pavilions, spending over $7 million between them. At least 50 exhibits were upgraded and five major attractions were added, along with free entertainments and science demonstrations. New artworks and films were added to several pavilions. The struggling Lake Amusement Area became the Lake Area. The WFC asked the New York City Transit Authority to increase subway service to the fair, and 26 exhibitors collaborated on a promotional campaign. Fifty-three exhibitors proposed naming the first week of the 1965 season Fair Festival Week, to which Wagner agreed. The WFC produced a promotional film titled To the Fair, and individual exhibitors produced their own films. To reduce its debts, the WFC decreased its budget for the 1965 season and dismissed some employees. 1965 season More than 150,000 people attended the reopening of the fair on April 21, 1965. The Ethiopian long-distance runners Abebe Bikila and Mamo Wolde participated in a ceremonial half marathon, running from Central Park in Manhattan to Singer Bowl at the fairground. Unlike the 1964 opening ceremony, no protests occurred at the fair's reopening, For the 1965 season, adult admission fees were raised to $2.50 (). putting many exhibitors at risk of bankruptcy. In addition, fewer visitors were paying at the gates because more than half of them carried advance tickets. and that a reduced-price evening admission ticket be sold. Moses refused both proposals, and several exhibitors threatened to close their pavilions before retracting. At the beginning of the 1965 season, there were issues such as race-related protests, Vietnam War protests, a controversy over a racially insensitive song in one pavilion, and disputes between Jewish and Arab exhibitors. Vandalism also increased due to the reduced police presence, and a fairgoer was murdered that May. WFC officials also tried to invalidate their January 1964 agreement for disbursing the fair's profits, Fewer visitors came during the evening, but the WFC again rejected a proposal for discounted evening admission in July 1965. Despite increased attendance in mid-1965, the fair continued to record decreased revenue compared with 1964. Many exhibitors recorded substantial losses from the costs of their pavilions. By August 1965, the WFC was preparing to clear the fairground after the fair, though 13 exhibitors had declared bankruptcy and could not afford to demolish or move their pavilions. Beame's interim report, which was published at the end of August, found the WFC had squandered money by not awarding contracts through competitive bidding and by spending nearly everything it had on expenses it incurred before and during 1964. Despite Moses's denials of wrongdoing, Queens district attorney Frank D. O'Connor opened a criminal inquiry into the WFC shortly afterward. Moses installed highway signs promoting the fair and refused to remove them, even after city traffic commissioner Henry A. Barnes called the signs a safety hazard. By mid-September, estimates of the fair's total attendance had been reduced from 70 to 50 million. By the end of September, the fair had recorded 17 million visitors during the 1965 season, less than half the number of visitors needed to break even. At this point, the WFC had barely enough money to pay its weekly expenses. Toward the end of the 1965 season, there was a sustained increase in attendance, and the fair recorded more than 250,000 daily visitors for three consecutive weeks. The architect and writer Robert A. M. Stern attributed the increase in attendance to a prevailing feeling the 1964 fair would be one of the last lavish world's fairs. Pope Paul VI visited the fair on October 4, 1965, during the first-ever papal visit to the United States. The fair closed on October 17, 1965, and recorded its highest-ever daily attendance of 446,953 on its final day. seven million more than the 1939 fair and ten million more than Expo 58. The GM and Vatican pavilions had been the most popular. and had a deficit of up to $40 million at its closing; The New York Times partly attributed the fair's underperformance to Moses's stubborn attitude and refusal to take advice. == Fairground ==

The fairground was divided into five regions. The international exhibits were concentrated in the International Area—a group of pavilions surrounding the Unisphere. The Transportation Area was on the western side of the fairground. Of the pavilions and shows, either 121 or 124 were free, and the rest required an additional payment. Scattered across the fairground were 5,300 trees, 3,500 benches, 1,400 telephones, and 60 mailboxes. There were also bank branches, picnic areas, and restrooms. There were also several hotels nearby, A spokesman for the 1964 fair said the exposition was supposed to be "cultural and sophisticated", and Deegan claimed that the exposition would be the "greatest single event in history". Pavilions Each section of the fair was designed in several architectural styles, and many of the pavilions were designed in a Space Age style. Some pavilions used experimental designs; for example, the Bell System Pavilion was supported by massive cantilevers, while the IBM Pavilion was shaped like a giant egg. Most of the structures were designed so they could easily be demolished after the fair and rebuilt elsewhere. Any person or entity who could afford to rent the land and construct a pavilion could rent exhibition space at the fair. Thus, the space was dominated by large corporations. Private companies spent a combined $300 million on their pavilions. The Big Three car manufacturers—Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors—alone spent a combined $110 million on attractions such as Chrysler's artificial islands, Ford's Magic Skyway, and General Motors' Futurama car ride. The fair included exhibits from 24 U.S. states; these were Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the six states in New England. Nineteen of the state pavilions were in the Federal and State Area, and three of the other four state pavilions were clustered around Meadow Lake at the southern end of the fair. but they had to fund the buildings. Twenty states and Washington, D.C., did not pay for exhibits at the fair. If nations that were represented only by one city or region are included, the fair had attractions from 80 countries. Foreign nations rented land from the WFC, and paid for staff lodgings, food, and other expenses. Many nations from Asia, Africa, and Central and South America, though relatively few from Europe, exhibited at the fair. Because of a lack of participation from BIE members, only six major countries—Egypt, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, and Pakistan—had official exhibits at the fair. and several countries were represented solely by an industry exhibit. Many of the international pavilions sold merchandise. The Industrial Area had 43 pavilions, representing nearly 350 American companies. Most of the companies were consolidated within four exhibit buildings, though about 36 companies had their own pavilions. The 1964 fair included only a few companies in the food, chemical, tobacco, cosmetic, or pharmaceutical industries Transportation companies, including the Big Three car makers, which often attracted customers. Eight religious pavilions were built, each of which was staffed by volunteers. Some exhibits were planned but never built, such as the Soviet and Israel pavilions, but were displayed on official maps, causing confusion among visitors. Amusement In addition to pavilions, the Lake Area included several rides and attractions during 1964. John Ringling North operated a circus that performed in a 5,000-seat tent. and an early log flume ride was also installed at the fair. A replica of the ship Santa María was displayed in the lake. There was a 10,000-seat outdoor theater in the amusement area as well. The Florida pavilion took over much of the Lake Area in 1965, and two amusement areas called Carnival and Continental Park were added. Transportation The American Machine and Foundry Company constructed a suspended monorail with two tracks in the Lake Area. The line had seven 80-passenger, two-car-long trains. During the 1964 season, visitors could rent one of 147 Greyhound Escorters, which were driven by chauffeurs. Sixty-one Glide-a-Ride trolleys also served the fairground during both seasons. The fairground was accessed via highways on Long Island that had been upgraded. An expanded World's Fair Marina provided access via Flushing Bay. The fair was also served by a short-lived ferry service to Manhattan, A helicopter shuttle provided services to the Pan Am Building and Lower Manhattan heliports. Local buses, airport shuttle buses, the New York City Subway, and the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) also stopped near the fairground. Although a dedicated subway line had served the 1939 fair, A luxury bus service carried "distinguished guests" to and from the fair. There were 20,000 parking spaces, and shuttle buses transported people from the parking lots to the main gate. At the center of the fair was the Unisphere, which was constructed by American Bridge Company. Weighing , the globe was created to symbolize "man's achievements on a shrinking globe in an expanding universe". The Fountain of the Planets (Pool of Industry), which is located at the far eastern end of Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, could spray water up to high, and it hosted nightly fireworks displays and music performances. The Unisphere and Fountain of the Planets are connected via the Fountain of the Fairs, which included a five-section reflecting pool and two rectangular pools. The fairground had , where customs officials examined items bound for the fair's international pavilions and concessionaires. There was a press building next to the Grand Central Parkway, with a reporters' bullpen, offices for major news agencies, a press conference room, and offices. The on-site, 22-room Atomedic Hospital was constantly staffed, and there were five first-aid stations. About 300 closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) were installed across the fairground, Pinkerton matrons operated a lost-child bureau with activities and games for lost children. == Culture ==

Foreign cultures and American technologies were featured at the fair. While WFC rules technically prevented the fair's officials from influencing the design or contents of any exhibits, the WFC retained a significant influence on the contents of exhibits. For example, developing nations were encouraged to show their art and culture rather than technology, and WFC officials pressured Islamic nations to emphasize their religion. Cuisine The fair had a large number of restaurants and eateries. When it opened, there were between 110 and 114 eateries, 61 of which were within pavilions. There were six specialty restaurants and 25 fine-dining restaurants operated by Brass Rail. Restaurant Associates was contracted to operate several of the restaurants but its contract was canceled because of a dispute over signage, and Brass Rail instead received the contract. Ten of Brass Rail's restaurants were designed by Victor Lundy and had canopies shaped like bunches of white balloons. The Thailand pavilion included North America's first Thai restaurant, while the Malaysia pavilion served Tiger Beer and satay. During the 1964 season, many meals cost 99 cents because any food below $1 could not be taxed. Brewers spent millions of dollars persuading exhibitors to sell their beers. Performances There were more than 30 entertainment events at the fair. Moses disdained carnival-style attractions, saying there would be "no whiskered women, tattooed giants, nudes on ice ... The appeal of a world's fair should not be entirely below the Adam's apple". Shows that appealed to prurient interests, like semi-nude dancing, were excluded. An exception was the adult-only, musical puppet show Les Poupées de Paris (The Dolls of Paris). The lack of adult shows may have contributed to the amusement area's unpopularity in 1964. That May, a striptease show in the Louisiana pavilion lasted two performances before it was canceled. Musical and theatrical performances took place at several pavilions, and there were fireworks and water shows at the Pool of Industry. Wonder World—which lasted two months— and Summer Time Revue. DuPont presented a musical revue in its own pavilion, The Wonderful World of Chemistry. A controversial minstrel show in the Louisiana pavilion was canceled after two days. International pavilions, such as the African, Indonesia, and Spain pavilions, also hosted dance and other live shows. Sporting events, such as wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, fencing, judo, and weightlifting, took place at the fair. Other shows included the ice-skating show ''Dick Button's Ice-Travaganza at the New York City Pavilion, and the Auto Thrill Show in the Transportation Area. To Broadway With Love and the Ice-Travaganza'' closed within a few months of the fair's opening. Music and film The fairground did not emphasize music, although a "World's Fair Festival" took place at Lincoln Center in Manhattan. Popular and classical music was broadcast from 800 luminaries around the fairground. The fair also had an official band; Cities Service's World's Band of America, a 50-piece ensemble, was headed by the conductor Paul Lavalle. Other ensembles, including Guy Lombardo, the United States Marine Band, During 1964, the amusement area hosted rock-and-roll concerts that were popular among local youth; Moses, who abhorred the genre, canceled these concerts when he learned about them. The fairground contained about 40 movie theaters, most of which were housed within pavilions, for which fifty films were produced. These included several religious films: Parable at the Protestant and Orthodox pavilion; Man in the 5th Dimension at the Billy Graham pavilion; and ''Man's Search for Happiness'' at the LDS pavilion. The Johnson's Wax pavilion screened a film titled To Be Alive!, which later won an Academy Award. Art and artifacts Originally, the WFC made no effort to coordinate art exhibitions at the 1964 World's Fair, and Moses did not wish to subsidize art exhibits on the fairground, After commentators spoke about the lack of art at the fair, Moses changed his mind and allowed states to display art in their pavilions. Ten pop artists designed art for the New York State Pavilion's Theaterama, and the Fine Arts pavilion displayed 250 contemporary artists' work. Foreign nations also displayed art and artifacts at the fair. Spain displayed works from artists such as Francisco Goya, El Greco, Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, and Diego Velázquez. The United Arab Republic displayed artifacts from several historical eras; the Jordan pavilion showed the Dead Sea Scrolls; and the Republic of China pavilion displayed Chinese jade. Though art was also displayed in gift shops throughout the fair, WFC officials generally only publicized artwork that was exhibited in pavilions. There were 95 sculptures at the fair, four which remain in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park: Forms in Transit by Theodore Roszak, Freedom of the Human Spirit by Marshall Fredericks, Free Form by José de Rivera, and Rocket Thrower by Donald De Lue. The temporary sculptures included Pietà by Michelangelo at the Vatican pavilion, Consumer products The 1964 World's Fair introduced and showed many consumer products, in what one magazine called "the ultimate marketing bonanza of [its] time". Color television was popularized at the fair, and the Ford Mustang was launched just before its appearance at the fair. The fair also displayed technologies such as Picturephones and IBM computers, as well as electronic devices that could display personalized data to visitors. == Aftermath ==

Site usage Site clearing Moses predicted the WFC would need to spend $11.6 million to clear Flushing Meadows–Corona Park after the fair closed. He recommended the demolition of most of the pavilions. By mid-1965, the WFC proposed the preservation of 19 structures, while others sold the contents of their pavilions, and people offered to salvage parts of some buildings. Each exhibitor was supposed to have placed money in escrow or posted a bond to cover the demolition costs, but most exhibitors had not done so. The WFC feared exhibitors would abandon their pavilions. Demolition began the day after the fair closed By November, the site was filled with rubbish and rats. Scientists temporarily preserved three of the fair's buildings for structural testing. The deadline for demolition was extended to December 1966, and by the middle of that year, about 24 structures remained. Moses suggested his Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority should provide funding to convert the fairground into a park. The city government took over Flushing Meadows–Corona Park from the WFC in June 1967. Few improvements were made to the park for several years and many of the remaining structures were vandalized. In the 1980s, a 1989 World's Fair was proposed for the site to mark the 25th Anniversary of the 1964 fair, but the proposal was unsuccessful. The paths remain almost unchanged into the 21st century. Remaining structures Some of the structures from the 1964 World's Fair, including the fair's symbol the Unisphere, remain in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. Near the Unisphere is the Column of Jerash from Jordan's pavilion, a stone bench marking the site of the Vatican pavilion, and a plaque on the site of the Garden of Meditation. The New York City Pavilion houses Queens Museum, and the New York Hall of Science is also preserved as a museum. The western side of the fairground site includes the Port Authority pavilion, which became the Terrace on the Park banquet hall; the Winston Churchill Tribute, which became an aviary for Queens Zoo; and the Flushing Meadows Carousel. but its former Theaterama is used by Queens Theatre in the Park. The World's Fair Marina along Flushing Bay still operates. Other buildings, including the Transportation and Travel and Greyhound pavilions, stayed late into demolition; the Greyhound Pavilion survived until a few months after the park's reopening. The United States Pavilion, the Aquacade amphitheater, press building, and the Singer Bowl remained for several years before their demolition. Other structures were relocated after the fair closed; among these were the Austria, Christian Science, Denmark, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mormon, Parker Pen, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, and Wisconsin pavilions. the Uniroyal Giant Tire and Golden Rondelle Theater. In some cases, only parts of buildings were preserved due to the high cost of full preservation. The LIRR, Mormon, Socony Mobil, and West Berlin pavilions, as well as the monorail, Poupees des Paris, and the wax museum, were preserved within New York. Other objects, including parts of the Hollywood and Ireland pavilions, Some pavilions, such as Clairol's "color carousel" and Sinclair Oil's dinosaur exhibits, became traveling exhibitions. On the fair's closing day, the WFC had $11.58 million in cash. and the WFC was expecting to default on 60 percent of the bonds it had issued. In December 1965, Beame determined the fair had lost $20.1 million in 1964 due to improper management. The WFC later agreed to pay noteholders another $4 million in mid-1966, although it struggled to fulfill its obligation to restore the fairground. During the late 1960s, the WFC was separately investigated on charges of financial mismanagement regarding the Belgian Village pavilion, and the New York state government opened a racketeering investigation into the fair's construction. The city government received $1.5 million in profits from the fair in 1972, following several years of legal disputes. The fair recorded a net loss of $21.1 million, and bondholders received back about one-third of their original investments. In part because of the 1964 fair's unprofitability, many industrial exhibitors were reluctant to sponsor major exhibits at the next world's fair, Expo 67 in Montreal, Canada, and two other American cities withdrew proposals for world's fairs in the 1960s and 1970s. Expo 67 officials also sought positive press coverage for their fair, a significant departure from Moses's negative reaction to every perceived criticism. == Impact ==

Reception Contemporaneous Before the fair opened, The Washington Post called it a "mixed boon" to New York City because BIE members had boycotted the fair. In late 1963, just before the fair opened, an Associated Press reporter called it "a big city cousin to the familiar county fair" and said it was becoming one of the United States' most comprehensive exhibits of industries and businesses. During the second season, Time magazine wrote the fair was unsuccessful because of long queues, meager exhibits, high prices, and the overwhelmingly large number of attractions for visitors. When the fair closed, a Wall Street Journal reporter wrote it had failed because it "lacked coordination, a common purpose that could be transmitted to the community". Russell Lynes said the concept of the fair was flawed because instant communication between countries was already possible. There was also commentary on the conflicting architectural styles, which were controversial even before the official opening. After the fair opened, Ada Louise Huxtable of The New York Times wrote the fair was architecturally "grotesque", while other critics criticized the structures as befitting Coney Island or a street fair. a sentiment repeated in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. A Newsday reporter described the fair as "both garish and subtle, tawdry and tasteful, ephemeral and lasting". Retrospective In 1967, New York Times reporter Robert Alden wrote the 1964 fair benefited from "participation of private industry on a massive scale" and that more countries were participating in Expo 67. Another Times writer said in 1989: "The 1964 fair was not as self-conscious a portrayal of the future so much as a display of contemporary American achievements". The same year, a Newsday reporter wrote the 1964 fair had occurred at a time when audiences were no longer awed by cultural and technological innovations. According to the author Lawrence R. Samuel, the fair's motto "peace through understanding" was overshadowed by the fair's focus on profits, In the same year, Joseph Tirella wrote although "peace through understanding continues to elude us", the United States had become more ethnically diverse due to the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which was enacted just before the fair ended. According to New York Daily News in 2012, the remaining structures from the fair "have provided [Flushing Meadows–Corona Park] with some of its most striking structures". For the fair's 50th anniversary, Smithsonian magazine wrote the fair's "limitless faith in material and social progress" had been counteracted by the social upheaval in the U.S. that took place during the mid-1960s. In 2018, The New York Times wrote the fair was a showcase for futuristic technology and a place where "foreigners could broadcast their best wares and fairgoers could catch a glimpse into their far-off cultures". The city's hotels and garages were often overcrowded during the fair's 1964 season. To avoid crowds, many residents left the city during the fair. Attendance at local amusement parks declined during the fair and some parks, such as Freedomland U.S.A., permanently closed. At the end of the 1964 season, the city's Convention and Visitors Bureau estimated the city had earned $400 million due to the fair. After the fair ended, The New York Times estimated it had increased local restaurant profits by eight percent, while stores in Midtown Manhattan saw their profits increase by approximately four percent. Cultural influence and media At the fair's 50th anniversary, a writer for amNewYork Metro wrote it helped influence 21st-century technologies and highlighted Flushing Meadows–Corona Park as an attraction in itself. The fair helped popularize several consumer products such as Belgian waffles and the Ford Mustang. The fair has been the subject of documentary films such as ''The 1964 World's Fair (1996), After the Fair (2014), and Peace Through Understanding: The 1964–65 New York World's Fair. The fair and its structures have been depicted in popular media; for example, the New York State Pavilion and the Unisphere appear in the films Men in Black and Iron Man 2''. Historians have created websites and written books about the fair. The fair has been the subject of several exhibitions at venues including the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts, Queens Museum, The fair's 50th anniversary in 2014 was celebrated with six months of parties, exhibits, and other events across Queens. Hobbyists have collected memorabilia from the fair, and several collectors have founded the World's Fair Collectors Society. Collectors have preserved objects such as bracelets, medallions, ponchos, purses, and pocketknives. The Smithsonian Institution and Queens Museum also own objects from the World's Fair, and there have been efforts to develop a World's Fair museum. == See also ==