Notable World Expositions through the Centuries[*]
[*]Sources: www.bie-paris.org and Sakul Thai Magazine, Issue 2648, Volume 51, Tuesday July 19, 2005
Philadelphia, USA 1876: Celebration of the Centennial of American Independence and the July 4th, 1776 Declaration
Alexander Graham Bell's invention – the telephone – was displayed at this ‘Centennial Exposition.’ Although references to the invention in the exposition’s publicity pamphlet contained a mere 17-word description, Bell’s telephone attracted the largest visitor traffic throughout the event.
Saint Louis, USA 1904: Celebration of the Centennial of the Purchase of Louisiana on April 30th of 1803
Informally known as the ‘Saint Louis World’s Fair’, the event was the largest international exposition of the time, organized at a cost of some 20 million US dollars. A huge profit of 25 million dollars was realized.
San Francisco, USA 1915: Inauguration of the Panama Canal and Celebration of the Construction of San Francisco
Also known as the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, the fair was organized, at a cost of 50 million dollars, to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal which connects the two Americas. The centerpiece of the fair was the 435 feet tall ‘Tower of Jewels’ which displayed many of the world’s finest polished diamonds. The event featured some 30,000 exhibitors and drew over 13 million visitors.
Chicago, USA 1933: A Century of Progress
Known officially as ‘A Century of Progress International Exposition,’ the fair was held in Chicago, Illinois from 1933 to 1934 to celebrate the city’s centennial. The theme of this international fair was technological innovation and industrial development. Popular exhibits at the fair included the latest innovations and discoveries together with a number of striking architectural designs.
Paris, France 1937: Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne (International Exposition on Art and Technology in Modern Life)
Dazzling displays of creative electrical lighting were among the popular features of this event. The old Palais du Trocadero was demolished and replaced by the Palais de Chaillot. The new structure retained much of the form of its predecessor, but its walls were decorated with modern paintings of recognized French artists. A notable fresco in the new palace, painted by Raoul Dufy, depicts the advent of electricity.
New York City, USA 1939/1940: New York World’s Fair
Organized at a cost of 155 million dollars, the New York World’s Fair was to portray the ‘World of Tomorrow.’ The fair site was set in Queens Borough on what had been waste dumping grounds that were turned into the Flushing Meadows Park after the show closed. Two monumental buildings – a tall triangular ‘Trylon’ and a spherical ‘Perisphere’– served as the fair’s iconic landmarks. A record attendance of 57 million people visited the show which was held in two six-month seasons.
Brussels, Belgium 1958: Exposition Universelle et Internationale de Bruxelles (Brussels World’s Fair)
The fair was best known for a giant model of atomic bonding, called the Atomium, which was its centerpiece. This 102-metre structure featured steel spheres, or atoms, of 18 metres in size which were held in place by 30-metre long connecting pipes. Stairways were installed inside to provide visitors with access to all parts of the structure. The fair was also notable for the exceptional diversity of performances, cultural as well as musical, brought to the event by 48 participating nations and 7 international agencies.
Seattle, USA 1962: Century 21 Exposition
The Space Needle – a tall steel structure topped by a revolving glass observatory– symbolized the show’s themes of science, space and the future. Staged at the height of the Cold War, the Seattle fair had 48 participating nations. Some 9.5 million people attended the show.
Seville, Spain 1992: Universal Exposition of Seville (Expo ’92)
Expo ’92 was the fourth World Exposition of the post-war era, and was the last World Exposition of the 20th Century. The Seville event was staged to celebrate the 500th Anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s Discovery of the Americas.
Taejon, South Korea 1993: Taejon Expo’93
The theme of this three-month special exposition was “The Challenge of a New Road of Development.” The exposition was a BIE-endorsed special event to commemorate the centenary of the first-ever representation of Korea to a world exposition, which took place when the country was still very much a ‘hermit kingdom’. The Taejon Expo was a great success in view of its size as well as the wide range of spectacular pavilions and technological wizardry on display.
Aichi, Japan 2005: World Exposition 2005
The Expo 2005, held in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, presented modes of development or livelihood for the 21st Century, whereby man is expected to exercise ‘Wisdom’ in order to live in harmony with ‘Nature.’
Zaragoza, Spain 2008: Expo 2008 Zaragoza
With the theme of “Water and Sustainable Development” this specialized exposition focused on technical innovations relating to the prudent use of water. A landmark building at the show was the Water Tower, an 80m tall transparent building made of steel and glass in the shape of a water droplet. Another popular attraction, the Bridge Pavilion, was a spectacular covered walkway linking the site with the district of La Almozara and thus served as the main entrance to the expo.
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