Playing in the Archives: Simmons Beautyrest Pavilion

Today’s journey through the Epstein archives features one of the more unique projects our firm ever designed: The Simmons Beautyrest Pavilion, constructed for the 1964/1965 New York World’s Fair.

The Epstein-designed pavilion, which was only used during the fair’s two six-month windows in ’64 and ‘65 and then dismantled, told the "story” of sleep, which, through the use of five incredibly whimsical displays called the “Land of Enchantment,” followed man’s progress from a rock pillow to the Simmons Beautyrest mattress. These exhibits included animated displays showing sleep pixies digging sand for the Sandman, historical figures like Shakespeare, Napoleon and George Washington all having trouble sleeping because they didn’t have a Beautyrest mattress, as well as a secret Simmons laboratory where sleep scientists were developing newer, quicker ways to visit Slumberland.