The Gotham Entrance plaza is ringed with colorful mosaics and features a Trylon and Perisphere pattern in the center.
The New York pavilion as fondly remembered in tile
The Hall of Science still exists today, though without a yellow rubber line.
Billy Rose was a master showman and his Aquacade packed 'em in. It was so popular, the 1964 Fair had one, too.
Salvador Dali designed a midway attraction called "Dreams of Venus" for the 1939 Fair. Many of the midway attractions involved nudity under the guise of artistic education and all that. At least Dali lent some kinda legitimacy to his endeavor.
Moses by Warhol
Mosaic by Robert Indiana, the artist who created the iconic LOVE image in the 1960s
It's still really gorgeous after nearly 50 years.
EAT detail
The Court of Nations in 1939 became the Fountain of the Planets in 1964.
Fountain of the Planets detail
Fountain of the Planets fireworks detail
Just hang it
The shoes have a good view of the soccer fields, which folks use even in the middle of December. I saw a few pickup games while I was there.
The Unisphere lurks beyond the trees
The Fountain of Planets all iced over
The second pole from the right has a red wooden ladder on it, presumably to help fish people out. There's a few around the place.
Stylized eagle atop Fountain of the Planets flagpole
It's pretty neat.
While shooting I am attacked by a rogue squadron of Canada Geese
At one point they flew dangerously low overhead and I frantically ran outside their bombing range
Geese roam all over the place. It's best to stay on the concrete paths if geese are around. "Keep Off The Grass" is not only the rule, but a really good idea if you like your shoes.
This was presumably the control building for the Fountain's light show. I wouldn't be surprised if they launched fireworks from atop it.
180 degrees later, a view of the other end
I am leaving you now geese. Stop looking at me like that.
There are two flagpoles in front of the Fountain of the Planets, but only one had flags.
Concrete water fountains
Each with a step up for kids
The other side of the fountain, the other side of the fountain, the other side of the fountain was all that we did see.
Fire hydrant
This fire hydrant painted by Cub Scout Pack 47211
Donald De Lue's "The Rocket Thrower", from the 1964 Fair
The Unisphere
Brought to you by the good people at US Steel
I hope you're ready for a lot of Unisphere pictures.
You are: Here
The inner support wires are connected to a center ring, just like in the New York pavilion
Marshall Fredericks' "Freedom of the Human Spirit", part of the '39-'40 fair, has seen better days.
The patina was replaced once in 1996 when the statue was relocated. I don't think it's been retouched since.
The statue depicts two nude human figures, a male and female, in flight with swans, all impaled by supports or something
Theodore Roszak's "Forms in Transit" outside the Hall of Science
Abstract rocket
Titan II rocket outside the Hall of Science
Topped with a Gemini capsule
This first manned moon landing was brought to you by the United States. OR WAS IT?
And here's an Atlas rocket with a Mercury capsule on top.
John Glenn became the first man to orbit the Earth in a capsule something like this.
This here's the Hall of Science. I rather like it.
Built for the 1964 World's Fair, the pavilion is a permanent installation and known today as NYSCI. But people still call it the Hall of Science because that's a cooler name.
Man! Woman! Child! All are up against the WALL OF SCIENCE!
Stylized water fountain with some animal statues in the distance. Kids can climb all over 'em, but not in the middle of December.
This was the Heliport of the '64 World's Fair, brought to you by the New York Port Authority.
You could make a swanky entrance by chopper here if you wanted. Or a hasty departure. Or both.
Little bit of storage on the lower level there
The helipad featured a fine dining facility for the visiting VIPs. Nowadays it's a banquet hall called Terrace on the Park. You could go up there if you wanted to!
According to the website, which tends to ignore the exterior, it's very elegant inside.
Ah, the remnants of the New York State Pavilion
Symbol of the Jet Age
These were for the elevator, I believe. At the end of the fair, they left one of the pods stranded halfway up the tower to discourage trespassers. It's no longer there.
Everything's rusted like crazy
Hello, post-processing.
This gigantic open-air structure housed a terra-cotta road map of the entire state of New York.
After the Fair, it converted into a skating rink. It's long gone. So's most of the terra-cotta map, but parts of it have been preserved.
The roof was a tent-like mosaic of colored plastic, which went over the wires here.
The wires attract a lot of birds.
The pavilion is oval in shape. Maybe even elliptical! I'm not sure.
A nice little pavilion on the lake's edge marks the site of the Aquacade, one of the most popular features of both Fairs.
Do not open until 6938 and 6965, respectively
Annotated time-relevant graffiti, with annotations, on the back of the time capsule
A third party added "I have" on the right. So not everyone's worried.
