The Ford Building Timeline
May 29, 1935 – Opening Day of the California Pacific International Exposition
1936 – Ford Exhibit closes with over 2.5 million visitors. Fair extends through out 1936
1936 – Ford Building renamed to Hall of Transportation
September 1936 – California Pacific International Exposition closes. Total attendance is 6.3 million
1937 to 1973 – Ford Building is used as for various different functions:
- Aviation Vocational School
- Purposed Convair B-17 plant
- Coastal Artillery storage site
- NRA Shooting School
- Bomb Shelter
- Theater Storage
1960 – City Council deemed building to be "lacking significant architectural value" and slated to be demolished
1963 – San Diego Aerospace (now San Diego Air & Space Museum) founded
1973 – Public outcry and effort to save the Ford Building. Building place on National Registry of Historic Places and named new Home of the San Diego Aerospace Museum
1978 – Restoration of Ford building begins. Fire consumes the Electric building in Balboa Park. San Diego Aerospace Museum and its collection burn to the ground
1980 – Aerospace Museum moves into Ford building
June 28, 1980 – Aerospace Museum opens full time to the public
2004 – Restoration of the main Rotunda completed
May 29, 2010 – Ford Buildings 75 Anniversary



