Golden Gate International Exposition

Worlds Fair 1939 Treasure Island, San Francisco, CA

The Golden Gate International Exposition (GGIE) of 1939-1940, located on San Francisco’s Treasure Island, was a World’s Fair celebrating the completion of the city’s iconic bridges – the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge. Spanning from February 18, 1939, to October 29, 1939, and then from May 25, 1940, to September 29, 1940, the exposition drew 17 million visitors. This historical event, initiated in 1933, showcased the newly built bridges and their significance to the city. Treasure Island, an artificial island attached to Yerba Buena Island, served as the exposition site, initially intended as a municipal airport. However, due to wartime needs, it was taken over by the US Navy from 1941 to 1997. Despite facing financial challenges, the fair closed temporarily on October 29, 1939, but a frantic reorganization led to a partially revamped reopening for a second season in 1940.