Multiple three-dimensional (3D) display technologies are reviewed. The display mechanisms discussed in this paper are classified into two categories: holographic display in wave optics and light field display in ray optics, which present the 3D optical wave field in two different ways. Key technical characteristics of the optical systems and the depth cues of human visual system are analyzed. It is to be expected that these 3D display technologies will achieve practical applications with the increase of the optical system bandwidth.