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Poster advertising the Brussels International Exposition in 1897

A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition or an expo, is a large global exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations.[1] These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specific site for a period of time, typically between three and six months.[1]

The term "world's fair" is commonly used in the United States,[2] while the French term, Exposition universelle ("universal exhibition"[3]) is used in most of Europe and Asia; other terms include World Expo or Specialised Expo, with the word expo used for various types of exhibitions since at least 1958.

Since the adoption of the 1928 Convention Relating to International Exhibitions, the Paris-based Bureau International des Expositions has served as an international sanctioning body for international exhibitions; four types of international exhibition are organised under its auspices: World Expos, Specialised Expos, Horticultural Expos (regulated by the International Association of Horticultural Producers), and the Milan Triennial.

Astana, Kazakhstan, held the most recent Specialised Expo in 2017 while Dubai, United Arab Emirates, hosted World Expo 2020 (which was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) and Doha, Qatar hosted Horticultural Expo in 2023.[4]

History

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In 1791, Prague organized the first World's Fair in Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic).[5][6][7] The first industrial exhibition was on the occasion of the coronation of Leopold II as king of Bohemia. The exhibition was held in the Clementinum, and celebrated the considerable sophistication of manufacturing methods in the Czech lands during that time period.[8] France had a tradition of national exhibitions, which culminated with the French Industrial Exposition of 1844 held in Paris. This fair was followed by other national exhibitions in Europe.

Interior of the Crystal Palace at the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, London, in 1851

In 1851, the "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations" was held in the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom. The Great Exhibition, as it is often called, was an idea of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband, and is usually considered to be the first international exhibition of manufactured products.[9] It influenced the development of several aspects of society, including art-and-design education, international trade and relations, and tourism.[10] This expo was the precedent for the many international exhibitions, later called World Expos, that have continued to be held to the present time.[9]

The character of world fairs, or expositions, has evolved since the first one in 1851. Three eras can be distinguished: the era of industrialization, the era of cultural exchange, and the era of nation branding.[11]

Industrialization (1851–1938)

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The Yerkes Great refractor telescope mounted at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago

The first era, the era of "industrialization", roughly covered the years from 1850 to 1938. In these years, world expositions were largely focused on trade and displayed technological advances and inventions. World expositions were platforms for state-of-the-art science and technology from around the world. The world expositions of 1851 London, 1853 New York, 1862 London, 1876 Philadelphia, Paris 1878, 1888 Barcelona, 1889 Paris, 1891 Prague, 1893 Chicago, 1897 Brussels, 1900 Paris, 1904 St. Louis, 1915 San Francisco, and 1933–1934 Chicago were notable in this respect.[12] Inventions such as the telephone were first presented during this era. This era set the basic character of the world fair.[13]

Cultural exchange (1939–1987)

[edit]
Ice Follies at the Seattle 1962 World's Fair

The 1939–1940 New York World's Fair, and those that followed, took a different approach, one less focused on technology and aimed more at cultural themes and social progress. For instance, the theme of the 1939 fair was "Building the World of Tomorrow"; at the 1964–1965 New York World's Fair, it was "Peace Through Understanding"; at the 1967 International and Universal Exposition in Montreal, it was "Man and His World". These fairs encouraged effective intercultural communication along with sharing of technological innovation.

The 1967 International and Universal Exposition in Montreal was promoted under the name Expo 67. Event organizers retired the term world's fair in favor of Expo (the Montreal Expos, a former Major League Baseball team, was named for the 1967 fair).[14]

Nation branding (1988–present)

[edit]
1992 Expo in Seville, Spain

From World Expo 88 in Brisbane onwards, countries started to use expositions as a platform to improve their national image through their pavilions. Finland, Japan, Canada, France, and Spain are cases in point. A major study by Tjaco Walvis called "Expo 2000 Hanover in Numbers" showed that improving national image was the main goal for 73% of the countries participating in Expo 2000.[citation needed] Pavilions became a kind of advertising campaign, and the Expo served as a vehicle for "nation branding". According to branding expert Wally Olins, Spain used Expo '92 and the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona in the same year to underscore its new position as a modern and democratic country and to show itself as a prominent member of the European Union and the global community.[citation needed]

At Expo 2000 Hanover, countries created their own architectural pavilions, investing, on average, €12 million each.[15] Given these costs, governments are sometimes hesitant to participate, because the benefits may not justify the costs. However, while the effects are difficult to measure, an independent study for the Dutch pavilion at Expo 2000 estimated that the pavilion (which cost around €35 million) generated around €350 million of potential revenues for the Dutch economy. It also identified several key success factors for world-exposition pavilions in general.[16]

Types

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Expo tower for the Osaka 1970 World Expo in Japan

At present there are two types of international exhibition: World Expos (formally known as International Registered Exhibitions) and Specialised Expos (formally known as International Recognised Exhibitions).[17] World Expos, previously known as universal expositions, are the biggest category events. At World Expos, participants generally build their own pavilions. They are therefore the most extravagant and most expensive expos. Their duration may be between six weeks and six months. Since 1995, the interval between two World Expos has been at least five years. World Expo 2015 was held in Milan, Italy, from 1 May to 31 October 2015.

Specialised Expos are smaller in scope and investments and generally shorter in duration; between three weeks and three months. Previously, these Expos were called Special Exhibitions or International Specialized Exhibitions but these terms are no longer used officially. Their total surface area must not exceed 25 hectares (62 acres) and organizers must build pavilions for the participating states, free of rent, charges, taxes and expenses. The largest country pavilions may not exceed 1,000 m2 (14 acre). Only one Specialised Expo can be held between two World Expos.[18]

An additional two types of international exhibition may be recognized by the BIE: horticultural exhibitions, which are joint BIE and AIPH-sanctioned 'garden' fairs in which participants present gardens and garden pavilions; and the semi-regular Milan Triennial (not always held every third year) art and design exhibition, held in Milan, Italy, with the BIE granting official international exhibition status to 14 editions of the Triennale between 1996 and 2016.[19]

World Expos

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Expo 2000 brickwork, for the World Expo in Hannover, Germany in 2000

World Expos (formally known as International Registered Exhibitions) encompass universal themes that affect the full gamut of human experience, and international and corporate participants are required to adhere to the theme in their representations. Registered expositions are held every 5 years because they are more expensive as they require total design of pavilion buildings from the ground up. As a result, nations compete for the most outstanding or memorable structure—for example Japan, France, Morocco, and Spain at Expo '92. Sometimes prefabricated structures are used to minimize costs for developing countries, or for countries from a geographical block to share space (i.e. Plaza of the Americas at Seville '92).

In the 21st century the BIE has moved to sanction World Expos every five years; following the numerous expos of the 1980s and 1990s, some see this as a means to cut down potential expenditure by participating nations. The move was also seen by some as an attempt to avoid conflicting with the Summer Olympics. World Expos are restricted to every five years, with Specialized Expos in the in-between years.

Specialised Expos

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Panoramic view of Expo 2012 Yeosu, in South Korea

Specialized Expos (formally known as International Recognized Exhibitions) are usually united by a precise theme—such as "Future Energy" (Expo 2017 Astana), "The Living Ocean and Coast" (Expo 2012 Yeosu), or "Leisure in the Age of Technology" (Brisbane, Expo '88). Such themes are more specific than the wider scope of world expositions.

Specialized Expos are usually smaller in scale and cheaper to run for the host committee and participants because the architectural fees are lower and they only have to customize pavilion space provided free of charge from the Organiser, usually with the prefabricated structure already completed. Countries then have the option of "adding" their own colours, design etc. to the outside of the prefabricated structure and filling in the inside with their own content.

Horticultural Expos

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Royal Pavilion of Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006, in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Horticultural Expos (formally known as A1 International Horticultural Exhibitions) are co-regulated by International Association of Horticultural Producers. Like Specialised Expos are organized in a precise theme—such as "Green Desert, Better Environment" (International Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha Qatar), "Growing Green Cities" (Floriade 2022), or "Building a Beautiful Home Featuring Harmonious Coexistence between Man and Nature" (Expo 2019).

The purpose of these exhibitions is to foster cooperation and the sharing of knowledge and solutions between countries, horticultural producers and agricultural industries by addressing the paramount issues of healthy lifestyles, green economies, sustainable living, education and innovation.

List of expositions

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List of official world expositions (Universal and International/Specialised/Horticultural) according to the Bureau International des Expositions.[20]

World Expos

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# Name of exposition Dates Area (ha) Visitors Participants Theme
1 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Great Exhibition 1 May – 11 October 1851 10.40 6,039,195 25 Industry of all Nations
2 Second French Empire Exposition Universelle (1855) 15 May – 15 November 1855 15.20 5,162,330 28 Agriculture, Industry and Fine Arts
3 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1862 International Exhibition 1 May – 1 November 1862 11 6,096,617 39 Industry and Art
4 Second French Empire Exposition Universelle (1867) 1 April – 3 November 1867 68.70 15,000,000 42 Agriculture, Industry and Fine Arts
5 Austria-Hungary Weltausstellung 1873 Wien 1 May – 31 October 1873 233 7,255,000 35 Culture and Education
6 United States Centennial Exposition 10 May – 10 November 1876 115 10,000,000 35 Arts, Manufactures and Products of the Soil and Mine
7 French Third Republic Exposition Universelle (1878) 20 May – 10 November 1878 75 16,156,626 35 New Technologies
8 Melbourne International Exhibition (1880) 1 October – 30 April 1881 25 1,330,000 33 Arts, Manufactures and Agricultural and Industrial Products of all Nations
9 Restoration (Spain) Exposición Universal de Barcelona (1888) 8 April – 10 December 1888 46.50 2,300,000 30 Fine and Industrial Art
10 French Third Republic Exposition Universelle (1889) 5 May – 31 October 1889 96 32,250,297 35 Celebration of the centenary of the French revolution
11 United States World's Columbian Exposition 1 May – 3 October 1893 290 27,500,000 19 Fourth centenary of the discovery of America
12 Belgium Brussels International (1897) 10 May – 8 November 1897 36 6,000,000 27 Modern Life
13 French Third Republic Exposition Universelle (1900) 15 April – 12 November 1900 120 50,860,801 40 19th century: an overview
14 United States Louisiana Purchase Exposition 30 April – 1 December 1904 500 19,694,855 60 Celebration of the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase
15 Belgium Liège International (1905) 27 April – 6 November 1905 70 7,000,000 35 Commemoration of the 75th anniversary of independence
16 Kingdom of Italy Milan International (1906) 28 April – 11 November 1906 100 4,012,776 40 Transportation
17 Belgium Brussels International 1910 23 April – 7 November 1910 30 13,000,000 26 Works of Art and Science, Agricultural and Industrial Products of All Nations
18 Belgium Exposition universelle et internationale (1913) 26 April – 3 November 1913 130 9,503,419 24 Peace, Industry and Art
19 United States Panama–Pacific International Exposition 20 February – 4 December 1915 254 18,876,438 41 Celebrating the opening of the Panama Canal
20 Restoration (Spain) 1929 Barcelona International Exposition 20 May 1929 – 15 January 1930 118 5,800,000 29 Industry, Art and Sport
21 United States Century of Progress 27 May 1933 – 31 October 1934 170 38,872,000 21 The independence among Industry and scientific research.
22 Belgium Brussels International Exposition (1935) 27 April – 3 November 1935 152 20,000,000 25 Transport
23 French Third Republic Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne 25 May – 25 November 1937 104 31,040,955 35 Arts and technology in modern life
24 United States 1939 New York World's Fair 30 April 1939 – 27 October 1940 500 45,000,000 54 Building the World of Tomorrow
25 Republic of Haiti (1859–1957) Exposition internationale du bicentenaire de Port-au-Prince 8 December 1949 – 8 June 1950 30 250,000 18 The festival of Peace
26 Belgium Expo '58 17 April – 19 October 1958 200 41,454,412 39 A World View: A New Humanism
27 United States Century 21 Exposition 21 April – 21 October 1962 30 9,000,000 49 Man in the Space Age
28 Canada Expo 67 28 April – 29 October 1967 400 50,306,648 62 Man and his World
29 Japan Expo '70 15 March – 13 November 1970 330 64,218,770 67 Progress and Harmony for Mankind
30 Spain Seville Expo '92 20 April – 12 October 1992 215 41,814,571 108 The Age of Discovery
31 Germany Expo 2000 1 June – 31 October 2000 160 18,100,000 174 Humankind – Nature – Technology
32 Japan Expo 2005 25 March – 25 September 2005 173 22,049,544 121 Nature's Wisdom
33 China Expo 2010 1 May – 31 October 2010 523 73,085,000 100 Better City, Better Life
34 Italy Expo 2015 1 May – 31 October 2015 110 21,500,000 139 Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life
35 United Arab Emirates Expo 2020 1 October 2021 – 31 March 2022 438 24,102,967 200 Connecting Minds, Creating the Future
36 Japan Expo 2025 13 April – 13 October 2025 155 Designing Future Society for Our Lives
37 Saudi Arabia Expo 2030 1 October 2030 – 31 March 2031 The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow

Specialised Expos

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Name of exposition Dates Area Visitors Participants Theme
Sweden Expo 1936 Stockholm 15 May – 1 June 1936 N/A N/A 8 Aviation
Finland Expo 1938 Helsinki 14–22 May 1938 N/A N/A 25 Aerospace
Belgium Expo 1939 Liege 20 May – 2 September 1939 50 N/A 8 Art of Water
French Fourth Republic Expo 1947 Paris 10 July – 15 August 1947 6.35 N/A 14 Urbanism and Housing
Sweden Expo 1949 Stockholm 27 July – 13 August 1949 N/A N/A 14 Sport and physical culture
French Fourth Republic Expo 1949 Lyon 24 September – 9 October 1949 110 N/A N/A Rural Habitat
French Fourth Republic Expo 1951 Lille 28 April – 20 May 1951 15 1,500,000 24 Textile
Italy Expo 1953 Rome 26 July – 31 October 1953 12 1,700,000 N/A Agriculture
Israel Expo 1953 Jerusalem 22 September – 14 October 1953 4.60 600,000 13 Conquest of the Desert
Italy Expo 1954 Naples 15 May – 15 October 1954 100 N/A 25 Navigation
Italy Expo 1955 Turin 25 May – 15 June 1955 N/A 120,000 11 Sport
Sweden Expo 1955 Helsingborg 10 June – 28 August 1955 N/A N/A 10 Modern Man in the Environment
Israel Expo 1956 Beit Dagan 21 May – 20 June 1956 55 N/A N/A Citrus
West Germany Expo 1957 Berlin 6 July – 29 September 1957 N/A 1,000,000 13 Reconstruction of Hansa District
Italy Expo 1961 Turin 1 May – 31 September 1961 50 5,000,000 19 Man and his Work – A Century of Technological and Social Developments
West Germany Expo 1965 Munich 25 June – 3 October 1965 50.20 2,500,000 31 Transport
United States Expo 1968 San Antonio 6 April – 6 October 1968 39 6,384,482 23 The confluence of civilizations in the Americas
Hungarian People's Republic Expo 1971 Budapest 27 August – 30 September 1971 35 1,900,000 35 The Hunt through the World
United States Expo 1974 Spokane 4 May – 2 November 1974 40 5,600,000 56 Celebrating Tomorrow's Fresh New Environment
Japan Expo 1975 Okinawa 20 July 1975 – 18 January 1976 100 3,485,750 35 The Sea We would like to See
People's Republic of Bulgaria Expo 1976 Plovdiv 14 June – 12 July 1981 51 N/A 70 Earth – Planet of Life
United States Expo 1982 Knoxville 1 May – 31 October 1982 29 11,127,780 16 Energy turns the World
United States Expo 1984 New Orleans 12 May – 11 November 1984 34 7,335,000 15 The World of rivers – Fresh Water as a source of life
Japan Expo 1985 Tsukuba 17 March – 16 September 1985 100 20,334,727 48 Dwellings and surroundings – Science and Technology for Man at Home
People's Republic of Bulgaria Expo 1985 Plovdiv 4–30 November 1985 5.80 1,000,000 54 Inventions
Canada Expo 1986 Vancouver 2 May – 13 October 1986 70 22,111,578 55 Transportation and Communication: World in Motion – World in Touch
Australia Expo 1988 Brisbane 30 April – 30 October 1988 40 18,560,447 36 Leisure in the age of Technology
Bulgaria Expo 1991 Plovdiv 7 June – 7 July 1991 N/A N/A 9 The activity of young people in the service of a World of Peace
Italy Expo 1992 Genoa 15 May – 15 August 1992 6 817,045 52 Christopher Colombus: The Ship and the Sea
South Korea Expo 1993 Daejeon 7 August – 7 November 1993 90.10 14,005,808 141 The Challenge of a New Road of Development
Portugal Expo 1998 Lisbon 22 May – 30 September 1998 50 10,128,204 160 The Oceans: a heritage for the Future
Spain Expo 2008 Zaragoza 14 June – 14 September 2008 25 5,650,943 108 Water and sustainable development
South Korea Expo 2012 Yeosu 14 May – 12 August 2012 25 8,203,956 103 The living ocean and coast
Kazakhstan Expo 2017 Astana 10 June – 10 September 2017 35 3,977,545 137 Future Energy
Serbia Expo 2027 Belgrade 15 May – 15 August 2027 25 Play for Humanity – Sport and Music for All

Horticultural Expos

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Name of exposition Dates Area Visitors Participants Theme
Netherlands Expo 1960 Rotterdam 25 March – 25 September 1936 50 4,000,000 N/A International Horticulture
West Germany Expo 1963 Hamburg 26 April – 13 October 1963 76 5,400,000 35 Horticulture of all Categories from the Point of View of Economics and Culture
Austria Expo 1964 Vienna 16 April – 11 October 1964 100 2,100,000 28 International Horticulture
France Expo 1969 Paris 23 April – 5 October 1969 28 2,400,000 17 Flowers of France and Flowers of the World
Netherlands Expo 1972 Amsterdam 26 March – 1 October 1972 75 4,300,000 N/A Efforts accomplished by International Horticulture
West Germany Expo 1973 Hamburg 27 April – 7 October 1973 76 5,800,000 50 International Horticulture
Austria Expo 1974 Vienna 18 April – 14 October 1974 100 2,600,000 30 International Horticulture
Canada Expo 1980 Montreal 17 May – 1 September 1980 40 N/A 23 Relationship between man's socio-cultural activities and his physical environment
Netherlands Expo 1982 Amsterdam 8 April – 10 October 1982 50 4,600,000 17 International Horticulture
West Germany Expo 1983 Munich 28 April – 9 October 1983 72 11,600,000 23 International Horticulture
United Kingdom Expo 1984 Liverpool 2 May – 14 October 1984 95 3,380,000 29 The progress accomplished by International and National Horticulture
Japan Expo 1990 Osaka 1 April – 30 September 1990 140 23,126,934 83 The Harmonious Coexistence of Nature and Mankind
Netherlands Expo 1992 Zoetermeer 10 April – 12 October 1992 68 3,355,600 23 Horticulture is being involved in a continuous process of renewal
Germany Expo 1993 Stuttgart 23 April – 17 October 1993 64 7,311,000 40 City and Nature – Responsible Approach
China Expo 1999 Kunming 1 May – 31 October 1999 218 9,427,000 70 Man and Nature – Marching into the 21st century
Netherlands Expo 2002 Haarlemmermeer 25 April – 20 October 2002 140 2,071,000 30 The contribution of the Netherlands horticulture and international horticulture
Germany Expo 2003 Rostock 25 April – 12 October 2003 100 2,600,000 32 A Seaside Park. A new flowered world
Thailand Expo 2006 Chiang Mai 1 November 2006 – 31 January 2007 80 3,848,791 32 To Express the Love for Humanity
Netherlands Expo 2012 Venlo 5 April – 7 October 2012 66 2,046,684 38 Be part of the theatre in nature; get closer to the quality of life
Turkey Expo 2016 Antalya 23 April – 30 October 2016 112 4,693,571 54 Flowers and Children
China Expo 2019 Beijing 29 April – 7 October 2019 503 9,340,000 110 Live Green, Live Better
Netherlands Expo 2022 Amsterdam – Almere 14 April – 9 October 2022 60 685,189 32 Growing Green Cities
Qatar Expo 2023 Doha 2 October 2023 – 28 March 2024 80 N/A N/A Green Desert, Better Environment
Japan Expo 2027 Yokohama 19 March – 26 September 2027 80 Scenery of the Future for Happiness
Thailand Expo 2029 Nakhon Ratchasima 10 November 2029 – 28 February 2030 80 Nature and Greenery: Envisioning the Green Future

Legacies

[edit]

Remaining structures

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Chromolithograph of the Eiffel Tower illuminations in 1889
The Space Needle and Monorail depicted on this 1962 stamp

Most of the structures are temporary and are dismantled after the fair closes, except for landmark towers. By far the most famous of these is the Eiffel Tower, built for the Exposition Universelle (1889). Although it is now the most recognized symbol of its host city Paris, there were contemporary critics opposed to its construction, and demands for it to be dismantled after the fair's conclusion.[21]

Other structures that remain from these fairs:

Seattle – World's Fair sign at 47th and Aurora, 1962
The Unisphere, from the 1964 World's Fair in New York City, in the early 21st century
  • 1964 – New York City: many structures still stand
    • The Unisphere, built for the second New York World's Fair, stands on its original site in Flushing Meadows, Queens
    • New York Hall of Science, built for the fair, continues to operate as a science museum, similar to its original role
    • The Port Authority Heliport and Exhibit is now the Terrace on the Park event and catering venue
    • The New York State Pavilion is mostly derelict, but is still an icon, with its observation towers prominently featured in 1997's Men in Black. The Theaterama building is the only portion still maintained, and is used by the Queens Theater. The Tent of Tomorrow building and observation towers are being restored as of 2019.
    • The New York City Pavilion, a holdover form the 1939 fair, continues to serve as the home of the Queens Museum
    • Other artifacts remain throughout the park, and many buildings were transported for use elsewhere and continue to function.
  • 1967 – Montreal: Among the structures still standing from Expo 67 in Montreal are Moshe Safdie's Habitat 67, Buckminster Fuller's American pavilion the "Montreal Biosphere", the Jamaica Pavilion, the Tunisia Pavilion, and the French pavilion (now the Montreal Casino).
  • 1968 – San Antonio: San Antonio kept the Tower of the Americas, the Institute of Texan Cultures and the Convention Center from HemisFair '68.
  • 1970 – Osaka: The Tower of the Sun was left standing, but was neglected after the conclusion of the Expo '70. After restoration to the structure was completed, the museum inside the tower was re-opened on 18 March 2018.[26]
  • 1974 – Spokane: Spokane still has its Riverfront Park that was created for Expo '74—the park remains a popular and iconic part of Spokane's downtown.
View of 1982 fairgrounds, with the Sunsphere
  • 1982 – Knoxville: The Sunsphere from the Knoxville World's Fair remains as a feature of Knoxville's skyline.
  • 1984 – New Orleans: The main pavilions of the 1984 New Orleans World's Fair became the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, which is also known for its use as a shelter of last resort during Hurricane Katrina and later hosted the Miss Universe in 2022.
  • 1986 – Vancouver: In Vancouver, many Expo 86 projects were designed as legacy projects. Of note are the Skytrain, Science World and Canada Place.
  • 1988 – Brisbane: The Skyneedle, the symbol tower of Expo '88 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, still stands. Other survivors are the Nepalese Peace Pagoda of the Nepalese representation, now at the transformed World Expo '88 site South Bank Parklands, and the Japan Pond and Garden from the Japanese representation, now at the Brisbane Mount Cooth-tha Botanic Gardens. In 2018 the World Expo 88 Art Trail was re-birthed and dramatically expanded as part of the 30th Anniversary of World expo 88, now forming a Major tourist attraction in its own right.[27]
  • 1992 – Seville: The pavilions of Expo '92 in Seville had been converted into a technological square and a theme park.
  • 1998 – Lisbon: The main buildings of Expo '98 in Lisbon were completely integrated into the city itself and many of the art exhibition pieces still remain.
  • 2005 – Nagoya: The home of Satsuki & Mei Kusakabe, built for the 2005 Expo in Aichi, remains operating at its original site in Morikoro Park and is a popular tourist attraction, eventually being incorporated into Ghibli Park in 2022.
The China pavilion at the Expo 2010; repurposed as a museum
  • 2010 – Shanghai: The China pavilion from Expo 2010 in Shanghai, the largest display in the history of the World Expo, is now the China Art Museum, the largest art museum in Asia.
  • 2015 – Milan: The Italian Pavilion of Expo 2015 remains on the original site.

Reuse of sites

[edit]

Some world's fair sites became (or reverted to) parks incorporating some of the expo elements, such as:

Relocation of pavilions

[edit]
Poster for the 1900 expo

Some pavilions have been transported overseas intact:

The Brussels Expo '58 relocated many pavilions within Belgium: the pavilion of Jacques Chocolats moved to the town of Diest to house the new town swimming pool. Another pavilion was relocated to Willebroek and has been used as dance hall Carré[33] ever since. One smaller pavilion still stands on the boulevard towards the Atomium: the restaurant "Salon 58" in the pavilion of Comptoir Tuilier.

Other legacies

[edit]

Many exhibitions and rides created by Walt Disney and his WED Enterprises company for the 1964 New York World's Fair (which was held over into 1965) were moved to Disneyland after the closing of the Fair. Many of the rides, including "It's a Small World", and "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln", as well as the building that housed the Carousel of Progress are still in operation.[34] The concept of a permanent world's fair came to fruition with the Disney Epcot theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort, near Orlando, Florida. Epcot has many characteristics of a typical universal exposition: national pavilions and exhibits concerning technology and/or the future, along with more typical amusement park rides. Meanwhile, several of the 1964 attractions that were relocated to Disneyland have been duplicated at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Occasionally other mementos of the fairs remain. In the New York City Subway system, signs directing people to Flushing Meadows–Corona Park remain from the 1964–1965 event. In the Montreal Metro subway at least one tile artwork of its theme, "Man and His World", remains. Also, a seemingly endless supply of souvenir items from fair visits can be found, and in the United States, at least, often turn up at garage or estate sales. Many fairs and expos produced postage stamps and commemorative coins.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "world's fair | History Instances, & Facts | Britannica". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
  2. ^ [1] Britannica. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  3. ^ "exposition". Cambridge French-English Dictionary.
  4. ^ The Expo was postponed from 2020 to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic
  5. ^ Kárníková, Ludmila (1965). Vývoj obyvatelstva v českých zemích 1754–1914 (1 ed.). Praha: Nakladatelství Československé akademie věd. pp. 401, [2] s. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  6. ^ Klíma, Arnošt (1 February 1974). "The Role of Rural Domestic Industry in Bohemia in the Eighteenth Century". The Economic History Review. 27 (1): 48–56. doi:10.2307/2594203. JSTOR 2594203. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  7. ^ Rudolph, Richard F. (1975). "The Pattern of Austrian Industrial Growth from the Eighteenth to the Early Twentieth Century". Austrian History Yearbook. 11. Cambridge University Press: 3–25. doi:10.1017/S0067237800015216. S2CID 145393467. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
  8. ^ "The era of enlightenment". Archived from the original on 16 March 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2011.
  9. ^ a b "The Great Exhibition of 1851". The Gazette. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  10. ^ John R. Davies in Findling and Pelle (2008), "Encyclopedia of World's Fairs and Expositions", pp. 13–14
  11. ^ Walvis, Tjaco, ed. (April 2004). "Three eras of World Expositions: 1851–present". Cosmopolite: Stardust World Expo & National Branding Newsletter (5). Amsterdam: Stardust New Ventures: 1.
  12. ^ "World's Fair | History, Instances, & Facts". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  13. ^ Abbattista, Guido; Iannuzzi, Giulia (2016). "World Expositions as Time Machines: Two Views of the Visual Construction of Time between Anthropology and Futurama". World History Connected. 13 (3).
  14. ^ Ted Dykstra (Director) (2004). Expo'67: Back to the future (DVD). Canada: CBC Home Video.
  15. ^ "World Expo 2020 Silicon Valley – USA Economic Impacts" (PDF). Bay Area Council Economic Institute. February 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 August 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
  16. ^ Tjaco Walvis (2003), "Building Brand Locations", Corporate Reputation Review, Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 358–366
  17. ^ "The Expos". Archived from the original on 11 March 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  18. ^ Based on: BIE Convention
  19. ^ "Triennal di Milano." Bureau International des Expositions (BIE-Paris.org). Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  20. ^ "Official Site of the Bureau International des Expositions". Bie-paris.org. 27 June 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  21. ^ "The Controversy about the Eiffel Tower". Paris Eiffel Tower News. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  22. ^ "Crystal Palace: Joseph Paxton – Transported by moving company". Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  23. ^ PPIE Found Remnants: Architecture: Japanese Gates and Pagoda. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  24. ^ "Balboa Park History". Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2013.
  25. ^ Expo, International Expositions 1851–2010, Anna Jackson, 2008
  26. ^ "Tower of the Sun – Suita-shi, Japan – Atlas Obscura". Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  27. ^ "World Expo '88 Public Art Trail – 30th Anniversary." Brisbane City Council (Brisbane.qld.gov.au). Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  28. ^ "Home – South Bank – Visitor Info – What's On – Shopping – Dining – Attractions and more". Visit South Bank. 4 June 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  29. ^ "Artequin". Artequin.cl. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  30. ^ "The UAE in World Expos". Expo 2020, Dubai, UAE. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
  31. ^ "Jarahieh School for Syrian refugee children in Lebanon". CatalyticAction. Archived from the original on 6 July 2017. Retrieved 27 January 2017.
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Further reading

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