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{{Short description|Large international exhibition}}
]] ]
{{pp-pc|small=yes}}
'''World's Fair''' is the generic name for various large ]s held since the mid ]. The official sanctioning body is the ] (BIE)
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
] in 1897]]
A '''world's fair''', also known as a '''universal exhibition''', is a large global exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations.<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica">{{Cite web |title=world's fair {{!}} History Instances, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/worlds-fair |access-date=11 March 2022 |website=Encyclopædia Britannica|language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica" />
Of the BIE approved fairs, there are ''universal'' and ''international'' or ''specialized'', lasting from 3 to 6 months in duration. In addition, countries can hold their own 'fair', 'exposition', 'exhibition', without BIE endorsement.
The term "world's fair" is commonly used in the United States,<ref> ''Britannica''. Retrieved 17 July 2019.</ref> while the French term, {{lang|fr|Exposition universelle}} ("universal exhibition"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/french-english/exposition |title=exposition |website=Cambridge French-English Dictionary}}</ref>) 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 ] 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 ]), and the ].
== Universal expositions ==
Universal Expositions encompass universal themes that affect the full gamut of human experience, usually at a unique period of time for mankind.
Universal expositions are usually held less frequently than specialized or international expositions because they are more expensive. To distinguish them from lesser fairs, they require total design of pavilion buildings from the ground up. As a result, nations compete for the most outstanding or memorable structure - recent examples include ], ], ] & ] at ]. Recent Universal Expositions are ] ], ] ], ] ], ] ] and ] ]. ], ]'s ] was also categorized as a universal expo. Sometimes pre-fabricated structures are also 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).
], ], held the most recent Specialised Expo ] while ], ], hosted World Expo ] (which was postponed to 2021 due to the ]) and ], ] hosted Horticultural Expo ].<ref>The Expo was postponed from 2020 to 2021 due to the ]</ref>
With the ] and ] overflowing with expos back to back, some see the BIE's moves to only sanction expos every 5 years, starting with the 21st century, as a means to cut down potential expenditure by participating nations. Indeed, quite remarkably, it is believed Australia chose not to participate in ] for this reason alone - perhaps Seville was too close and too near in time to justify another representation?
==History==
Whether or not the BIE will be successful in regulating expos to only every 5 years or so, we'll have to wait and see...it may well be that Universal expositions will be restricted to every 5 years or so, with international and specialized expositions in the in-between years for countries wishing to celebrate a special event.
{{Further|List of world expositions|List of world's fairs}}
In 1791, ] organized the first World's Fair in ] (modern-day ]).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kárníková |first1=Ludmila |title=Vývoj obyvatelstva v českých zemích 1754–1914 |date=1965 |publisher=Nakladatelství Československé akademie věd |location=Praha |pages=401, s |edition=1 |url=https://biblio.hiu.cas.cz/records/ad18aaac-4b7b-495e-afed-ef9c64eb55c8?locale=en |access-date=2 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Klíma |first1=Arnošt |title=The Role of Rural Domestic Industry in Bohemia in the Eighteenth Century |journal=The Economic History Review |date=1 February 1974 |volume=27 |issue=1|pages=48–56 |doi=10.2307/2594203 |jstor=2594203 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2594203 |access-date=2 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rudolph |first1=Richard F. |title=The Pattern of Austrian Industrial Growth from the Eighteenth to the Early Twentieth Century |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/austrian-history-yearbook/article/abs/pattern-of-austrian-industrial-growth-from-the-eighteenth-to-the-early-twentieth-century/1B069CDBD7F79CA71D861CEF91971424 |journal=Austrian History Yearbook |year=1975 |volume=11 |pages=3–25 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |doi=10.1017/S0067237800015216 |s2cid=145393467 |access-date=2 June 2021}}</ref> The first industrial exhibition was on the occasion of the coronation of ] as king of ]. The exhibition was held in the ], and celebrated the considerable sophistication of manufacturing methods in the ] during that time period.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/Slavonic/Czech_Hist8.html|title=The era of enlightenment|access-date=11 March 2011|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316114245/http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/Slavonic/Czech_Hist8.html|archive-date=16 March 2012}}</ref> France had a ], which culminated with the ] held in ]. This fair was followed by other national exhibitions in Europe.
== International or Specialized expositions ==
International expositions are usually united by a common theme - such as 'Leisure in the Age of Technology' (] ]), and Universal Expositions are meant to be broader still, encompassing universal themes that affect the full gamut of human experience, usually at a unique period of time for mankind.
] at the ] in ], in 1851]]
Specialized expositions have a narrow theme, such as the International Garden Expositions, held in Osaka 1990 and Kunming, China, 1999.
In 1851, the "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations" was held in ] in ], United Kingdom. The ], as it is often called, was an idea of Prince ], Queen ]'s husband, and is usually considered to be the first international exhibition of manufactured products.<ref name="Gazette"/> It influenced the development of several aspects of society, including art-and-design education, international trade and relations, and tourism.<ref>John R. Davies in Findling and Pelle (2008), "Encyclopedia of World's Fairs and Expositions", pp. 13–14</ref> This expo was the precedent for the many international exhibitions, later called ''World Expos'', that have continued to be held to the present time.<ref name="Gazette">{{cite news |title=The Great Exhibition of 1851 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/all-notices/content/100717 |access-date=5 August 2024 |work=]}}</ref>
Specialized and international expositions are usually smaller in scale and cheaper to run for the host committee and participating nations because the (1) architectural fees are less and (2) they only have to rent the space from the host committee, usually with the pre-fabricated structure already completed. Some say this leads to better creative content as more money can be spent in this area.
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.<ref>{{cite journal |date=April 2004|title= Three eras of World Expositions: 1851–present. |journal= Cosmopolite: Stardust World Expo & National Branding Newsletter |issue= 5|page= 1<!--2-->|location= Amsterdam|publisher= Stardust New Ventures|editor1-first= Tjaco |editor1-last= Walvis}}</ref>
Specialized and international are similar in that the host organization provides the rental space to participating countries, as well as the building itself, which is usually pre-fabricated. Countries then have the option of 'adding' their own colours, design etc. to the outside of the pre-fabricated structure and filling in the inside with their own content. One example of this is ], which invariably has chosen to add a Chinese archway in the front of their pre-fabricated pavilions to symbolize their nation (], ], ]).
===Industrialization (1851–1938)===
]
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 ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ] were notable in this respect.<ref>{{Cite web|title=World's Fair {{!}} History, Instances, & Facts|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/worlds-fair|website=Encyclopædia Britannica|language=en|access-date=29 May 2020}}</ref> Inventions such as the ] were first presented during this era. This era set the basic character of the world fair.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Abbattista|first1=Guido|last2=Iannuzzi|first2=Giulia|date=2016|title=World Expositions as Time Machines: Two Views of the Visual Construction of Time between Anthropology and Futurama|url=http://worldhistoryconnected.press.uillinois.edu/13.3/forum_01_abbattista.html|journal=World History Connected|volume=13|issue=3}}</ref>
== After the Fair ==
With certain exceptions, the majority of the structures are temporary, being dismantled at the end of the expo. Some outstanding exceptions are the remainders from ] in ] where the 'Plaza de España' forms part of a large park and forecourt, and many of the pavilions have become offices for Consulate-Generals. The ] in ] is housed in the last remaining building of the 1893 ].
===Cultural exchange (1939–1987)===
Some expo sites become parks incorporating some of the expo elements (] ], ] ], ] ], ] ], ], ] ]).
] at the ]]]
{{Further|Technological utopianism}}
The ], 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 ], it was "Peace Through Understanding"; at the ] in Montreal, it was "Man and His World". These fairs encouraged effective ] along with sharing of technological innovation.
Some pavilions get moved overseas, lock, stock & barrel; Montreal's USSR Pavilion is now in Moscow.
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 ], a former ] team, was named for the 1967 fair).<ref>{{cite video|people=Ted Dykstra (Director)|date=2004|title=Expo'67: Back to the future|medium=DVD|publisher=CBC Home Video|location=Canada}}</ref>
From ] in ] 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 ] was the main goal for 73% of the countries participating in ].{{Citation needed|date=January 2012}} Pavilions became a kind of advertising campaign, and the Expo served as a vehicle for "nation branding". According to branding expert ], Spain used ] and the ] in ] 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 ] and the global community.{{Citation needed|date=January 2014}}
* http://www.nywf64.com/index.htm 1964/1965 New York World's Fair website
* http://www.peacethroughunderstanding.com/ 1964/1965 NY World's Fair discussion
At ] Hanover, countries created their own architectural pavilions, investing, on average, €12 million each.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bayareaeconomy.org/media/files/pdf/Expo_Report_sml.pdf |title=World Expo 2020 Silicon Valley – USA Economic Impacts |date=February 2011 |website=Bay Area Council Economic Institute |access-date=6 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813060823/http://www.bayareaeconomy.org/media/files/pdf/Expo_Report_sml.pdf |archive-date=13 August 2012 }}</ref> 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.<ref>Tjaco Walvis (2003), "Building Brand Locations", ''Corporate Reputation Review'', Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 358–366</ref>
* http://www.glasgow1938.com
==Types==
]
<!--] Boer War program. Battle recreations took 2–3 hours and included several Generals and 600 veteran soldiers from both sides of the war. At the conclusion of the show, the ] General ] would escape on horseback by leaping from a height of {{convert|35|ft|m}} into a pool of water.]]-->
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).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bie-paris.org/site/en/expos/about-expos/expo-categories |title=The Expos |access-date=26 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180311131852/http://www.bie-paris.org/site/en/expos/about-expos/expo-categories |archive-date=11 March 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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 ] 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 {{convert|25|ha|acre|abbr=off}} 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 m<sup>2</sup> ({{frac|1|4}} acre). Only one Specialised Expo can be held between two World Expos.<ref>Based on: ] Convention</ref>
An additional two types of international exhibition may be recognized by the BIE: horticultural exhibitions, which are joint ] and AIPH-sanctioned 'garden' fairs in which participants present gardens and garden pavilions; and the semi-regular ] (not always held every third year) art and design exhibition, held in ], with the BIE granting official international exhibition status to 14 editions of the Triennale between 1996 and 2016.<ref> ''Bureau International des Expositions'' (BIE-Paris.org). Retrieved 10 June 2019.</ref>
===World Expos===
]
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 ]. 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 ]. World Expos are restricted to every five years, with Specialized Expos in the in-between years.
===Specialised Expos===
], in South Korea]]
Specialized Expos (formally known as International Recognized Exhibitions) are usually united by a precise theme—such as "Future Energy" (] ]), "The Living Ocean and Coast" (] ]), or "Leisure in the Age of Technology" (], ]). 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===
], in Chiang Mai, Thailand]]
Horticultural Expos (formally known as A1 International Horticultural Exhibitions) are co-regulated by ]. Like Specialised Expos are organized in a precise theme—such as "Green Desert, Better Environment" (]), "Growing Green Cities" (]), or "Building a Beautiful Home Featuring Harmonious Coexistence between Man and Nature" (]).
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==
List of official world expositions (Universal and International/Specialised/Horticultural) according to the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bie-paris.org/site/ |title=Official Site of the Bureau International des Expositions |publisher=Bie-paris.org |date=27 June 2013 |access-date=25 September 2013}}</ref>
|{{flagicon|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}} ]
|align=center|1 May – 11 October 1851
|align=center|10.40
|align=center|6,039,195
|align=center|25
|''Industry of all Nations''
|-
|2
|{{flagicon|Second French Empire}} ]
|align=center|15 May – 15 November 1855
|align=center|15.20
|align=center|5,162,330
|align=center|28
|''Agriculture, Industry and Fine Arts''
|-
|3
|{{flagicon|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}} ]
|align=center|1 May – 1 November 1862
|align=center|11
|align=center|6,096,617
|align=center|39
|''Industry and Art''
|-
|4
|{{flagicon|Second French Empire}} ]
|align=center|1 April – 3 November 1867
|align=center|68.70
|align=center|15,000,000
|align=center|42
|''Agriculture, Industry and Fine Arts''
|-
|5
|{{flagicon|Austria-Hungary}} ]
|align=center|1 May – 31 October 1873
|align=center|233
|align=center|7,255,000
|align=center|35
|''Culture and Education''
|-
|6
|{{flagicon|United States|1867}} ]
|align=center|10 May – 10 November 1876
|align=center|115
|align=center|10,000,000
|align=center|35
|''Arts, Manufactures and Products of the Soil and Mine''
|-
|7
|{{flagicon|French Third Republic}} ]
|align=center|20 May – 10 November 1878
|align=center|75
|align=center|16,156,626
|align=center|35
|''New Technologies''
|-
|8
|] ]
|align=center|1 October – 30 April 1881
|align=center|25
|align=center|1,330,000
|align=center|33
|''Arts, Manufactures and Agricultural and Industrial Products of all Nations''
|-
|9
|{{flagicon|Restoration (Spain)}} ]
|align=center|8 April – 10 December 1888
|align=center|46.50
|align=center|2,300,000
|align=center|30
|''Fine and Industrial Art''
|-
|10
|{{flagicon|French Third Republic}} ]
|align=center|5 May – 31 October 1889
|align=center|96
|align=center|32,250,297
|align=center|35
|''Celebration of the centenary of the French revolution''
|-
|11
|{{flagicon|United States|1891}} ]
|align=center|1 May – 3 October 1893
|align=center|290
|align=center|27,500,000
|align=center|19
|''Fourth centenary of the discovery of America''
|-
|12
|{{flagicon|Belgium}} ]
|align=center|10 May – 8 November 1897
|align=center|36
|align=center|6,000,000
|align=center|27
|''Modern Life''
|-
|13
|{{flagicon|French Third Republic}} ]
|align=center|15 April – 12 November 1900
|align=center|120
|align=center|50,860,801
|align=center|40
|''19th century: an overview''
|-
|14
|{{flagicon|United States|1896}} ]
|align=center|30 April – 1 December 1904
|align=center|500
|align=center|19,694,855
|align=center|60
|''Celebration of the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase''
|-
|15
|{{flagicon|Belgium}} ]
|align=center|27 April – 6 November 1905
|align=center|70
|align=center|7,000,000
|align=center|35
|''Commemoration of the 75th anniversary of independence''
|-
|16
|{{flagicon|Kingdom of Italy}} ]
|align=center|28 April – 11 November 1906
|align=center|100
|align=center|4,012,776
|align=center|40
|''Transportation''
|-
|17
|{{flagicon|Belgium}} ]
|align=center|23 April – 7 November 1910
|align=center|30
|align=center|13,000,000
|align=center|26
|''Works of Art and Science, Agricultural and Industrial Products of All Nations''
|-
|18
|{{flagicon|Belgium}} ]
|align=center|26 April – 3 November 1913
|align=center|130
|align=center|9,503,419
|align=center|24
|''Peace, Industry and Art''
|-
|19
|{{flagicon|United States|1912}} ]
|align=center|20 February – 4 December 1915
|align=center|254
|align=center|18,876,438
|align=center|41
|''Celebrating the opening of the Panama Canal''
|-
|20
|{{flagicon|Restoration (Spain)}} ]
|align=center|20 May 1929 – 15 January 1930
|align=center|118
|align=center|5,800,000
|align=center|29
|''Industry, Art and Sport''
|-
|21
|{{flagicon|United States|1912}} ]
|align=center|27 May 1933 – 31 October 1934
|align=center|170
|align=center|38,872,000
|align=center|21
|''The independence among Industry and scientific research.''
|-
|22
|{{flagicon|Belgium}} ]
|align=center|27 April – 3 November 1935
|align=center|152
|align=center|20,000,000
|align=center|25
|''Transport''
|-
|23
|{{flagicon|French Third Republic}} ]
|align=center|25 May – 25 November 1937
|align=center|104
|align=center|31,040,955
|align=center|35
|''Arts and technology in modern life''
|-
|24
|{{flagicon|United States|1912}} ]
|align=center|30 April 1939 – 27 October 1940
|align=center|500
|align=center|45,000,000
|align=center|54
|''Building the World of Tomorrow<!-- visitors number is an unofficial figure used in both the Expo article and the longer List of world expositions article -->''
|-
|25
|{{nowrap|{{flagicon|Republic of Haiti (1859–1957)}} ]}}
|align=center|8 December 1949 – 8 June 1950
|align=center|30
|align=center|250,000
|align=center|18
|''The festival of Peace''
|-
|26
|{{flagicon|Belgium}} ]
|align=center|17 April – 19 October 1958
|align=center|200
|align=center|41,454,412
|align=center|39
|''A World View: A New Humanism''
|-
|27
|{{flagicon|United States}} ]
|align=center|21 April – 21 October 1962
|align=center|30
|align=center|9,000,000
|align=center|49
|''Man in the Space Age''
|-
|28
|{{flagicon|Canada}} ]
|align=center|28 April – 29 October 1967
|align=center|400
|align=center|50,306,648
|align=center|62
|''Man and his World''
|-
|29
|{{flagicon|Japan|1947}} ]
|align=center|15 March – 13 November 1970
|align=center|330
|align=center|64,218,770
|align=center|67
|''Progress and Harmony for Mankind''
|-
|30
|{{flagicon|Spain}} ]
|align=center|20 April – 12 October 1992
|align=center|215
|align=center|41,814,571
|align=center|108
|''The Age of Discovery''
|-
|31
|{{flagicon|Germany}} ]
|align=center|1 June – 31 October 2000
|align=center|160
|align=center|18,100,000
|align=center|174
|''Humankind – Nature – Technology''
|-
|32
|{{flagicon|Japan}} ]
|align=center|25 March – 25 September 2005
|align=center|173
|align=center|22,049,544
|align=center|121
|''Nature's Wisdom''
|-
|33
|{{flagicon|China}} ]
|align=center|1 May – 31 October 2010
|align=center|523
|align=center|73,085,000
|align=center|100
|''Better City, Better Life''
|-
|34
|{{flagicon|Italy}} ]
|align=center|1 May – 31 October 2015
|align=center|110
|align=center|21,500,000
|align=center|139
|''Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life''
|-
|35
|{{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}} ]
|align=center|1 October 2021 – 31 March 2022
|align=center|438
|align=center|24,102,967
|align=center|200
|''Connecting Minds, Creating the Future''
|-
|36
|{{flagicon|Japan}} ]
|align=center|13 April – 13 October 2025
|align=center|155
|align=center|
|align=center|
|''Designing Future Society for Our Lives''
|-
|37
|{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}} ]
|align=center|1 October 2030 – 31 March 2031
|align=center|600
|align=center|
|align=center|
|''The Era of Change: Together for a Foresighted Tomorrow''
|}
===Specialised Expos===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
!Name of exposition
!Dates
!Area
!Visitors
!Participants
!Theme
|-
|{{flagicon|Sweden}} ]
|align=center|15 May – 1 June 1936
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|8
|''Aviation''
|-
|{{flagicon|Finland}} ]
|align=center| 14–22 May 1938
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|25
|''Aerospace''
|-
|{{flagicon|Belgium}} ]
|align=center|20 May – 2 September 1939
|align=center|50
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|8
|''Art of Water''
|-
|{{flagicon|French Fourth Republic}} ]
|align=center|10 July – 15 August 1947
|align=center|6.35
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|14
|''Urbanism and Housing''
|-
|{{flagicon|Sweden}} ]
|align=center|27 July – 13 August 1949
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|14
|''Sport and physical culture''
|-
|{{flagicon|French Fourth Republic}} ]
|align=center|24 September – 9 October 1949
|align=center|110
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|N/A
|''Rural Habitat''
|-
|{{flagicon|French Fourth Republic}} ]
|align=center|28 April – 20 May 1951
|align=center|15
|align=center|1,500,000
|align=center|24
|''Textile''
|-
|{{flagicon|Italy}} ]
|align=center|26 July – 31 October 1953
|align=center|12
|align=center|1,700,000
|align=center|N/A
|''Agriculture''
|-
|{{flagicon|Israel}} ]
|align=center|22 September – 14 October 1953
|align=center|4.60
|align=center|600,000
|align=center|13
|''Conquest of the Desert''
|-
|{{flagicon|Italy}} ]
|align=center|15 May – 15 October 1954
|align=center|100
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|25
|''Navigation''
|-
|{{flagicon|Italy}} ]
|align=center|25 May – 15 June 1955
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|120,000
|align=center|11
|''Sport''
|-
|{{flagicon|Sweden}} ]
|align=center|10 June – 28 August 1955
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|10
|''Modern Man in the Environment''
|-
|{{flagicon|Israel}} ]
|align=center|21 May – 20 June 1956
|align=center|55
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|N/A
|''Citrus''
|-
|{{flagicon|West Germany}} ]
|align=center|6 July – 29 September 1957
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|1,000,000
|align=center|13
|''Reconstruction of Hansa District''
|-
|{{flagicon|Italy}} ]
|align=center|1 May – 31 September 1961
|align=center|50
|align=center|5,000,000
|align=center|19
|''Man and his Work – A Century of Technological and Social Developments''
|-
|{{flagicon|West Germany}} ]
|align=center|25 June – 3 October 1965
|align=center|50.20
|align=center|2,500,000
|align=center|31
|''Transport''
|-
|{{flagicon|United States}} ]
|align=center|6 April – 6 October 1968
|align=center|39
|align=center|6,384,482
|align=center|23
|''The confluence of civilizations in the Americas''
|-
|{{flagicon|Hungarian People's Republic}} ]
|align=center|27 August – 30 September 1971
|align=center|35
|align=center|1,900,000
|align=center|35
|''The Hunt through the World''
|-
|{{flagicon|United States}} ]
|align=center|4 May – 2 November 1974
|align=center|40
|align=center|5,600,000
|align=center|56
|''Celebrating Tomorrow's Fresh New Environment''
|-
|{{flagicon|Japan|1947}} ]
|align=center|20 July 1975 – 18 January 1976
|align=center|100
|align=center|3,485,750
|align=center|35
|''The Sea We would like to See''
|-
|{{flagicon|People's Republic of Bulgaria}} ]
|align=center|14 June – 12 July 1981
|align=center|51
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|70
|''Earth – Planet of Life''
|-
|{{flagicon|United States}} ]
|align=center|1 May – 31 October 1982
|align=center|29
|align=center|11,127,780
|align=center|16
|''Energy turns the World''
|-
|{{flagicon|United States}} ]
|align=center|12 May – 11 November 1984
|align=center|34
|align=center|7,335,000
|align=center|15
|''The World of rivers – Fresh Water as a source of life''
|-
|{{flagicon|Japan|1947}} ]
|align=center|17 March – 16 September 1985
|align=center|100
|align=center|20,334,727
|align=center|48
|''Dwellings and surroundings – Science and Technology for Man at Home''
|-
|{{flagicon|People's Republic of Bulgaria}} ]
|align=center| 4–30 November 1985
|align=center|5.80
|align=center|1,000,000
|align=center|54
|''Inventions''
|-
|{{flagicon|Canada}} ]
|align=center|2 May – 13 October 1986
|align=center|70
|align=center|22,111,578
|align=center|55
|''Transportation and Communication: World in Motion – World in Touch''
|-
|{{flagicon|Australia}} ]
|align=center|30 April – 30 October 1988
|align=center|40
|align=center|18,560,447
|align=center|36
|''Leisure in the age of Technology''
|-
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} ]
|align=center|7 June – 7 July 1991
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|9
|''The activity of young people in the service of a World of Peace''
|-
|{{flagicon|Italy}} ]
|align=center|15 May – 15 August 1992
|align=center|6
|align=center|817,045
|align=center|52
|''Christopher Colombus: The Ship and the Sea''
|-
|{{flagicon|South Korea|1984}} ]
|align=center|7 August – 7 November 1993
|align=center|90.10
|align=center|14,005,808
|align=center|141
|''The Challenge of a New Road of Development''
|-
|{{flagicon|Portugal}} ]
|align=center|22 May – 30 September 1998
|align=center|50
|align=center|10,128,204
|align=center|160
|''The Oceans: a heritage for the Future''
|-
|{{flagicon|Spain}} ]
|align=center|14 June – 14 September 2008
|align=center|25
|align=center|5,650,943
|align=center|108
|''Water and sustainable development''
|-
|{{flagicon|South Korea}} ]
|align=center|14 May – 12 August 2012
|align=center|25
|align=center|8,203,956
|align=center|103
|''The living ocean and coast''
|-
|{{flagicon|Kazakhstan}} ]
|align=center|10 June – 10 September 2017
|align=center|35
|align=center|3,977,545
|align=center|137
|''Future Energy''
|-
|{{flagicon|Serbia}} ]
|align=center|15 May – 15 August 2027
|align=center|25
|align=center|
|align=center|
|''Play for Humanity – Sport and Music for All''
|}
===Horticultural Expos===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
!Name of exposition
!Dates
!Area
!Visitors
!Participants
!Theme
|-
|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} ]
|align=center|25 March – 25 September 1936
|align=center|50
|align=center|4,000,000
|align=center|N/A
|''International Horticulture''
|-
|{{flagicon|West Germany}} Expo 1963 Hamburg
|align=center|26 April – 13 October 1963
|align=center|76
|align=center|5,400,000
|align=center|35
|''Horticulture of all Categories from the Point of View of Economics and Culture''
|-
|{{flagicon|Austria}} Expo 1964 Vienna
|align=center|16 April – 11 October 1964
|align=center|100
|align=center|2,100,000
|align=center|28
|''International Horticulture''
|-
|{{flagicon|France}} ]
|align=center|23 April – 5 October 1969
|align=center|28
|align=center|2,400,000
|align=center|17
|''Flowers of France and Flowers of the World''
|-
|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} ]
|align=center|26 March – 1 October 1972
|align=center|75
|align=center|4,300,000
|align=center|N/A
|''Efforts accomplished by International Horticulture''
|-
|{{flagicon|West Germany}} ]
|align=center|27 April – 7 October 1973
|align=center|76
|align=center|5,800,000
|align=center|50
|''International Horticulture''
|-
|{{flagicon|Austria}} ]
|align=center|18 April – 14 October 1974
|align=center|100
|align=center|2,600,000
|align=center|30
|''International Horticulture''
|-
|{{flagicon|Canada}} ]
|align=center|17 May – 1 September 1980
|align=center|40
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|23
|''Relationship between man's socio-cultural activities and his physical environment''
|-
|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} ]
|align=center|8 April – 10 October 1982
|align=center|50
|align=center|4,600,000
|align=center|17
|''International Horticulture''
|-
|{{flagicon|West Germany}} ]
|align=center|28 April – 9 October 1983
|align=center|72
|align=center|11,600,000
|align=center|23
|''International Horticulture''
|-
|{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} ]
|align=center|2 May – 14 October 1984
|align=center|95
|align=center|3,380,000
|align=center|29
|''The progress accomplished by International and National Horticulture''
|-
|{{flagicon|Japan}} ]
|align=center|1 April – 30 September 1990
|align=center|140
|align=center|23,126,934
|align=center|83
|''The Harmonious Coexistence of Nature and Mankind''
|-
|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} ]
|align=center|10 April – 12 October 1992
|align=center|68
|align=center|3,355,600
|align=center|23
|''Horticulture is being involved in a continuous process of renewal''
|-
|{{flagicon|Germany}} ]
|align=center|23 April – 17 October 1993
|align=center|64
|align=center|7,311,000
|align=center|40
|''City and Nature – Responsible Approach''
|-
|{{flagicon|China}} ]
|align=center|1 May – 31 October 1999
|align=center|218
|align=center|9,427,000
|align=center|70
|''Man and Nature – Marching into the 21st century''
|-
|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} ]
|align=center|25 April – 20 October 2002
|align=center|140
|align=center|2,071,000
|align=center|30
|''The contribution of the Netherlands horticulture and international horticulture''
|-
|{{flagicon|Germany}} ]
|align=center|25 April – 12 October 2003
|align=center|100
|align=center|2,600,000
|align=center|32
|''A Seaside Park. A new flowered world''
|-
|{{flagicon|Thailand}} ]
|align=center|1 November 2006 – 31 January 2007
|align=center|80
|align=center|3,848,791
|align=center|32
|''To Express the Love for Humanity''
|-
|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} ]
|align=center|5 April – 7 October 2012
|align=center|66
|align=center|2,046,684
|align=center|38
|''Be part of the theatre in nature; get closer to the quality of life''
|''Nature and Greenery: Envisioning the Green Future''
|}
==Legacies==
===Remaining structures===
] illuminations in 1889]]
]
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 ], built for the ]. Although it is now the most recognized symbol of its host city ], there were contemporary critics opposed to its construction, and demands for it to be dismantled after the fair's conclusion.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Controversy about the Eiffel Tower|url=http://paris-eiffel-tower-news.com/eiffel-tower-stories/eiffel-tower-controversy.htm|website=Paris Eiffel Tower News|access-date=3 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305103625/http://paris-eiffel-tower-news.com/eiffel-tower-stories/eiffel-tower-controversy.htm|archive-date=5 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Other structures that remain from these fairs:
* 1851 – London: ], from the first World's Fair in London, designed so that it could be recycled to recoup losses, was such a success that it was moved and intended to be permanent, only to be destroyed by a fire in 1936.<ref name="burning">{{cite web|url=http://www.wardsbookofdays.com/1december.htm|access-date=19 June 2014|title=Crystal Palace: Joseph Paxton – Transported by moving company}}</ref>
* 1876 – Philadelphia: The ]'s main building, ], is still in ], ], and serving as the new home for the ]. The space under the entrance to ] houses a scale model of the entire Exposition.
* 1880 – Melbourne: The ]–listed ] in ], constructed for the ].
* 1893 – Chicago: The ] in ] is housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts, one of the last remaining buildings of the ]. In conjunction with the fair, the ] building was built to house conferences, as the World's Congress Auxiliary Building. The ], a remnant of the Japanese pavilion, also survives. The intent or hope was to make all Columbian structures permanent, but most of the structures burned, possibly the result of arson during the ]. The foundation of the world's first ], which operated at the Exposition, was unearthed on the ] during a construction project by ], whose campus now surrounds the Midway. Relocated survivors include the Norway pavilion, a small house now at a museum in Wisconsin, and the Maine State Building, now at the Poland Springs Resort in Maine.
* 1894 – San Francisco: The ] in ]'s ] is the last major remnant of the ].<!--Note that the De Young Museum building stripped of its exterior ornament circa 1940, damaged in the 1989 quake, then demolished in 2001 was NOT the Fine Arts Building from the 1894 fair, which was badly damaged in the 1906 quake, but a completely different circa 1920 replacement.--> Large ornamental wooden gates and a pagoda from the 1915 ] were brought in after the latter fair closed,<ref> Retrieved 10 January 2013.</ref> making the Tea Garden a rare if not unique instance of a survivor that incorporates architectural features from two completely separate fairs.
* 1897 – Nashville: A full-scale replica of the ] was built for the ] where it stands today in ]'s ]. It features plaster reproductions of the ] and, in 1990, a re-creation of the original ] statue was installed inside just as it was in the original ] in ancient Greece.
* 1900 – Paris: the ] and ].
* ] at ], the administration building of the ]]]1904 – St. Louis: The ] in ], originally the Palace of the Fine Arts, and ] at ], are remnants of the ] (held a year late, as it was originally intended to be the centennial of the ]. But organizers, and President ], wanted the fair to be held during the Olympics which were moved from Chicago.), better known as the St. Louis World's Fair. The aviary in Forest Park gave root to the ].
* 1906 – Milan: The ] built for the ] is still open after 100 years and was recently renovated. The ] (ICOH) was settled in Milan during the fair and had its first congress in the Expo pavilions. In June 2006 the ICOH celebrated the first century of its life in Milan. An elevated railway with trains running at short intervals linked the fair to the city center. It was dismantled in the 1920s.
* 1909 – Seattle: The landscaping (by the Olmsted brothers) from the ] (AYPE) in Seattle still forms much of the ] campus. The only major building left from the AYPE, Architecture Hall, is used by the university's architecture school.
* 1915 – San Francisco: The ] in ] and its adjacent artificial lagoon are the only major remnants of the ] still in their original locations on the former fairgrounds (now the city's ] neighborhood), but the building is almost entirely a reconstruction. The plaster-surfaced original, not intended to survive after the fair, was a crumbling ruin in 1964 when all but the steel framework was demolished so that it could be reproduced in concrete. The San Francisco Civic Auditorium, now the ], is another major legacy of the fair but was built off-site in the city's ]. The independent ] in ] left a substantial legacy of permanent buildings and other structures which today define its site, San Diego's central ], including the Prado walkway, the California Tower and Dome (now home to the ]), the 1,500-foot Cabrillo Bridge, the lily pond and botanical gardens, and the ].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.balboapark.org/info/history |title=Balboa Park History |access-date=16 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716100221/http://www.balboapark.org/info/history |archive-date=16 July 2011 }}</ref>
* 1929 – Seville and Barcelona: much survives from the two simultaneous fairs ] hosted that year. The most famous are the remnants of the ] in ], in which the Spanish Pavilion's ''Plaza de España'' forms part of a large park and forecourt. Most of that fair's pavilions have survived and been adapted for other uses, with many of them becoming ] for the countries that built them. The ] featured the famous ] designed by ], which was demolished but later rebuilt on the original site.<ref>Expo, International Expositions 1851–2010, Anna Jackson, 2008</ref>
* 1936 – Johannesburg: The ] was built close to the ], and by the late 1970s the growth of the university was large enough to incorporate the permanent buildings from the exhibition. In 1985, the university purchased the South African Government Building; the two Heavy Machinery Halls, now called Empire Hall and the Dining Hall; the Hall of Transport; the Tower of Light; the Cape Dutch complex; and the Bien Donne Restaurant.
* 1939 – New York City: ] from the ], was reused for the 1964 World's Fair and is now the Queens Museum. ] was a ride from the fair. It was moved to the ] boardwalk in ].{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
* 1942 – Rome: A special case is the ] quarter in ], built for a World's Fair planned for 1942 but cancelled because of ]. Today it hosts governmental and private offices, and several museums.
* 1958 – Brussels: In ], the ] still stands at the exposition site. It is a 165-billion-times-enlarged iron-crystal-shaped building. Until June 2012, the "American Theatre" on the Expo grounds was frequently used as a television studio by the ].
] – World's Fair sign at 47th and Aurora, 1962]]
* 1962 – Seattle: The ] theme building of the ] commonly known as the Seattle World's Fair still stands as a ] icon and landmark. The ], the other widely known futuristic feature of the fair, still operates daily. The US pavilion became the ]. The original exterior and roof of the Washington State Pavilion has been preserved as a landmark, and now is part of ].
]
* 1964 – New York City: many structures still stand
** The ], built for the ], stands on its original site in Flushing Meadows, Queens
** ], 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 ] event and catering venue
** The ] is mostly derelict, but is still an icon, with its observation towers prominently featured in 1997's '']''. The Theaterama building is the only portion still maintained, and is used by the ]. The Tent of Tomorrow building and observation towers are being restored {{as of|2019|lc=y}}.
** The New York City Pavilion, a holdover form the ], continues to serve as the home of the ]
** 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 ]'s ], ]'s American pavilion the "]", the Jamaica Pavilion, the Tunisia Pavilion, and the French pavilion (now the ]).
* 1968 – San Antonio: San Antonio kept the ], the ] and the Convention Center from HemisFair '68.
* 1970 – Osaka: The ] was left standing, but was neglected after the conclusion of the ]. After restoration to the structure was completed, the museum inside the tower was re-opened on 18 March 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tower-of-the-sun|title=Tower of the Sun – Suita-shi, Japan – Atlas Obscura|access-date=10 January 2020}}</ref>
* 1974 – Spokane: ] still has its ] that was created for Expo '74—the park remains a popular and iconic part of Spokane's downtown.
]
* 1982 – Knoxville: The ] from the ] remains as a feature of ]'s skyline.
* 1984 – New Orleans: The main pavilions of the ] World's Fair became the ], which is also known for its use as a shelter of last resort during ] and later hosted the ] in ].
* 1986 – Vancouver: In ], many ] projects were designed as legacy projects. Of note are the ], ] and ].
* 1988 – Brisbane: The ], the symbol tower of ] in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, still stands. Other survivors are the ] 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.<ref> Brisbane City Council (''Brisbane.qld.gov.au''). Retrieved 10 June 2019.</ref>
* 1992 – Seville: The pavilions of ] in Seville had been converted into a technological square and a ].
* 1998 – Lisbon: The main buildings of ] in ] were completely integrated into the city itself and many of the art exhibition pieces still remain.
* 2005 – Nagoya: The ], built for the 2005 Expo in ], remains operating at its original site in Morikoro Park and is a popular tourist attraction, eventually being incorporated into ] in 2022.
] at the ]; repurposed as a museum]]
* 2010 – Shanghai: The ] from ] in Shanghai, the largest display in the history of the World Expo, is now the ], the largest art museum in Asia.
* 2015 – Milan: The Italian Pavilion of Expo 2015 remains on the original site.
===Reuse of sites===
Some world's fair sites became (or reverted to) parks incorporating some of the expo elements, such as:
* ]: Site of New Orleans's ] in 1884
* ] and the ]: Site of the 1893 ]
* ], ]: ] in 1897
* ]: Home of the ] ] of 1904
* ]: ] & ]
* ]: ] in 1962
* ], ], ]: Site of both the ] and the ]
* ]: ]
* ]: ]
* ], ]: ]
* ], ]: ]
* ], ]: ]
* ]: ]
* ]: ]: now represented with the ]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visitsouthbank.com.au/ |title=Home – South Bank – Visitor Info – What's On – Shopping – Dining – Attractions and more |publisher=Visit South Bank |date=4 June 2009 |access-date=1 May 2011}}</ref>
* ]: ]
* ]: ]
* ]: ] was divided into several structures: ], ], ] and {{Interlanguage link|Pavilhão do Conhecimento|pt}}.
* ]: ]
* Rho, ], ] District: ]
===Relocation of pavilions===
]
Some pavilions have been transported overseas intact:
* The Argentine Pavilion from the ] was relocated to ], Argentina until its demolition in 1932.
* The Chilean Pavilion from ] is now in ], Chile and following significant refurbishment in 1992 functions as the Museo Artequin<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.artequin.cl/ |title=Artequin |publisher=Artequin.cl |access-date=1 May 2011}}</ref>
* The ]vian Pavilion from ] is now in ], as home to the Military Academy of History.
* The ] of the 1900 World's Fair in Paris was relocated to ] (Brussels) on request of King Leopold II of Belgium.
* The ] from the 1939 New York World's Fair was relocated to ] in ].
* The ] Pavilion from ] is now in ].
* The ] Pavilion from ] is the Asian Centre at the ] in ].
* The Portugal Pavilion from ] is now in ], Portugal.
* The United Arab Emirates Pavilion from ] is now in ] in ] in UAE<ref name="uaenewhome">{{cite web|url=http://expo2020dubai.ae/en/world_expos/the_uae_in_world_expos|access-date=5 December 2013|title=The UAE in World Expos |website= Expo 2020, Dubai, UAE|archive-date=15 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215203648/http://expo2020dubai.ae/en/world_expos/the_uae_in_world_expos|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* The Bahrain Pavilion from ] was relocated to Bahrain. The Azerbaijan Pavilion is in that country's capital ]. The Chinese Pavilion was brought back to ] and is on the site of the 2014 horticultural exhibition.
* The ] Italy pavilion from Expo 2015 was dismantled and re-built as school for Syrian refugee children in ].<ref name="catalyticactionwebsite">{{cite web|url=http://www.catalyticaction.org/all-project-list/jarahieh-school-for-syrian-refugee-children-in-lebanon/|access-date=27 January 2017|title=Jarahieh School for Syrian refugee children in Lebanon |website=CatalyticAction |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706070143/http://www.catalyticaction.org/all-project-list/jarahieh-school-for-syrian-refugee-children-in-lebanon/ |archive-date= 6 July 2017 }}</ref><ref name="savethechildrenwebsite">{{cite web|url=https://www.savethechildren.it/blog-notizie/la-nuova-vita-del-villaggio-expo-una-scuola-libano |website=Save the Children Italia |access-date=27 January 2017|title=La nuova vita del villaggio Expo: una scuola in Libano|date=29 December 2016}}</ref>
The Brussels ] relocated many pavilions within ]: the pavilion of Jacques Chocolats moved to the town of ] to house the new town swimming pool. Another pavilion was relocated to ] and has been used as dance hall Carré<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carre.be |title=Home – Carré |publisher=Carre.be |access-date=1 May 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501034214/http://www.carre.be/ |archive-date=1 May 2011 }}</ref> ever since. One smaller pavilion still stands on the boulevard towards the ]: the restaurant "Salon 58" in the pavilion of Comptoir Tuilier.
===Other legacies===
Many exhibitions and rides created by ] and his ] company for the ] (which was held over into 1965) were moved to ] after the closing of the Fair. Many of the rides, including "]", and "]", as well as the building that housed the ] are still in operation.<ref name="OCR s872">{{cite web | title=Disney history: Disney rides open at World's Fair | website=Orange County Register | date=April 20, 2014 | url=https://www.ocregister.com/2014/04/20/disney-history-disney-rides-open-at-worlds-fair/ | access-date=June 5, 2024}}</ref> The concept of a permanent world's fair came to fruition with the Disney ] theme park at the ], near ]. 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 ].
Occasionally other mementos of the fairs remain. In the ] system, signs directing people to ] remain from the 1964–1965 event. In the ] 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 ]s and commemorative ]s.
==See also==
{{Portal|World}}
* ]
* ]
* ]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==Further reading==
* {{cite book|editor-last1=Findling|editor-first1=John E.|editor-last2=Pelle|editor-first2=Kimberly D.|title=Encyclopedia of World's Fairs and Expositions|location=Jefferson, NC and London|publisher=McFarland|year=2008}}
* {{cite book|first=Alexander C. T.|last=Geppert|title=Fleeting Cities: Imperial Expositions in Fin-de-Siècle Europe|location=Basingstoke/New York|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|date=2010}}
* Geppert, Alexander C. T., , , Mainz: , 2018, retrieved: 8 March 2021 ().
* {{cite journal|doi=10.18537/est.v007.n013.a1|title=World Expos. Five structural approaches|journal=Estoa|volume=7|issue=13|pages=7–22|year=2018|last1=López César|first1=Isaac|last2=Estévez-Cimadevila|first2=Javier|doi-access=free|hdl=2183/20872|hdl-access=free}}
* {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204070818/http://www.expobids.com/ |date=4 February 2020 }} Information about bids for future world's fairs
* General World's Fair questions answered at Celebrate 88
* Award medals of American World's Fairs and Expos
* {{cite web|publisher=]|url=http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/prints_books/object_stories/posters/index.html|title=Exposition Posters|work=Paintings and Drawings|access-date=10 January 2019|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027174025/http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/prints_books/object_stories/posters/index.html|archive-date=27 October 2007}}
*
* Photographs from thirteen fairs, includes stereograms
* Posters, photographs, pamphlets, commemorative books, maps, government reports, and ephemera from the collection of the
A world's fair, also known as a universal exhibition, is a large global exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations. 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.
The term "world's fair" is commonly used in the United States, while the French term, Exposition universelle ("universal exhibition") 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.
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. It influenced the development of several aspects of society, including art-and-design education, international trade and relations, and tourism. This expo was the precedent for the many international exhibitions, later called World Expos, that have continued to be held to the present time.
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.
Industrialization (1851–1938)
The Yerkes Great refractor telescope mounted at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago
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).
Nation branding (1988–present)
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. 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.
At Expo 2000 Hanover, countries created their own architectural pavilions, investing, on average, €12 million each. 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.
Types
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). 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 m (1⁄4 acre). Only one Specialised Expo can be held between two World Expos.
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.
World Expos
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.
Specialized Expos (formally known as International Recognized Exhibitions) are usually united by a precise theme—such as "Future Energy" (Expo 2017Astana), "The Living Ocean and Coast" (Expo 2012Yeosu), 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.
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
List of official world expositions (Universal and International/Specialised/Horticultural) according to the Bureau International des Expositions.
Chromolithograph of the Eiffel Tower illuminations in 1889The 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.
Other structures that remain from these fairs:
1851 – London: The Crystal Palace, from the first World's Fair in London, designed so that it could be recycled to recoup losses, was such a success that it was moved and intended to be permanent, only to be destroyed by a fire in 1936.
1893 – Chicago: The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts, one of the last remaining buildings of the World's Columbian Exposition. In conjunction with the fair, the Art Institute of Chicago building was built to house conferences, as the World's Congress Auxiliary Building. The Garden of the Phoenix, a remnant of the Japanese pavilion, also survives. The intent or hope was to make all Columbian structures permanent, but most of the structures burned, possibly the result of arson during the Pullman Strike. The foundation of the world's first Ferris wheel, which operated at the Exposition, was unearthed on the Chicago Midway during a construction project by the University of Chicago, whose campus now surrounds the Midway. Relocated survivors include the Norway pavilion, a small house now at a museum in Wisconsin, and the Maine State Building, now at the Poland Springs Resort in Maine.
1906 – Milan: The Civic Aquarium of Milan built for the Milan Exposition is still open after 100 years and was recently renovated. The International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) was settled in Milan during the fair and had its first congress in the Expo pavilions. In June 2006 the ICOH celebrated the first century of its life in Milan. An elevated railway with trains running at short intervals linked the fair to the city center. It was dismantled in the 1920s.
1909 – Seattle: The landscaping (by the Olmsted brothers) from the Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition (AYPE) in Seattle still forms much of the University of Washington campus. The only major building left from the AYPE, Architecture Hall, is used by the university's architecture school.
1915 – San Francisco: The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco and its adjacent artificial lagoon are the only major remnants of the Panama–Pacific International Exposition still in their original locations on the former fairgrounds (now the city's Marina District neighborhood), but the building is almost entirely a reconstruction. The plaster-surfaced original, not intended to survive after the fair, was a crumbling ruin in 1964 when all but the steel framework was demolished so that it could be reproduced in concrete. The San Francisco Civic Auditorium, now the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, is another major legacy of the fair but was built off-site in the city's Civic Center. The independent Panama–California Exposition in San Diego left a substantial legacy of permanent buildings and other structures which today define its site, San Diego's central Balboa Park, including the Prado walkway, the California Tower and Dome (now home to the Museum of Us), the 1,500-foot Cabrillo Bridge, the lily pond and botanical gardens, and the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.
1929 – Seville and Barcelona: much survives from the two simultaneous fairs Spain hosted that year. The most famous are the remnants of the Ibero-American Exposition in Seville, in which the Spanish Pavilion's Plaza de España forms part of a large park and forecourt. Most of that fair's pavilions have survived and been adapted for other uses, with many of them becoming consulates-general for the countries that built them. The Barcelona International Exposition featured the famous German pavilion designed by Mies van der Rohe, which was demolished but later rebuilt on the original site.
1936 – Johannesburg: The Empire Exhibition, South Africa was built close to the University of the Witwatersrand, and by the late 1970s the growth of the university was large enough to incorporate the permanent buildings from the exhibition. In 1985, the university purchased the South African Government Building; the two Heavy Machinery Halls, now called Empire Hall and the Dining Hall; the Hall of Transport; the Tower of Light; the Cape Dutch complex; and the Bien Donne Restaurant.
1942 – Rome: A special case is the EUR quarter in Rome, built for a World's Fair planned for 1942 but cancelled because of World War II. Today it hosts governmental and private offices, and several museums.
1958 – Brussels: In Brussels, the Atomium still stands at the exposition site. It is a 165-billion-times-enlarged iron-crystal-shaped building. Until June 2012, the "American Theatre" on the Expo grounds was frequently used as a television studio by the VRT.
Seattle – World's Fair sign at 47th and Aurora, 1962
1962 – Seattle: The Space Needle theme building of the Century 21 Exposition commonly known as the Seattle World's Fair still stands as a Seattle icon and landmark. The Seattle Center Monorail, the other widely known futuristic feature of the fair, still operates daily. The US pavilion became the Pacific Science Center. The original exterior and roof of the Washington State Pavilion has been preserved as a landmark, and now is part of Climate Pledge Arena.
The Unisphere, from the 1964 World's Fair in New York City, in the early 21st century
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Some world's fair sites became (or reverted to) parks incorporating some of the expo elements, such as:
The Bahrain Pavilion from Expo 2015 was relocated to Bahrain. The Azerbaijan Pavilion is in that country's capital Baku. The Chinese Pavilion was brought back to Qingdao and is on the site of the 2014 horticultural exhibition.
The Save the Children Italy pavilion from Expo 2015 was dismantled and re-built as school for Syrian refugee children in Lebanon.
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 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
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. 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.
John R. Davies in Findling and Pelle (2008), "Encyclopedia of World's Fairs and Expositions", pp. 13–14
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.
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Great Exhibition
Exposition Universelle (1855)
Weltausstellung 1873 Wien
Centennial Exposition
Melbourne International Exhibition (1880)
Exposición Universal de Barcelona (1888)
World's Columbian Exposition
Brussels International (1897)
Louisiana Purchase Exposition
Milan International (1906)
Panama–Pacific International Exposition
Exposition internationale du bicentenaire de Port-au-Prince
Century 21 Exposition
Expo 67
Expo '70
Seville Expo '92
Expo 2000
Expo 2005
Expo 2010
Expo 2015
Expo 2020
Expo 2030
Expo 1936 Stockholm
Expo 1938 Helsinki
Expo 1953 Jerusalem
Expo 1971 Budapest
Expo 1976 Plovdiv
Expo 1988 Brisbane
Expo 1991 Plovdiv
Expo 1993 Daejeon
Expo 1998 Lisbon
Expo 2012 Yeosu
Expo 2017 Astana
Expo 2027 Belgrade
Expo 1960 Rotterdam
Expo 1964 Vienna
Expo 1969 Paris
Expo 2006 Chiang Mai
Expo 2016 Antalya
Expo 2023 Doha
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