Exhibition Square was created for the second Fine Art and Industrial Exhibition of 1879. Several buildings had to be demolished to make space, including The Bird in Hand pub. They were replaced by a renaissance style exhibition hall designed by Edward Taylor. The Hall contained works of art and latest technological developments, including ’Stevengraphs’ – woven silk pictures, popular at the time. The exhibition was a massive success, bringing in over half a million visitors and making a profit of £12,000. Afterwards the building was sold to City of York Council as an art gallery.