Last Updated on May 9, 2025 by Colby Droscher
1990 was one of those years when the world felt like it was flipping the page on history. The Cold War was winding down, Mandela walked out of prison, and people lined up for hours just to try a Big Mac in Moscow. At home, Americans were popping VHS tapes into bulky VCRs, while the internet quietly took its first baby steps in the background. It was a strange mix of old and new, where landlines still ruled, but something big was clearly around the corner.
1990 was anything but boring. Here are 20 moments from that year that sound almost too unbelievable to be true, but they happened.
1. The Hubble Space Telescope was launched
NASA launched the Hubble Space Telescope in April 1990, revolutionizing our view of the cosmos and capturing breathtaking images of space.
2. The World Wide Web was born
Tim Berners-Lee created the first web browser and website, planting the seed for the internet as we know it today.
3. The U.S. population reached 249 million
The country was on the brink of a population and tech boom of the 1990s.
4. The first McDonald’s opened in Moscow
Russians waited hours in line to try their first Big Mac as capitalism crept into the Soviet Union.
5. Ice Ice Baby topped the charts
Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby” became the first hip-hop single to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
6. The Leaning Tower of Pisa was closed to the public
Engineers feared collapse, so the famous Italian landmark was closed for more than a decade to stabilize.
7. Over 60% of American households had a VCR
Video rentals were booming, making Blockbuster a weekend hotspot.
8. Nelson Mandela’s release was broadcast live
Over 1 billion people watched Mandela’s emotional release live on television.
9. The first Saturn cars were produced
General Motors introduced its new Saturn line, aiming to revolutionize the American auto industry.
10. The Soviet Union began to crumble
Countries like Lithuania and Estonia declared independence, signaling the USSR’s imminent end.
11. The first in-car GPS system was released
Mazda and Pioneer introduced a car navigation system in Japan, a precursor to modern GPS.
12. Photoshop 1.0 was released
The original version of Adobe Photoshop changed graphic design, photography, and visual culture forever.
13. The world population hit 5.3 billion
The planet was getting crowded, and global sustainability concerns started growing louder.
14. East and West Germany played their last separate soccer matches
Before reunification, their national teams had one last hurrah on the pitch.
15. The cost of a gallon of gas in the U.S. averaged $1.16
Fuel prices were low by today’s standards, reflecting a very different economic landscape.
16. The average U.S. movie ticket cost $4.22
Catching a film in theaters was still an affordable treat for most families. Now with some tickets reaching up to $25, it makes it tough to go to the movies often.
17. The U.S. had a federal budget deficit of $221 billion
The national debt was a growing concern even before the tech boom of the ’90s.
18. The average U.S. home price was around $123,000
Real estate remained relatively affordable before the housing market shifts of the 2000s.
19. Iraq became the world’s second-largest oil producer
This economic status helped fuel geopolitical tensions that led to the Gulf War.
20. Smoking bans in restaurants began gaining traction in U.S. cities
Public health concerns were driving the first wave of anti-smoking legislation.
Want to see more vintage ’90s content?
Check out these 20 Things Only 1990s and 2000s Kids Will Understand, or take a look at these 15 Legendary Motorcycles That Made People Dream of the Open Road (1990s). Finally, if you want to take a look at what high school looked like in the ’90s, check out 25 Photos That Show What High School Looked Like in the 1990s.
