New York State Pavilion – New York World’s Fair 1964

The New York State Pavilion was made up of three major components. The largest was the Tent of Tomorrow, a vast oval structure measuring 350 by 250 feet and topped with the world’s biggest suspension roof, constructed from colourful translucent plastic panels. Its floor was just as impressive — a massive 9,000-square-foot terrazzo map of New York State made from more than 500 mosaic panels, the largest map ever created at the time.

Beside it stood the observation towers, where visitors rode exterior “Sky Streak” elevators to viewing platforms offering sweeping views of the fairgrounds. The site also included a circular Circarama theater, where immersive films were shown using Disney’s 360-degree projection system.

All three structures were left standing after the fair — not because they were meant to be preserved, but because demolition was deemed too costly. The theater eventually found new life as the Queens Theatre, which remains open today. The Tent of Tomorrow briefly served as a concert venue and a roller skating rink before closing in 1974 due to structural issues; its roof was removed a few years later, leaving only the steel framework.

The observation towers still stand, though in deteriorated condition. A few of the original elevators lie rusting at their base. In 2019, a $24 million grant was awarded to stabilize the structures and add architectural lighting. The funding does not include rebuilding the elevators, so public access to the towers isn’t planned for now — but restoration work marks a hopeful beginning for one of the fair’s most recognizable survivors.