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Expo 67 (Montréal, Québec)

Ly Y. Bui

This map is taken from the Official Souvenir book of Expo '67, sold for one dollar at the fair grounds. This book advertises "three-dimensional maps in color", and depicts the various sections of the fair. Its dimensions are about eight and a half by eleven inches. The image on our website is actually the middle portion of a map formed by the two middle pages of the book, and depicts most of La Ronde district.

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Trade cards, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Buildings, Trade cards, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Trade cards, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Trade cards, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Music, Trade cards, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Music, Trade cards, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Trade cards, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Music, Trade cards, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Buildings, Trade cards, Ephemera

Exposition universelle de 1889 (Paris, France)

Ly Y. Bui

This is a twenty-six by forty-eight centimeter plan of the Champ de Mars during the Exposition Universelle of 1889, used by visitors at the time of the fair, a bold political statement on the part of France, as well as an overwhelming success. The Third Republic was established in Paris in 1870, and by 1884, when preliminary studies for the the Exposition Universelle were launched, many political issues were still largely unresolved. In 1870 Napoleon III surrendered at the Battle of Sedan during the Franco-Prussian War. Two days after the defeat Republicans proclaimed the advent of the Third Republic. The Franco-Prussian war ended with Paris's capitulation in 1871. A group of Parisians found Prussia's terms humiliating and wanted to keep fighting. Later dubbed the Communards, they established a dictatorship in Paris known as the Central Committ...

Exposition universelle de Paris en 1855

Matt Linkswiler

These selected images, an exterior view of the Palace of Industry and a view of the interior of the palace during the distribution of awards, are both detailed views from which much can be observed. Since both images are illustrations, as opposed to photographs, they may not be entirely accurate. The image of the interior is a lithograph, which is approximately thirty-five inches by fifteen inches. Because of the medium employed, the details of the image are not very sharp, but many details are included. Emperor Napoleon III can be seen handing out the awards, and his empress is seen seated behind him. The other image appears to have been taken from a French newspaper article. Today, the actual paper is very old, as can be evidenced by the large tear in the middle of the picture and its worn edges. The actual size of the illustration is about f...

Great Exhibition (1851 : London, England)

Elizabeth Creveling

After a successful year of housing the Great Exposition, the Crystal Palace by Joseph Paxton was disassembled and moved to Sydenham, where it stood for the next 85 years (Hobhouse, 32). The Palace, built for the 1851 World's Fair in London, was an architectural and engineering wonder modeled after the bridge and train shed construction of the mid-nineteenth century. The structure had been designed to be quickly assembled out of prefabricated members and easily rebuilt elsewhere. Its light construction was made possible to use of thin cast iron prefabricated elements combined with wood and a glazed outer shell.

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Buildings, Advertisements, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Trade cards, Ephemera

World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)

Anna Burrows

The Columbian Exposition was notable for its impressive architecture and large international attendance. Of particular importance was the Women's Pavilion. The first of its kind to have been designed by a female architect, it revealed much about the social plight of women at that time, and the need for further progress in the movement for equal rights. While its existence did not trigger significant changes for the Women's Movement, this pavilion was certainly a promising first step that would set a precedent for women's involvement in later years.

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Advertisements, Tintypes, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Trade cards, Ephemera

Expo 67 (Montréal, Québec)

Maps, Maps, Pamphlets

Great Exhibition (1851 : London, England)

Albumen prints, Art, Photograph Albums

Great Exhibition (1851 : London, England)

Albumen prints, Art, Photograph Albums

Great Exhibition (1851 : London, England)

Buildings, Photographs, Photographs

Great Exhibition (1851 : London, England)

Buildings, Lithographs, Prints

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Photomechanical prints, Prints

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Trade cards, Art, Ephemera

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Photomechanical prints, Prints

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Photomechanical prints, Prints

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Photomechanical prints, Prints

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Buildings, Badges, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Landscape, Periodical illustrations, Engravings, Illustrations

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Badges, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Architecture, Reproductions, Cards, Ephemera

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Periodical illustrations, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Advertisements, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Buildings, Periodical illustrations, Engravings, Illustrations

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Buildings, Trade cards, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Buildings, Trade cards, Ephemera

Pan-American Exposition (1901 : Buffalo, N.Y.)

Matt Linkswiler

These two images, the bird's eye view and the map of the exposition, are views of the entire exposition grounds. The map can be considered to be a completely accurate plan of the fairgrounds. It is on the back of the October 15th program for the fair, and measures fifteen inches by eight inches. The program, which Time Saver Guidebooks sold for five cents, included all of the events that were scheduled to take place on that day, a few articles about the most popular attractions, and advertisements for restaurants and hotels in the area. The colors of the program are dull and dark, and the layout is simple. The map itself depicts all of the major buildings that hosted events or popular exhibits. A bird's eye view however, is an artistic rendering, and therefore does not necessarily have to be correct. This particular image was found in a pamphle...

Exposition universelle internationale de 1900 (Paris, France)

Sesan Iwarere

The Grand Palais served as one of the main buildings that helped solidify France as the supreme leader in the Arts. Like the Eiffel Tower in 1889, it served as a focus for the Exposition. However, the two structures were very different. The Grand Palais placed much greater emphasis on ornamentation. The famous French writer Paul Morand stated that, "while in 1889 architecture was happily on the threshold of an age of iron and steel, in 1900 it had gone back to styles such as those taught at the Beaux-Arts." The Grand Palais incorporated what is commonly referred to as "Beaux-Arts style", which was characterized by formal planning and rich decoration.

Pan-American Exposition (1901 : Buffalo, N.Y.)

Ricardo Gonzalez

In the annals of World's Fairs, the 1901 Buffalo fair is listed, as a matter of record. However, it is one of the lesser-remembered fairs. This is not due to a lack of planning or physical appeal, but rather to the fact that on September 6, 1901, President William McKinley was shot and killed at the Temple of Music. This was the kind of event that is so infamous and carries such bad press that it condemns everything it touches, from the setting, the surrounding events, and the people involved, to the same black blanket of notoriety. Due to the President's assassination, the popularity of the Fair spiraled downward. Despite the deploring of the Fair, however, it was home to some remarkable buildings.

Exposition internationale (1937 : Paris, France)

Sesan Iwarere

The International Exposition of 1937 marked a competitive showing of national pavilions. The large representation of foreign nations was quite remarkable given that the Exposition was held during the Great Depression. The Belgian Pavilion had pride of place among these national pavilions. Its chief architect was Henry Van de Velde (1863-1957). A major pioneer who at the very beginning of the twentieth century helped Belgium establish a leading role in the Art Nouveau movement, Van de Velde was intrigued by the theme of the fair, the connection between the arts and techniques of modern life.

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Periodical illustrations, Illustrations

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Periodical illustrations, Illustrations

Franco-British Exhibition (1908 : London, England)

Mariya Levin

This image represents the entrance to Machinery Hall of the 1908 Franco-British Exhibition in London. The original is one in a series of 3.5 x 5.5-inch postcards, printed by Valentine & Sons Ltd. The Machinery Hall covered 125,000 square yards. In this image it looks very elaborate, garish, and reminiscent of Gothic architecture. The flags seen on the top of the building are French and British. There are decorations looking like lanterns around the perimeter of the building. Within the context of the fair, the pavilion was vast yet not imposing.

Exposition universelle internationale de 1900 (Paris, France)

Sesan Iwarere

Along with the Grand Palais and the Pont Alexandre III, the Petit Palais served as one of the main focuses of the International Exhibition of 1900 and helped solidify the position of France as artistic world leader. Despite its inferiority in size to the Grand Palais, contemporary critics noted that the Petit Palais is of "equal importance in creating an impression of the artistic success of the Exhibition" (Boyd, 194). From its inception, it was built to serve as a permanent gallery of painting and sculpture.

Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915 : San Francisco, Calif.)

James Yu

The Palace of Fine Arts was one of the finest building constructed for the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. It was one of the most important symbols of the fair, situated near its center, at the end of the axis on which were located the Courts of the Four Seasons and of the Universe at the center, and the Court of Abundance, with the Machinery Palace framing the other side.

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Postcard, Postcards

Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915 : San Francisco, Calif.)

Postcard, Postcards

World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)

Ticket, Tickets, Ephemera

World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)

Ticket, Tickets, Ephemera

World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)

Ticket, Tickets, Ephemera

World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)

Ticket, Tickets, Ephemera

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Photomechanical prints, Prints

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Photomechanical prints, Prints

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Photomechanical prints, Prints

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Buildings, Trade cards, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Buildings, Trade cards, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Trade cards, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Buildings, Trade cards

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Trade cards, Ephemera

World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)

Postcard, Postcards

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Postcard, Postcards

World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)

Postcard, Postcards

Panama-California Exposition (1915 : San Diego, Calif.)

Postcard, Postcards

World's Columbian Exposition (1893 : Chicago, Ill.)

Postcard, Postcards

Exposition internationale de Milan (1906)

Buildings, Gelatin silver print, Photographs

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Trade cards, Ephemera

Pan-American Exposition (1901 : Buffalo, N.Y.)

Maps, Maps, Pamphlets

Exposition internationale de Milan (1906)

Buildings, Gelatin silver print, Photographs

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Advertisements, Photographs, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Buildings, Photomechanical prints, Photographs

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Buildings, Stereographs, Albumen prints, Photographs

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Postcards, Souvenirs, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Trade cards, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Advertisements, Envelopes, Buildings, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Architecture, Trade cards, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Trade cards, Ephemera

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Trade cards, Ephemera

Great Exhibition (1851 : London, England)

Elizabeth Creveling

The Crystal Palace was dismantled and rebuilt in Sydenham after the closing of the Fair and stood there until 1936 when it was destroyed by fire. Although it is no longer standing today, this structure is documented in photographs such as this one, through which it can continue to influence the worlds of architecture and engineering.

Exhibition of Art and Art-Industry (1853 : Dublin, Ireland)

Mariya Levin

This image is a beautiful color lithograph, measuring 25 by 35 inches, which features the main hall of the Great Exhibition Building in Dublin in great detail. The hall was 425 feet in length by 100 in width, and 105 in height. In the back there is a large organ. Displayed high on the walls are flags from different countries.

Paris Universal Exposition of 1878

David Coleman

This depiction of the Statue of Liberty is interesting because of the medium used. Sewn into a ribbon, this image and its caption symbolize a certain aspect of the relationship between France and the United States of America. The Statue of Liberty has served as the single most important symbol of the friendship between the two countries and the ideal of democracy since its unveiling on October 28, 1886. At the time it was the tallest structure in America.

Vienna International Exhibition (1873)

Ly Y. Bui

Austria hosted a world's fair in 1873, as it aimed to present itself as a world leader and the equal of England and France. The structure that served as the focal point and ideological locus for the Vienna Exhibition was its striking Rotunda, a feat of engineering and design, which is pictured here during the fair's opening ceremonies on May 1, 1873.

New York Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations (1853-1854)

Eric Chiu

An Ode for the Inauguration of the American Crystal Palace:

Exposition universelle et internationale (1958 : Brussels, Belgium)

Periodical Illustrations, Pamphlets

Golden Gate International Exposition (1939-1940 : San Francisco, Calif.)

Postcards, Gelatin silver prints, Ephemera

Exposition universelle et internationale (1958 : Brussels, Belgium)

Periodical Illustrations, Pamphlets

Golden Gate International Exposition (1939-1940 : San Francisco, Calif.)

Postcards, Gelatin silver prints, Ephemera

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Photomechanical prints, Prints

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Photomechanical prints, Prints

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Photomechanical prints, Prints

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Photomechanical prints, Prints

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Photomechanical prints, Prints

Panama-California Exposition (1915 : San Diego, Calif.)

Buildings, Postcards, Ephemera

Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915 : San Francisco, Calif.)

Buildings, Photomechanical Prints, Pamphlets

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Periodical illustrations, Illustrations

Panama-Pacific International Exposition (1915 : San Francisco, Calif.)

Buildings, Photomechanical Prints, Pamphlets

Panama-California Exposition (1915 : San Diego, Calif.)

Buildings, Postcards, Ephemera

Panama-California Exposition (1915 : San Diego, Calif.)

Buildings, Postcards, Ephemera

Louisiana Purchase Exposition (1904 : Saint Louis, Mo.)

Buildings, Periodical illustrations, Illustrations

Centennial Exhibition (1876 : Philadelphia, Pa.)

Art, Badges, Ephemera