Centennial District

Image title

Memorial Hall in West Fairmount Park.

Centennial District

In 1876, a massive international exhibition, in honor of the 100th birthday of the United States, was staged in the newly formed Fairmount Park. This Centennial Exhibition involved displays from around the country and the world. Philadelphia, a fast growing city of 800,000 hosted nearly 10 million visitors to the Centennial during its six month run. Intended as a temporary event, much of the exhibition was dismantled by 1877. However, Memorial Hall, a centerpiece of the Centennial, continued as the Philadelphia Museum of Art until 1927. This iconic building will soon see a new life as the home of the Please Touch Children's Museum. Just to the east of the exhibition grounds, the Philadelphia Zoo, established just prior to the Centennial in 1874, continues in operation to this day and is America's oldest zoo. In 1976, the Mann Center for the Performing Arts was built at the western end of the old Centennial grounds. Built as the summer home for the Philadelphia Orchestra, it now offers a diverse summer season of entertainment and education.

The Centennial District Master Plan

The Centennial District Master Plan envisions the transformation and revitalization of the area from the Philadelphia Zoo to the Mann Center for the Performing Arts.  It includes proposals for land use, transportation, signage and community development.  It is an ambitious, multi-faceted, 20-year plan with an end date of 2026 - targeted to coincide with the 250th anniversary of American Independence. The Master Plan also examines the connections from the Centennial District to the surrounding neighborhoods and to the larger city and region beyond. It was funded through the Fairmount Park Conservancy with generous support from the William Penn Foundation and the Lenfest Foundation.

To view the the Centennial District executive summary please click here.