The Great Exhibition facts for kids
The Great Exhibition was a huge international show held in Hyde Park, London, England, in 1851. It was also known as the Crystal Palace Exhibition because of the amazing building it was in. This event was the first of many "World's Fairs" that became popular in the 1800s. These fairs celebrated new ideas in culture and industry.
The full name of the event was "The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations." Prince Albert, who was Queen Victoria's husband, helped organize it. He worked with the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce. The exhibition was planned to last for four months. It was a big celebration of new industrial technology and design.
A main goal was to show the world that Great Britain was a leader in industry. Prince Albert was very keen on the exhibition. It even paid for itself! Queen Victoria and her family visited the exhibition three times.
Visitors loved seeing new technology and machines that actually worked. For example, people could watch the whole process of making cotton cloth. This included everything from spinning the thread to the finished fabric. There were also many scientific tools. These included electric telegraphs, microscopes, and air pumps. Musical, clock-making, and surgical instruments were also on display.
The Crystal Palace Building
A special building called The Crystal Palace was built just for this show. It was like a giant glass house. The building was 1851 feet (about 564 meters) long and 454 feet (about 138 meters) wide. It was made mostly from cast iron and glass. Most of its parts were made in Birmingham and Smethwick.
Joseph Paxton designed the Crystal Palace. He got help from engineer Charles Fox. Famous engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel was also on the committee that oversaw its building. The design was very new and daring for its time. Paxton had experience designing large greenhouses for the 6th Duke of Devonshire.
The Crystal Palace was a huge success. It was an amazing building to look at. It was also a great example of engineering skill. This showed how important the exhibition itself was. Later, the building was moved and made even bigger in Sydenham, south London. That area was even renamed "Crystal Palace." Sadly, the building was destroyed by a fire on November 30, 1936.
Images for kids
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Queen Victoria opens the Great Exhibition in The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, in 1851.
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Exhibition interior
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The front door of the Great Exhibition
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Paxton's Crystal Palace enclosed full-grown trees in Hyde Park.
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Lane's Telescopic View The Ceremony of Her Majesty Opening the Great Exhibition Inside view grand opening by Queen Victoria
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1851 medal The Crystal Palace in London by Allen & Moore, obverse
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1851 medal The Crystal Palace in London by Allen & Moore, reverse
See also
In Spanish: Gran Exposición para niños
