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World's fair facts for kids

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International Exhibition Brussels par Privat-Livemont
Poster advertising the Brussels International Exposition in 1897

A world's fair (also called a universal exhibition or expo) is a huge global event. It's designed to show off the cool things different countries have achieved. These fairs happen in various places around the world for a few months.

In the United States, people usually say "world's fair." In Europe and Asia, they often use the French term, Exposition universelle, which means "universal exhibition." You might also hear "World Expo" or "Specialised Expo." The short word "expo" has been used for these events since at least 1958.

Since 1928, an organization called the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) helps organize these international exhibitions. There are four main types: World Expos, Specialised Expos, Horticultural Expos (which focus on plants and gardens), and the Milan Triennial (an art and design show).

Osaka, Japan is currently hosting the World Expo in 2025. Astana, Kazakhstan hosted the most recent Specialised Expo in 2017. Doha, Qatar hosted the most recent Horticultural Expo, which ended in 2024.

History of World's Fairs

Crystal Palace interior
Interior of the Crystal Palace at the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, London, in 1851

The very first world's fair happened in Prague (now in the Czech Republic) in 1791. It showed off the amazing manufacturing skills of the region.

France also had its own national exhibitions. A big one was the French Industrial Exposition of 1844 in Paris. Then, in 1851, the famous "Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations" took place in the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, United Kingdom. This idea came from Prince Albert, who was Queen Victoria's husband.

World's fairs have changed a lot over time. We can see three main periods in their history. These are the time of industrialization, the time of cultural exchange, and the time of nation branding.

Industrialization (1851–1938)

Chicago's Great Telescope (3573567148)
The Yerkes great refractor telescope mounted at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago

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

Many famous inventions, like the telephone, were first shown during this time. This era helped set the basic style of what a world's fair would be like.

Cultural Exchange (1939–1987)

Ice Follies at 1962 Worlds Fair 02
Ice Follies at the Seattle 1962 World's Fair

The 1939–1940 New York World's Fair started a new trend. These fairs focused less on just technology. Instead, they aimed more at cultural themes and social progress. For example, the 1939 fair's theme was "Building the World of Tomorrow."

The 1964–1965 New York World's Fair had the theme "Peace Through Understanding." The 1967 International and Universal Exposition in Montreal was called "Man and His World." These fairs encouraged people from different cultures to understand each other better. They also continued to share new technologies.

The 1967 Montreal fair was promoted as Expo 67. Organizers started using "Expo" instead of "world's fair." This word was already popular in French. Even the Montreal Expos, a former baseball team, was named after the 1967 fair.

Nation Branding (1988–Present)

Expo Sevilla3
1992 Expo in Seville, Spain

Starting with World Expo 88 in Brisbane, countries began using expos to improve their national image. They did this through their special pavilions. Countries like Finland, Japan, Canada, France, and Spain are good examples.

A study showed that for 73% of countries at Expo 2000, improving their national image was the main goal. Pavilions became like big advertisements for a country. The Expo became a way for "nation branding." For example, Spain used Expo '92 and the 1992 Summer Olympics to show it was a modern, democratic country. It also showed its important role in the European Union and the world.

At Expo 2000 Hanover, countries built their own unique buildings. They spent a lot of money, about €12 million each. Even though it's hard to measure the exact benefits, one study found that the Dutch pavilion (which cost about €35 million) brought in around €350 million for the Dutch economy.

Types of Expos

EXPO TOWER
Expo tower for the Osaka 1970 World Expo in Japan

Today, there are two main types of international exhibitions. These are World Expos (also called International Registered Exhibitions) and Specialised Expos (International Recognised Exhibitions). World Expos are the biggest events.

At World Expos, countries usually build their own pavilions. This makes them the most impressive and expensive expos. They can last between six weeks and six months. Since 1995, there must be at least five years between two World Expos. World Expo 2015 was held in Milan, Italy, from May 1 to October 31, 2015.

Specialised Expos are smaller and cost less money. They also last for a shorter time, usually between three weeks and three months. Their total size cannot be more than 25 acres. Organizers must build pavilions for the participating countries for free. The largest country pavilions can't be bigger than 1,000 square meters. Only one Specialised Expo can happen between two World Expos.

The BIE also recognizes two other types of international exhibitions. These are horticultural exhibitions, which are garden fairs where countries show off gardens and plant displays. The other is the Milan Triennial, an art and design exhibition held in Milan, Italy.

World Expos: Big Themes

Expo 2000 Hannover, Platz der Weltausstellung, gesehen vom Balkon vom Mäntelhaus Kaiser an der Kreuzung der Karmarschstraße mit der Osterstraße
Expo 2000 brickwork, for the World Expo in Hannover, Germany, in 2000

World Expos (International Registered Exhibitions) cover big themes that affect everyone. These themes are about human experience. Countries and companies must follow the theme in their displays. Registered expos happen every five years. They are more expensive because countries design their pavilions from scratch.

Because of this, nations compete to have the most amazing building. For example, Japan, France, Morocco, and Spain had very cool pavilions at Seville Expo '92. Sometimes, simpler buildings are used to save money for developing countries. Or, countries from the same area might share space.

In the 21st century, the BIE decided to hold World Expos every five years. This helps reduce how much money countries spend. It also helps avoid conflicts with the Summer Olympics. World Expos are limited to every five years, with Specialised Expos in between.

Specialised Expos: Specific Themes

Expo 2012 Yeosu panoramic view
Panoramic view of Expo 2012 Yeosu, in South Korea

Specialised Expos (International Recognized Exhibitions) usually have a very specific theme. Examples include "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 themes of World Expos.

Specialized Expos are usually smaller and cheaper for the host city and participants. This is because the building costs are lower. Countries only need to decorate pavilion space that the organizers provide for free. Countries can then add their own colors and designs to the outside. They fill the inside with their own content.

Horticultural Expos: Green and Growing

Ho Kum Luang (I)
The Royal Pavilion of Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006, in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Horticultural Expos (A1 International Horticultural Exhibitions) are also organized by the International Association of Horticultural Producers. Like Specialised Expos, they have a specific theme. Some themes have been "Green Desert, Better Environment" (International Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha Qatar), "Growing Green Cities" (Floriade 2022), or "Building a Beautiful Home Featuring Harmonious Coexistence between Man and Nature" (Expo 2019).

These exhibitions aim to help countries, plant growers, and farming industries work together. They share ideas and solutions. They focus on important topics like healthy living, green economies, sustainable ways of life, education, and new ideas.

List of Expos

Here is a list of official world exhibitions, including Universal, International/Specialised, and Horticultural Expos. This list comes from the Bureau International des Expositions.

World Expos

# Name of exposition Dates Area (ha) Visitors Participants Theme
1 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Great Exhibition 1 May – 11 October 1851 10.40 6,039,195 25 Industry of all Nations
2 Second French Empire Exposition Universelle (1855) 15 May – 15 November 1855 15.20 5,162,330 28 Agriculture, Industry and Fine Arts
3 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1862 International Exhibition 1 May – 1 November 1862 11 6,096,617 39 Industry and Art
4 Second French Empire Exposition Universelle (1867) 1 April – 3 November 1867 68.70 15,000,000 42 Agriculture, Industry and Fine Arts
5 Austria-Hungary Weltausstellung 1873 Wien 1 May – 31 October 1873 233 7,255,000 35 Culture and Education
6 United States Centennial Exposition 10 May – 10 November 1876 115 10,000,000 35 Arts, Manufactures and Products of the Soil and Mine
7 French Third Republic Exposition Universelle (1878) 20 May – 10 November 1878 75 16,156,626 35 New Technologies
8 Flag of Victoria (1877–1901).svg Melbourne International Exhibition (1880) 1 October 1880 – 30 April 1881 25 1,330,000 33 Arts, Manufactures and Agricultural and Industrial Products of all Nations
9 Restoration (Spain) Exposición Universal de Barcelona (1888) 8 April – 10 December 1888 46.50 2,300,000 30 Fine and Industrial Art
10 French Third Republic Exposition Universelle (1889) 5 May – 31 October 1889 96 32,250,297 35 Celebration of the centenary of the French revolution
11 United States World's Columbian Exposition 1 May – 3 October 1893 290 27,500,000 19 Fourth centenary of the discovery of America
12 Belgium Brussels International (1897) 10 May – 8 November 1897 36 6,000,000 27 Modern Life
13 French Third Republic Exposition Universelle (1900) 15 April – 12 November 1900 120 50,860,801 40 19th century: an overview
14 United States Louisiana Purchase Exposition 30 April – 1 December 1904 500 19,694,855 60 Celebration of the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase
15 Belgium Liège International (1905) 27 April – 6 November 1905 70 7,000,000 35 Commemoration of the 75th anniversary of independence
16 Kingdom of Italy Milan International (1906) 28 April – 11 November 1906 100 4,012,776 40 Transportation
17 Belgium Brussels International 1910 23 April – 7 November 1910 30 13,000,000 26 Works of Art and Science, Agricultural and Industrial Products of All Nations
18 Belgium Exposition universelle et internationale (1913) 26 April – 3 November 1913 130 9,503,419 24 Peace, Industry and Art
19 United States Panama–California Exposition 1 January 1915 – 1 January 1917 260 3,747,916 24 Celebrating the opening of the Panama Canal
20 United States Panama–Pacific International Exposition 20 February – 4 December 1915 254 18,876,438 41 Celebrating the opening of the Panama Canal
21 Restoration (Spain) 1929 Barcelona International Exposition 20 May 1929 – 15 January 1930 118 5,800,000 29 Industry, Art and Sport
22 United States Century of Progress 27 May 1933 – 31 October 1934 170 38,872,000 21 The independence among Industry and scientific research.
23 Belgium Brussels International Exposition (1935) 27 April – 3 November 1935 152 20,000,000 25 Transport
24 French Third Republic Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne 25 May – 25 November 1937 104 31,040,955 35 Arts and technology in modern life
25 United States 1939 New York World's Fair 30 April 1939 – 27 October 1940 500 45,000,000 54 Building the World of Tomorrow
26 Republic of Haiti (1859–1957) Exposition internationale du bicentenaire de Port-au-Prince 8 December 1949 – 8 June 1950 30 250,000 18 The festival of Peace
27 Belgium Expo '58 17 April – 19 October 1958 200 41,454,412 39 A World View: A New Humanism
28 United States Century 21 Exposition 21 April – 21 October 1962 30 9,000,000 49 Man in the Space Age
29 Canada Expo 67 28 April – 29 October 1967 400 50,306,648 62 Man and his World
30 Japan Expo '70 15 March – 13 November 1970 330 64,218,770 67 Progress and Harmony for Mankind
31 Spain Seville Expo '92 20 April – 12 October 1992 215 41,814,571 108 The Age of Discovery
32 Germany Expo 2000 1 June – 31 October 2000 160 18,100,000 174 Humankind – Nature – Technology
33 Japan Expo 2005 25 March – 25 September 2005 173 22,049,544 121 Nature's Wisdom
34 China Expo 2010 1 May – 31 October 2010 523 73,085,000 100 Better City, Better Life
35 Italy Expo 2015 1 May – 31 October 2015 110 22,200,000 139 Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life
36 United Arab Emirates Expo 2020 1 October 2021 – 31 March 2022 438 24,102,967 200 Connecting Minds, Creating the Future
37 Japan Expo 2025 13 April – 13 October 2025 155 165 Designing Future Society for Our Lives
38 Saudi Arabia Expo 2030 1 October 2030 – 31 March 2031 600 Foresight for Tomorrow

Specialised Expos

Name of exposition Dates Area Visitors Participants Theme
Sweden Expo 1936 Stockholm 15 May – 1 June 1936 N/A N/A 8 Aviation
Finland Expo 1938 Helsinki 14–22 May 1938 N/A N/A 25 Aerospace
Belgium Expo 1939 Liege 20 May – 2 September 1939 50 N/A 8 Art of Water
French Fourth Republic Expo 1947 Paris 10 July – 15 August 1947 6.35 N/A 14 Urbanism and Housing
Sweden Expo 1949 Stockholm 27 July – 13 August 1949 N/A N/A 14 Sport and physical culture
French Fourth Republic Expo 1949 Lyon 24 September – 9 October 1949 110 N/A N/A Rural Habitat
French Fourth Republic Expo 1951 Lille 28 April – 20 May 1951 15 1,500,000 24 Textile
Italy Expo 1953 Rome 26 July – 31 October 1953 12 1,700,000 N/A Agriculture
Israel Expo 1953 Jerusalem 22 September – 14 October 1953 4.60 600,000 13 Conquest of the Desert
Italy Expo 1954 Naples 15 May – 15 October 1954 100 N/A 25 Navigation
Italy Expo 1955 Turin 25 May – 15 June 1955 N/A 120,000 11 Sport
Sweden Expo 1955 Helsingborg 10 June – 28 August 1955 N/A N/A 10 Modern Man in the Environment
Israel Expo 1956 Beit Dagan 21 May – 20 June 1956 55 N/A N/A Citrus
West Germany Expo 1957 Berlin 6 July – 29 September 1957 N/A 1,000,000 13 Reconstruction of Hansa District
Italy Expo 1961 Turin 1 May – 31 September 1961 50 5,000,000 19 Man and his Work – A Century of Technological and Social Developments
West Germany Expo 1965 Munich 25 June – 3 October 1965 50.20 2,500,000 31 Transport
United States Expo 1968 San Antonio 6 April – 6 October 1968 39 6,384,482 23 The confluence of civilizations in the Americas
Hungarian People's Republic Expo 1971 Budapest 27 August – 30 September 1971 35 1,900,000 35 The Hunt through the World
United States Expo 1974 Spokane 4 May – 2 November 1974 40 5,600,000 56 Celebrating Tomorrow's Fresh New Environment
Japan Expo 1975 Okinawa 20 July 1975 – 18 January 1976 100 3,485,750 35 The Sea We would like to See
People's Republic of Bulgaria Expo 1981 Plovdiv 14 June – 12 July 1981 51 N/A 70 Earth – Planet of Life
United States Expo 1982 Knoxville 1 May – 31 October 1982 29 11,127,780 16 Energy turns the World
United States Expo 1984 New Orleans 12 May – 11 November 1984 34 7,335,000 15 The World of rivers – Fresh Water as a source of life
Japan Expo 1985 Tsukuba 17 March – 16 September 1985 100 20,334,727 48 Dwellings and surroundings – Science and Technology for Man at Home
People's Republic of Bulgaria Expo 1985 Plovdiv 4–30 November 1985 5.80 1,000,000 54 Inventions
Canada Expo 1986 Vancouver 2 May – 13 October 1986 70 22,111,578 55 Transportation and Communication: World in Motion – World in Touch
Australia Expo 1988 Brisbane 30 April – 30 October 1988 40 18,560,447 36 Leisure in the age of Technology
Bulgaria Expo 1991 Plovdiv 7 June – 7 July 1991 N/A N/A 9 The activity of young people in the service of a World of Peace
Italy Expo 1992 Genoa 15 May – 15 August 1992 6 817,045 52 Christopher Colombus: The Ship and the Sea
South Korea Expo 1993 Daejeon 7 August – 7 November 1993 90.10 14,005,808 141 The Challenge of a New Road of Development
Portugal Expo 1998 Lisbon 22 May – 30 September 1998 50 10,128,204 160 The Oceans: a heritage for the Future
Spain Expo 2008 Zaragoza 14 June – 14 September 2008 25 5,650,943 108 Water and sustainable development
South Korea Expo 2012 Yeosu 14 May – 12 August 2012 25 8,203,956 103 The living ocean and coast
Kazakhstan Expo 2017 Astana 10 June – 10 September 2017 35 3,977,545 137 Future Energy
Serbia Expo 2027 Belgrade 15 May – 15 August 2027 25 Play for Humanity – Sport and Music for All

Horticultural Expos

Name of exposition Dates Area Visitors Participants Theme
Netherlands Expo 1960 Rotterdam 25 March – 25 September 1960 50 4,000,000 N/A International Horticulture
West Germany Expo 1963 Hamburg 26 April – 13 October 1963 76 5,400,000 35 Horticulture of all Categories from the Point of View of Economics and Culture
Austria Expo 1964 Vienna 16 April – 11 October 1964 100 2,100,000 28 International Horticulture
France Expo 1969 Paris 23 April – 5 October 1969 28 2,400,000 17 Flowers of France and Flowers of the World
Netherlands Expo 1972 Amsterdam 26 March – 1 October 1972 75 4,300,000 N/A Efforts accomplished by International Horticulture
West Germany Expo 1973 Hamburg 27 April – 7 October 1973 76 5,800,000 50 International Horticulture
Austria Expo 1974 Vienna 18 April – 14 October 1974 100 2,600,000 30 International Horticulture
Canada Expo 1980 Montreal 17 May – 1 September 1980 40 N/A 23 Relationship between man's socio-cultural activities and his physical environment
Netherlands Expo 1982 Amsterdam 8 April – 10 October 1982 50 4,600,000 17 International Horticulture
West Germany Expo 1983 Munich 28 April – 9 October 1983 72 11,600,000 23 International Horticulture
United Kingdom Expo 1984 Liverpool 2 May – 14 October 1984 95 3,380,000 29 The progress accomplished by International and National Horticulture
Japan Expo 1990 Osaka 1 April – 30 September 1990 140 23,126,934 83 The Harmonious Coexistence of Nature and Mankind
Netherlands Expo 1992 Zoetermeer 10 April – 12 October 1992 68 3,355,600 23 Horticulture is being involved in a continuous process of renewal
Germany Expo 1993 Stuttgart 23 April – 17 October 1993 64 7,311,000 40 City and Nature – Responsible Approach
China Expo 1999 Kunming 1 May – 31 October 1999 218 9,427,000 70 Man and Nature – Marching into the 21st century
Netherlands Expo 2002 Haarlemmermeer 25 April – 20 October 2002 140 2,071,000 30 The contribution of the Netherlands horticulture and international horticulture
Germany Expo 2003 Rostock 25 April – 12 October 2003 100 2,600,000 32 A Seaside Park. A new flowered world
Thailand Expo 2006 Chiang Mai 1 November 2006 – 31 January 2007 80 3,848,791 32 To Express the Love for Humanity
Netherlands Expo 2012 Venlo 5 April – 7 October 2012 66 2,046,684 38 Be part of the theatre in nature; get closer to the quality of life
Turkey Expo 2016 Antalya 23 April – 30 October 2016 112 4,693,571 54 Flowers and Children
China Expo 2019 Beijing 29 April – 7 October 2019 503 9,340,000 110 Live Green, Live Better
Netherlands Expo 2022 Amsterdam – Almere 14 April – 9 October 2022 60 685,189 32 Growing Green Cities
Qatar Expo 2023 Doha 2 October 2023 – 28 March 2024 80 N/A N/A Green Desert, Better Environment
Japan Expo 2027 Yokohama 19 March – 26 September 2027 80 Scenery of the Future for Happiness
Thailand Expo 2029 Nakhon Ratchasima 10 November 2029 – 28 February 2030 80 Nature and Greenery: Envisioning the Green Future

What's Left Behind: Expo Legacies

Remaining Structures

Georges Garen embrasement tour Eiffel
Chromolithograph of the Eiffel Tower illuminations in 1889
Seattle world fair stamp
The Space Needle and Monorail depicted on this 1962 stamp

Most buildings at world's fairs are temporary. They are taken down after the fair ends. But some famous towers and buildings stay. The most famous 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:

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, in the early 21st century
Sunsphere
View of 1982 fairgrounds, with the Sunsphere
  • 1982 – Knoxville: The Sunsphere from the 1982 World's Fair is still a part of Knoxville's skyline.
  • 1984 – New Orleans: The main buildings of the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition became the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
  • 1986 – Vancouver: In Vancouver, many Expo 86 projects became permanent. These include the Skytrain, Science World, and Canada Place.
  • 1988 – Brisbane: The Skyneedle from Expo '88 still stands. The Nepalese Peace Pagoda and the Japan Pond and Garden also remain.
  • 1992 – Seville: The pavilions of Seville Expo '92 were turned into a technology park and a theme park.
  • 1998 – Lisbon: The main buildings of Expo '98 were made part of the city. Many art pieces are still there.
  • 2005 – Nagoya: The home of Satsuki & Mei Kusakabe from the 2005 Expo is still open. It's now part of Ghibli Park.
China Pavilion 30Apr10
The China pavilion at the Expo 2010; repurposed as a museum
  • 2010 – Shanghai: The China pavilion from Expo 2010 is now the China Art Museum.
  • 2015 – Milan: The Italian Pavilion of Expo 2015 remains on its original site.

Reuse of Sites

Some world's fair sites became parks that still have some of the expo features. Examples include:

Relocation of Pavilions

Exposition univ 1900
Poster for the 1900 expo

Some pavilions have been moved to other countries:

  • The Argentine Pavilion from the 1889 Paris was moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina.
  • The Chilean Pavilion from 1889 Paris is now in Santiago, Chile, as the Museo Artequin.
  • The Peruvian Pavilion from 1900 Paris is now in Lima.
  • The Japanese Tower from the 1900 Paris fair was moved to Laken (Brussels).
  • The Belgium Pavilion from the 1939 New York World's Fair was moved to Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia.
  • The USSR Pavilion from Expo 67 is now in Moscow.
  • The Sanyo Pavilion from Expo '70 is the Asian Centre at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.
  • The Portugal Pavilion from Expo 2000 is now in Coimbra, Portugal.
  • The United Arab Emirates Pavilion from Expo 2010 is now in Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi.
  • The Bahrain Pavilion from Expo 2015 was moved back to Bahrain. The Azerbaijan Pavilion is in Baku.
  • The Save the Children Italy pavilion from Expo 2015 was rebuilt as a school for Syrian refugee children in Lebanon.

The Brussels Expo '58 moved many pavilions within Belgium. For example, the Jacques Chocolats pavilion became a swimming pool in Diest.

Other Lasting Impacts

Many exhibits and rides created by Walt Disney and his company for the 1964 New York World's Fair were moved to Disneyland. Rides like "It's a Small World" and "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" are still running. The idea of a permanent world's fair came to life with the Disney Epcot theme park in Florida. Epcot has national pavilions and exhibits about technology and the future, much like a world's fair.

Sometimes, other reminders of the fairs remain. In the New York City Subway, signs pointing to Flushing Meadows–Corona Park are still there from the 1964–1965 event. Many fairs also produced special postage stamps and commemorative coins.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Exposición Universal para niños

  • Agricultural show
  • State fair
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