This public park in Queens, NY is most well known as being the site of the 1964/65 New York World’s Fair. It was at this World’s Fair where Walt Disney saw an opportunity to not only experiment with new theme park technology but to also test the east coast audience, in preparation for his Florida Project.
The centerpiece of the World’s Fair and one of the only surviving structures today (along with the Queens Museum) is the iconic Unisphere. Imagineer Harper Goff had a hand in designing the famed armillary sphere which has been featured in major films including the epic opening to Iron Man 2 (2010) and plays a major role in Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland (2015) which recreated the fair for the big screen. You may also recognize the Unisphere as Peter Parker captures a glimpse of it from the highway while being driven around by Happy during Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).
Read more about our visit to this park in our blog post: Re-Living Walt Disney’s Past: Exploring the Grounds of the 1964/65 New York World’s Fair.
- This location is mentioned in our blog post: Re-Living Walt Disney’s Past: Exploring the Grounds of the 1964/65 New York World’s Fair.
Address: Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, NY 11368
Visitor Information: New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
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Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, NY 11368
The Bonhams auction listing of Goff’s collection INFERS that he designed the Unisphere. The truth is, he was only involved in lighting and fountain design. This is why all the artwork shows lights and fountains. Of course there are sketches of the Unisphere included. How else do you design lighting and fountains for an object of that size?
The Unisphere started out as a globe encircled by an automotive tire, designed by the NY Parks Department, to showcase American tire and rubber industries. The globe was later omitted, and the tire became the US Royal Giant Tire Ferris wheel. The globe became the Unisphere.
I didn’t know that! Very cool – thanks for stopping by and sharing!