The First World's Fair

What we call a “world’s fair” is really an exposition. The fair is one of the oldest and most popular means of selling and trading goods. Expositions, on the other hand, are for a different purpose. These large displays are set up mainly to show the industrial and artistic development of a particular country or a particular period. The first exposition, or “world’s fair’, was The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations. It was held in Hyde Park, London, in 1851. The exhibition was housed in one building, the Crystal Palace. This permanent building was made entirely of iron and glass, like a huge greenhouse. It was destroyed by fire in 1936.

The First World's Fair Poster

The First World's Fair Poster

Posted in: World Fairs