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World's fair facts for kids

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International Exhibition Brussels par Privat-Livemont
Poster for the Brussels International Exposition in 1897
Viking, replica of the Gokstad Viking ship, at the Chicago World Fair 1893
A replica of the Gokstad Viking ship at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair
Expo4-Grenoble
The Palace of Railways at the International Exhibition of Hydropower and Tourism in 1925

A world's fair, also called a universal exhibition or an expo, is a huge international event. Countries from all over the world come together to show off their best achievements. These fairs happen in different places for about three to six months.

In the United States, people often say 'world's fair.' In Europe and Asia, the French term Exposition universelle (meaning "universal exhibition") is more common. You might also hear "World Expo" or "Specialised Expo." The word "expo" has been used for different types of exhibitions since 1958.

Since 1928, the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in Paris has been the official group that approves these international exhibitions. They organize four main types: World Expos, Specialised Expos, Horticultural Expos (for plants and gardens), and the Milan Triennial (for art and design).

The most recent Specialised Expo was in Astana, Kazakhstan, in 2017. Dubai, United Arab Emirates, hosted Expo 2020 (which was moved to 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic). The next Specialised Expo, Expo 2027, will be held in Belgrade, Serbia, from May 15 to August 15, 2027.

History of World Expos: A Journey Through Time

Early Exhibitions: Showcasing New Ideas

In 1791, Prague in modern-day Czech Republic held what many consider the first World's Fair. It happened when Leopold II became king of Bohemia. This event showed how advanced manufacturing was in the Czech lands back then.

France had a long history of national exhibitions. The biggest one was the French Industrial Exposition of 1844 in Paris. Other countries in Europe soon followed with their own national shows.

The First International Expo: London 1851

The first true World Expo was held in 1851 in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom. It was called the "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations." This event, often just called the Great Exhibition, was the idea of Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband. It's seen as the first international show of manufactured products. This expo changed many things, like art and design education, global trade, and tourism. It set the stage for all the World Expos that followed.

World's Fairs have changed a lot since 1851. We can see three main periods: the age of industrialization, the age of cultural exchange, and the age of nation branding.

Industrialization Era (1851–1938): Tech and Inventions

The first period, from about 1850 to 1938, was all about "industrialization." During these years, world expos mainly focused on trade and showing off new technology and inventions. They were places to see the latest science and tech from around the globe.

Many famous expos happened in this time, like those in 1851 London, Paris 1878, 1893 Chicago, and 1900 Paris. Important inventions, like the telephone, were first shown during this era. This period created the basic idea of what a world's fair would be.

Cultural Exchange Era (1939–1987): Building a Better World

The 1939 New York World's Fair and the expos after it took a different path. They focused less on just technology and more on cultural themes and making social progress. For example, the 1939 fair's theme was "Building the World of Tomorrow." The 1964 New York World's Fair had the theme "Peace Through Understanding." And the 1967 International and Universal Exposition in Montreal was themed "Man and His World." These fairs encouraged people to understand other cultures and share new ideas.

The 1967 Montreal event was called Expo 67. After this, organizers started using "Expo" instead of "world's fair."

Nation Branding Era (1988–Present): Showing Off Countries

From World Expo 88 in Brisbane onwards, countries began using expos to improve their image around the world. Countries like Finland, Japan, Canada, France, and Spain are good examples. A study about Expo 2000 in Hanover showed that 73% of countries there wanted to improve their national image.

Pavilions became like big advertisements, helping with "nation branding." For instance, Spain used Expo '92 and the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona to show it was a modern, democratic country and an important part of the European Union.

At Expo 2000 Hanover, countries built their own unique buildings, spending about €12 million each. While these costs are high, studies have shown that the benefits can be huge. For example, the Dutch pavilion at Expo 2000 cost about €35 million but brought in an estimated €350 million in potential earnings for the Dutch economy.

Types of Expos: Big and Small Events

Currently, there are two main types of international exhibitions: World Expos (also called International Registered Exhibitions) and Specialised Expos (also called International Recognised Exhibitions).

World Expos: The Biggest Shows

World Expos are the largest events. They cover big themes that affect all human experiences. Countries taking part usually build their own pavilions, making these expos very grand and expensive. They can last between six weeks and six months. Since 1995, World Expos happen at least five years apart. The last one was Expo 2015 in Milan, Italy.

At World Expos, countries try to build the most amazing or memorable structures. For example, Japan, France, Morocco, and Spain had incredible pavilions at Seville Expo '92. Sometimes, simpler buildings are used to save money for developing countries or for groups of countries sharing space.

The BIE now plans World Expos every five years. This helps reduce costs for countries and avoids clashing with the Summer Olympics. Specialised Expos fill the years in between.

Specialised Expos: Focused Themes

Specialised Expos are smaller and cost less money. They usually have a very specific theme, like "Future Energy" (Expo 2017 Astana), "The Living Ocean and Coast" (Expo 2012 Yeosu), or "Leisure in the Age of Technology" (Brisbane, Expo '88). These themes are much more focused than the broad topics of World Expos.

These expos are cheaper for the host city and participants because building costs are lower. The organizers often provide ready-made pavilion spaces for countries, who then add their own designs and content inside.

The BIE also recognizes two other types of international exhibitions:

  • Horticultural Exhibitions: These are 'garden' fairs approved by both the BIE and the International Association of Horticultural Producers. Countries show off gardens and garden pavilions.
  • Milan Triennial: This is an art and design exhibition held in Milan, Italy. The BIE has given it official international exhibition status many times.

List of Official Expos

Here are some of the official World Expos and Specialised Expos recognized by the Bureau International des Expositions.

World Expos

Dates Name of Exposition Country City Theme
04/1851 – 10/1851 Great Exhibition  United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland London Industry of all Nations
05/1855 – 11/1855 Exposition Universelle  France Paris Agriculture, Industry and Art
04/1867 – 11/1867 Exposition Universelle  France Paris Agriculture, Industry and Arts
05/1876 – 11/1876 Centennial Exposition  United States Philadelphia Arts, Manufactures and Products
05/1889 – 10/1889 Exposition Universelle  France Paris French Revolution
05/1893 – 10/1893 World's Columbian Exposition  United States Chicago Discovery of America
04/1900 – 11/1900 Exposition Universelle  France Paris 19th century: an overview
04/1904 – 12/1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition  United States St. Louis Louisiana Purchase
02/1915 – 12/1915 Panama–Pacific International Exposition  United States San Francisco Inauguration of the Panama Canal
05/1933 – 10/1934 Century of Progress  United States Chicago Industry and Scientific Research
04/1939 – 10/1940 New York World's Fair  United States New York Building The World of Tomorrow
07/1958 – 09/1958 Brussels World's Fair  Belgium Brussels A World View: A New Humanism
04/1967 – 10/1967 Expo 67  Canada Montreal Man and His World
03/1970 – 09/1970 Expo '70  Japan Osaka Progress and Harmony for Mankind
04/1992 – 10/1992 Expo '92  Spain Seville The Era of Discovery
06/2000 – 10/2000 Expo 2000  Germany Hanover Man, Nature, Technology
05/2010 – 10/2010 Expo 2010  China Shanghai Better City, Better Life
05/2015 – 10/2015 Expo 2015  Italy Milan Feeding the planet, Energy for life
10/2021 – 04/2022 Expo 2020  United Arab Emirates Dubai Connecting Minds, Creating the Future
04/2025 – 10/2025 Expo 2025  Japan Osaka Designing Future Society for Our Lives

Specialised Expos

Dates Name of Exposition Country City Theme
05/1939 – 09/1939 Exposition internationale de l'eau (1939)  Belgium Liège Art of Water
07/1949 – 08/1949 Universal Sport Exhibition (1949)  Sweden Stockholm Sport and physical culture
09/1953 – 10/1953 Conquest of the Desert (exhibition)  Israel Jerusalem Conquest of the Desert
05/1961 – 10/1961 Expo 61  Italy Turin Celebration of centennial of Italian unity
04/1968 – 10/1968 HemisFair '68  United States San Antonio Confluence of Civilizations in the Americas
05/1974 – 11/1974 Expo '74  United States Spokane Celebrating Tomorrow's Fresh New Environment
05/1982 – 10/1982 1982 World's Fair  United States Knoxville Energy Turns the World
05/1986 – 10/1986 Expo 86  Canada Vancouver Transportation and Communication: World in Motion
04/1988 – 10/1988 Expo '88  Australia Brisbane Leisure in the Age of Technology
08/1993 – 11/1993 Expo '93  South Korea Daejeon The Challenge of a New Road of Development
05/1998 – 09/1998 Expo '98  Portugal Lisbon The Oceans: A Heritage for the Future
05/2012 – 08/2012 Expo 2012  South Korea Yeosu The Living Ocean and Coast
06/2017 – 09/2017 Expo 2017  Kazakhstan Astana Future Energy
05/2027 – 08/2027 Expo 2027  Serbia Belgrade Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All

Legacy of World Expos: What Remains?

Seattle world fair stamp
The Space Needle and Monorail on a 1962 stamp

Most buildings at world's fairs are temporary and are taken down after the event. But some famous landmarks stay. The most well-known is the Eiffel Tower, built for the Exposition Universelle (1889) in Paris. Even though some people didn't like it at first, it's now a symbol of Paris.

Other structures that remain from these fairs include:

Some world's fair sites have become parks that include parts of the expo, like Jackson Park in Chicago (1893) and Flushing Meadows Park in New York City (1939 and 1964).

Some pavilions have even been moved to other countries:

Many rides and exhibits created by Walt Disney for the 1964 New York World's Fair were moved to Disneyland after the fair closed. Some, like "It's a Small World", are still popular attractions. Disney's idea for a "permanent World's Fair" later became the Epcot theme park in Walt Disney World Resort, Florida.

Sometimes, you can still find souvenirs from past fairs, like postage stamps and special coins.

Current and Upcoming Expos

2025 Osaka, Japan

Expo 2025 will be held in Osaka, Japan. Its theme is "Designing Future Society for Our Lives!" Osaka won the bid in November 2018.

2027 Belgrade, Serbia

Expo 2027 will take place in Belgrade, Serbia. The theme is "Play for Humanity: Sport and Music for All." Belgrade was chosen in June 2023.

2030 Expo

Countries are currently bidding to host Expo 2030. The host city will be chosen in November 2023. Candidates include Busan, South Korea; Rome, Italy; and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Expos Not Approved by BIE

Some expos have happened without official approval from the BIE. For example, the 1964–1965 New York World's Fair was not approved because its organizer, Robert Moses, wouldn't follow the BIE rule about limiting universal expositions to six months. Even so, many countries still took part.

The Philippines International Fair of 1953 was another non-BIE expo. It was the first world exhibition after World War 2 and the first ever in Asia.

International Horticultural Exhibitions

The BIE also recognizes International Horticultural Exhibitions, which are garden fairs approved by the International Association of Horticultural Producers.

Some past and upcoming Horticultural Exhibitions:

Images for kids

  • Exposition Universelle 1867

    Exposition universelle in Paris, 1867

  • Chicago's Great Telescope (3573567148)

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

  • Ice Follies at 1962 Worlds Fair 02

    Ice Follies at the Seattle 1962 World's Fair

  • Expo Sevilla3

    1992 Expo in Seville, Spain

  • EXPO TOWER

    Expo tower for the Osaka 1970 World Expo in Japan

  • Expo 2000 Hannover, Platz der Weltausstellung, gesehen vom Balkon vom Mäntelhaus Kaiser an der Kreuzung der Karmarschstraße mit der Osterstraße

    Expo 2000 brickwork in Hannover, Germany

  • HONDA ASIMO

    ASIMO at Expo 2005 in Japan

  • Expo 2012 Yeosu panoramic view

    Panoramic view of Expo 2012 Yeosu, South Korea

  • 1904 World's Fair Administration Building (Brookings Hall, Washington University) seen from the southeast with the Italian Pavilion in the foreground

    Brookings Hall at Washington University in St. Louis, the administration building of the 1904 World's Fair

  • Seattle - Worlds Fair sign at 47th and Aurora, 1962

    Seattle – World's Fair sign at 47th and Aurora, 1962

  • Unisphere-2 (27835155267)

    The Unisphere, from the 1964 World's Fair in New York City

  • Sunsphere

    View of 1982 fairgrounds, with the Sunsphere

  • China Pavilion 30Apr10

    The China pavilion at the Expo 2010; now a museum.

  • Exposition univ 1900

    Poster for the 1900 expo

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Exposición Universal para niños

  • Agricultural show
  • State fair
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