View source for World's fair

{{Short description|Large international exhibition}}
{{other uses|World's Fair (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
[[File:International Exhibition Brussels par Privat-Livemont.jpg|thumb|Poster advertising the [[Brussels International Exposition (1897)|Brussels International Exposition]] in 1897]]

A '''world's fair''', also known as a '''universal exhibition''', is a large global exhibition designed to showcase the achievements of nations.<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica">{{Cite web |title=world's fair {{!}} History Instances, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/worlds-fair |access-date=11 March 2022 |website=Encyclopædia Britannica|language=en}}</ref> These exhibitions vary in character and are held in different parts of the world at a specific site for a period of time, typically between three and six months.<ref name="Encyclopædia Britannica" />

The term "world's fair" is commonly used in the United States,<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/topic/worlds-fair]  ''Britannica''. Retrieved 17 July 2019.</ref> while the French term, {{lang|fr|Exposition universelle}} ("universal exhibition"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/french-english/exposition |title=exposition |website=Cambridge French-English Dictionary}}</ref>) is used in most of Europe and Asia; other terms include '''World Expo''' or '''Specialised Expo''', with the word '''expo''' used for various types of exhibitions since at least 1958.

Since the adoption of the 1928 Convention Relating to International Exhibitions, the Paris-based [[Bureau International des Expositions]] (BIE) has served as an international sanctioning body for international exhibitions; four types of international exhibition are organised under its auspices: World Expos, Specialised Expos, Horticultural Expos (regulated by the [[AIPH|International Association of Horticultural Producers]]), and the [[Milan Triennial]].

[[Osaka]], Japan held the most recent World Expo in [[Expo 2025|2025]], while [[Astana]], Kazakhstan held the most recent Specialised Expo [[Expo 2017|in 2017]], and [[Doha]], Qatar held the most recent Horticultural Expo [[International Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha Qatar|in 2023]].<ref>The Expo was postponed from 2020 to 2021 due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]</ref>

==History==
{{Further|List of world's fairs}}

[[File:Crystal Palace interior.jpg|thumb|Interior of [[the Crystal Palace]] at the [[Great Exhibition]] in [[Hyde Park, London]], in 1851]]In 1791, [[Prague]] organized the first World's Fair in [[Bohemia]] (modern-day [[Czech Republic]]).<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kárníková |first1=Ludmila |title=Vývoj obyvatelstva v českých zemích 1754–1914 |date=1965 |publisher=Nakladatelství Československé akademie věd |location=Praha |pages=401, [2] s |edition=1 |url=https://biblio.hiu.cas.cz/records/ad18aaac-4b7b-495e-afed-ef9c64eb55c8?locale=en |access-date=2 June 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Klíma |first1=Arnošt |title=The Role of Rural Domestic Industry in Bohemia in the Eighteenth Century |journal=The Economic History Review |date=1 February 1974 |volume=27 |issue=1 |pages=48–56 |doi=10.2307/2594203 |jstor=2594203 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2594203 |access-date=2 June 2021|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rudolph |first1=Richard F. |title=The Pattern of Austrian Industrial Growth from the Eighteenth to the Early Twentieth Century |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/austrian-history-yearbook/article/abs/pattern-of-austrian-industrial-growth-from-the-eighteenth-to-the-early-twentieth-century/1B069CDBD7F79CA71D861CEF91971424 |journal=Austrian History Yearbook |year=1975 |volume=11 |pages=3–25 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |doi=10.1017/S0067237800015216 |s2cid=145393467 |access-date=2 June 2021|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The first industrial exhibition was on the occasion of the coronation of [[Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor|Leopold II]] as king of [[Bohemia]]. The exhibition was held in the [[Clementinum]], and celebrated the considerable sophistication of manufacturing methods in the region during that time period.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/Slavonic/Czech_Hist8.html|title=The era of enlightenment|access-date=11 March 2011|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316114245/http://www.arts.gla.ac.uk/Slavonic/Czech_Hist8.html|archive-date=16 March 2012}}</ref>

France had a [[Exposition des produits de l'industrie française|tradition of national exhibitions]], which culminated with the [[French Industrial Exposition of 1844]] held in [[Paris]]. This fair was followed by other national exhibitions in Europe. In 1851, the "[[Great Exhibition]] of the Works of Industry of All Nations" was held in [[the Crystal Palace]] in [[Hyde Park, London]], United Kingdom. It was an idea of Prince [[Albert, Prince Consort|Albert]], Queen [[Queen Victoria|Victoria]]'s husband.<ref>{{cite news |title=The History of Women's Public Toilets in Britain |url=https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/History-of-Womens-Public-Toilets-in-Britain/ |access-date=8 April 2025 |work=Historic UK}}</ref><ref>John R. Davies in Findling and Pelle (2008), "Encyclopedia of World's Fairs and Expositions", pp. 13–14</ref><ref name="Gazette">{{cite news |title=The Great Exhibition of 1851 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/all-notices/content/100717 |access-date=5 August 2024 |work=[[The London Gazette|The Gazette]]}}</ref>

The character of world fairs, or expositions, has evolved since. Three eras can be distinguished: the era of industrialization, the era of cultural exchange, and the era of nation branding.<ref>{{cite journal |date=April 2004|title= Three eras of World Expositions: 1851–present. |journal= Cosmopolite: Stardust World Expo & National Branding Newsletter |issue= 5|page= 1<!--2-->|location= Amsterdam|publisher= Stardust New Ventures|editor1-first= Tjaco |editor1-last= Walvis}}</ref>

===Industrialization (1851–1938)===
[[File:Chicago's Great Telescope (3573567148).jpg|thumb|The Yerkes great refractor telescope mounted at the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago]]

The first era, the era of "industrialization", roughly covered the years from 1850 to 1938. In these years, world expositions were largely focused on trade and displayed technological advances and inventions. World expositions were platforms for state-of-the-art science and technology from around the world. The world expositions of [[Great Exhibition|1851 London]], [[Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations|1853 New York]], [[1862 International Exhibition|1862 London]], [[Centennial Exposition|1876 Philadelphia]], [[Exposition Universelle (1878)|Paris 1878]], [[1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition|1888 Barcelona]], [[Exposition Universelle (1889)|1889 Paris]], [[General Land Centennial Exhibition (1891)|1891 Prague]], [[World's Columbian Exposition|1893 Chicago]], [[Brussels International Exposition (1897)|1897 Brussels]], [[Exposition Universelle (1900)|1900 Paris]], [[Louisiana Purchase Exposition|1904 St. Louis]], [[Panama–Pacific International Exposition|1915 San Francisco]], and [[Century of Progress|1933–1934 Chicago]] were notable in this respect.<ref>{{Cite web|title=World's Fair {{!}} History, Instances, & Facts|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/worlds-fair|website=Encyclopædia Britannica|language=en|access-date=29 May 2020}}</ref> Inventions such as the [[telephone]] were first presented during this era. This era set the basic character of the world fair.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Abbattista|first1=Guido|last2=Iannuzzi|first2=Giulia|date=2016|title=World Expositions as Time Machines: Two Views of the Visual Construction of Time between Anthropology and Futurama|url=http://worldhistoryconnected.press.uillinois.edu/13.3/forum_01_abbattista.html|journal=World History Connected|volume=13|issue=3}}</ref>

===Cultural exchange (1939–1987)===
{{Further|Technological utopianism}}
[[File:Ice Follies at 1962 Worlds Fair 02.jpg|thumb|left|[[Ice Follies]] at the [[Century 21 Exposition|Seattle 1962 World's Fair]]]]

The [[1939 New York World's Fair|1939–1940 New York World's Fair]], and those that followed, took a different approach, one less focused on technology and aimed more at cultural themes and social progress. For instance, the theme of the 1939 fair was "Building the World of Tomorrow"; at the [[1964 New York World's Fair|1964–1965 New York World's Fair]], it was "Peace Through Understanding"; at the [[Expo 67|1967 International and Universal Exposition]] in Montreal, it was "Man and His World". These fairs encouraged effective [[intercultural communication]] along with sharing of technological innovation.

The 1967 International and Universal Exposition in Montreal was promoted under the name ''Expo 67''. Event organizers retired the term ''world's fair'' in favor of ''Expo,'' a term already popular in French language and used as far back as the Brussels World Fair in 1958.<ref>{{Cite web |last=approuvé |first=Bibliomania {{!}} Lu et |title=Paris Match Numéro spécial - Hors série Mai-octobre 1958 - Spécial Expo 58 Bruxelles (Collectif) {{!}} Bibliomania |url=https://www.bibliomania.be/item/12006466/paris_match_numero_special_hors_serie_maioctobre_1958_special_expo_58_bruxelles |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=www.bibliomania.be}}</ref> The [[Montreal Expos]], a former [[Major League Baseball]] team, was named for the 1967 fair.<ref>{{cite video|people=Ted Dykstra (Director)|date=2004|title=Expo'67: Back to the future|medium=DVD|publisher=CBC Home Video|location=Canada}}</ref>

===Nation branding (1988–present)===
[[File:Expo Sevilla3.jpg|thumb|1992 Expo in Seville, Spain]]

From [[World Expo 88]] in [[Brisbane]] onwards, countries started to use expositions as a platform to improve their national image through their pavilions. Finland, Japan, Canada, France, and Spain are cases in point. A major study by Tjaco Walvis called "Expo 2000 Hanover in Numbers" showed that improving [[Nation branding|national image]] was the main goal for 73% of the countries participating in [[Expo 2000]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2012}} Pavilions became a kind of advertising campaign, and the Expo served as a vehicle for "nation branding". According to branding expert [[Wally Olins]], Spain used [[Seville Expo '92|Expo '92]] and the [[1992 Summer Olympics]] in [[Barcelona]] in the same year to underscore its new position as a modern and democratic country and to show itself as a prominent member of the [[European Union]] and the global community.{{Citation needed|date=January 2014}}

At [[Expo 2000]] Hanover, countries created their own architectural pavilions, investing, on average, €12&nbsp;million each.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bayareaeconomy.org/media/files/pdf/Expo_Report_sml.pdf |title=World Expo 2020 Silicon Valley – USA Economic Impacts |date=February 2011 |website=Bay Area Council Economic Institute |access-date=6 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813060823/http://www.bayareaeconomy.org/media/files/pdf/Expo_Report_sml.pdf |archive-date=13 August 2012 }}</ref> Given these costs, governments are sometimes hesitant to participate, because the benefits may not justify the costs. However, while the effects are difficult to measure, an independent study for the Dutch pavilion at Expo 2000 estimated that the pavilion (which cost around €35&nbsp;million) generated around €350&nbsp;million of potential revenues for the Dutch economy. It also identified several key success factors for world-exposition pavilions in general.<ref>Tjaco Walvis (2003), "Building Brand Locations", ''Corporate Reputation Review'', Vol. 5, No. 4, pp. 358–366</ref>

==Types==
[[File:EXPO TOWER.JPG|thumb|Expo tower for the Osaka 1970 World Expo in Japan]]
<!--[[File:1904 worlds fair boer war program.jpg|thumb|[[Louisiana Purchase Exposition|St. Louis 1904 World's Fair]] Boer War program. Battle recreations took 2–3 hours and included several Generals and 600 veteran soldiers from both sides of the war. At the conclusion of the show, the [[Boer]] General [[Christiaan de Wet]] would escape on horseback by leaping from a height of {{convert|35|ft|m}} into a pool of water.]]-->

At present there are two types of international exhibition: World Expos (formally known as International Registered Exhibitions) and Specialised Expos (formally known as International Recognised Exhibitions).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bie-paris.org/site/en/expos/about-expos/expo-categories |title=The Expos |access-date=26 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180311131852/http://www.bie-paris.org/site/en/expos/about-expos/expo-categories |archive-date=11 March 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> World Expos, previously known as universal expositions, are the biggest category events. At World Expos, participants generally build their own pavilions. They are therefore the most extravagant and most expensive expos. Their duration may be between six weeks and six months. Since 1995, the interval between two World Expos has been at least five years. World [[Expo 2015]] was held in Milan, Italy, from 1 May to 31 October 2015.

Specialised Expos are smaller in scope and investments and generally shorter in duration; between three weeks and three months. Previously, these Expos were called Special Exhibitions or International Specialized Exhibitions but these terms are no longer used officially. Their total surface area must not exceed {{convert|25|ha|acre|abbr=off}} and organizers must build pavilions for the participating states, free of rent, charges, taxes and expenses. The largest country pavilions may not exceed 1,000&nbsp;m<sup>2</sup> ({{frac|1|4}} acre). Only one Specialised Expo can be held between two World Expos.<ref>Based on: [[Bureau International des Expositions|BIE]] Convention</ref>

An additional two types of international exhibition may be recognized by the BIE: horticultural exhibitions, which are joint [[Bureau International des Expositions|BIE]] and AIPH-sanctioned 'garden' fairs in which participants present gardens and garden pavilions; and the semi-regular [[Milan Triennial]] (not always held every third year) art and design exhibition, held in [[Milan, Italy]], with the BIE granting official international exhibition status to 14 editions of the Triennale between 1996 and 2016.<ref>[http://www.bie-paris.org/site/en/expo-timeline/expo-timeline-triennale "Triennal di Milano."] ''Bureau International des Expositions'' (BIE-Paris.org). Retrieved 10 June 2019.</ref>

===World Expos===
[[File:Expo 2000 Hannover, Platz der Weltausstellung, gesehen vom Balkon vom Mäntelhaus Kaiser an der Kreuzung der Karmarschstraße mit der Osterstraße.jpg|thumb|Expo 2000 brickwork, for the World Expo in Hannover, Germany, in 2000]]

World Expos (formally known as International Registered Exhibitions) encompass universal themes that affect the full gamut of human experience, and international and corporate participants are required to adhere to the theme in their representations. Registered expositions are held every 5 years because they are more expensive as they require total design of pavilion buildings from the ground up. As a result, nations compete for the most outstanding or memorable structure—for example Japan, France, Morocco, and Spain at [[Seville Expo '92|Expo '92]]. Sometimes prefabricated structures are used to minimize costs for developing countries, or for countries from a geographical block to share space (i.e. Plaza of the Americas at Seville '92).

In the 21st century the BIE has moved to sanction World Expos every five years; following the numerous expos of the 1980s and 1990s, some see this as a means to cut down potential expenditure by participating nations. The move was also seen by some as an attempt to avoid conflicting with the [[Summer Olympics]]. World Expos are restricted to every five years, with Specialized Expos in the in-between years.

===Specialised Expos===
[[File:Expo 2012 Yeosu panoramic view.jpg|thumb|Panoramic view of [[Expo 2012|Expo 2012 Yeosu]], in South Korea]]

Specialized Expos (formally known as International Recognized Exhibitions) are usually united by a precise theme—such as "Future Energy" ([[Expo 2017]] [[Astana]]), "The Living Ocean and Coast" ([[Expo 2012]] [[Yeosu]]), or "Leisure in the Age of Technology" ([[Brisbane]], [[Expo '88]]). Such themes are more specific than the wider scope of world expositions.

Specialized Expos are usually smaller in scale and cheaper to run for the host committee and participants because the architectural fees are lower and they only have to customize pavilion space provided free of charge from the Organiser, usually with the prefabricated structure already completed. Countries then have the option of "adding" their own colours, design etc. to the outside of the prefabricated structure and filling in the inside with their own content.

[[File:Ho Kum Luang (I).jpg|thumb|The Royal Pavilion of [[Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006]], in Chiang Mai, Thailand]]

===Horticultural Expos===

Horticultural Expos (formally known as A1 International Horticultural Exhibitions) are co-regulated by [[International Association of Horticultural Producers]]. Like Specialised Expos are organized in a precise theme—such as "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]]).

The purpose of these exhibitions is to foster cooperation and the sharing of knowledge and solutions between countries, horticultural producers and agricultural industries by addressing the paramount issues of healthy lifestyles, green economies, sustainable living, education and innovation.

==List of expositions==

List of official world expositions (Universal and International/Specialised/Horticultural) according to the [[Bureau International des Expositions]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bie-paris.org/site/ |title=Official Site of the Bureau International des Expositions |publisher=Bie-paris.org |date=27 June 2013 |access-date=25 September 2013}}</ref>

===World Expos===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 83%;"
!Year
!Location
!Dates
!{{nowrap|Area (ha)}}
!Visitors
!Participants
!Theme
|-
|align=center|[[Great Exhibition|1851]]
|{{flagicon|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}} [[London]], United Kingdom
|1 May – 11 October 1851
|align=center|10.40
|align=center|6,039,195
|align=center|25
|''Industry of all Nations''
|-
|align=center|[[Exposition Universelle (1855)|1855]]
|{{flagicon|Second French Empire}} [[Paris]], France
|15 May – 15 November 1855
|align=center|15.20
|align=center|5,162,330
|align=center|28
|''Agriculture, Industry and Fine Arts''
|-
|align=center|[[1862 International Exhibition|1862]]
|{{flagicon|United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland}} [[London]], United Kingdom
|1 May – 1 November 1862
|align=center|11
|align=center|6,096,617
|align=center|39
|''Industry and Art''
|-
|align=center|[[Exposition Universelle (1867)|1867]]
|{{flagicon|Second French Empire}} [[Paris]], France
|1 April – 3 November 1867
|align=center|68.70
|align=center|15,000,000
|align=center|42
|''Agriculture, Industry and Fine Arts''
|-
|align=center|[[1873 Vienna World's Fair|1873]]
|{{flagicon|Austria-Hungary}} [[Vienna]], Austria-Hungary
|1 May – 31 October 1873
|align=center|233
|align=center|7,255,000
|align=center|35
|''Culture and Education''
|-
|align=center|[[Centennial Exposition|1876]]
|{{flagicon|United States|1867}} [[Philadelphia]], United States
|10 May – 10 November 1876
|align=center|115
|align=center|10,000,000
|align=center|35
|''Arts, Manufactures and Products of the Soil and Mine''
|-
|align=center|[[Exposition Universelle (1878)|1878]]
|{{flagicon|French Third Republic}} [[Paris]], France
|20 May – 10 November 1878
|align=center|75
|align=center|16,156,626
|align=center|35
|''New Technologies''
|-
|align=center|[[Melbourne International Exhibition|1880]]
|{{nowrap|[[File:Flag of Victoria (1877–1901).svg|23px|border|link=]] [[Melbourne]], Colony of Victoria}}
|1 October 1880 – 30 April 1881
|align=center|25
|align=center|1,330,000
|align=center|33
|''Arts, Manufactures and Agricultural and Industrial Products of all Nations''
|-
|align=center|[[1888 Barcelona Universal Exposition|1888]]
|{{flagicon|Restoration (Spain)}} [[Barcelona]], Spain
|8 April – 10 December 1888
|align=center|46.50
|align=center|2,300,000
|align=center|30
|''Fine and Industrial Art''
|-
|align=center|[[Exposition Universelle (1889)|1889]]
|{{flagicon|French Third Republic}} [[Paris]], France
|5 May – 31 October 1889
|align=center|96
|align=center|32,250,297
|align=center|35
|''Celebration of the centenary of the French revolution''
|-
|align=center|[[World's Columbian Exposition|1893]]
|{{flagicon|United States|1891}} [[Chicago]], United States
|1 May – 3 October 1893
|align=center|290
|align=center|27,500,000
|align=center|19
|''Fourth centenary of the discovery of America''
|-
|align=center|[[Brussels International Exposition (1897)|1897]]
|{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Brussels]], Belgium
|10 May – 8 November 1897
|align=center|36
|align=center|6,000,000
|align=center|27
|''Modern Life''
|-
|align=center|[[Exposition Universelle (1900)|1900]]
|{{flagicon|French Third Republic}} [[Paris]], France
|15 April – 12 November 1900
|align=center|120
|align=center|50,860,801
|align=center|40
|''19th century: an overview''
|-
|align=center|[[Louisiana Purchase Exposition|1904]]
|{{flagicon|United States|1896}} [[St. Louis]], United States
|30 April – 1 December 1904
|align=center|500
|align=center|19,694,855
|align=center|60
|''Celebration of the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase''
|-
|align=center|[[Liège International Exposition (1905)|1905]]
|{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Liège]], Belgium
|27 April – 6 November 1905
|align=center|70
|align=center|7,000,000
|align=center|35
|''Commemoration of the 75th anniversary of independence''
|-
|align=center|[[Milan International|1906]]
|{{flagicon|Kingdom of Italy}} [[Milan]], Italy
|28 April – 11 November 1906
|align=center|100
|align=center|4,012,776
|align=center|40
|''Transportation''
|-
|align=center|[[Brussels International 1910|1910]]
|{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Brussels]], Belgium
|23 April – 7 November 1910
|align=center|30
|align=center|13,000,000
|align=center|26
|{{nowrap|''Works of Art and Science, Agricultural and Industrial Products of All Nations''}}
|-
|align=center|[[Ghent International Exposition (1913)|1913]]
|{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Ghent]], Belgium
|26 April – 3 November 1913
|align=center|130
|align=center|9,503,419
|align=center|24
|''Peace, Industry and Art''
|-
|align=center|[[Panama–Pacific International Exposition|1915]]
|{{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[San Francisco]], United States
|20 February – 4 December 1915
|align=center|254
|align=center|18,876,438
|align=center|41
|''Celebrating the opening of the Panama Canal''
|-
|align=center|[[1929 Barcelona International Exposition|1929]]
|{{flagicon|Restoration (Spain)}} [[Barcelona]], Spain
|20 May 1929 – 15 January 1930
|align=center|118
|align=center|5,800,000
|align=center|29
|''Industry, Art and Sport''
|-
|align=center|[[Century of Progress|1933]]
|{{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[Chicago]], United States
|27 May 1933 – 31 October 1934
|align=center|170
|align=center|38,872,000
|align=center|21
|''The independence among Industry and scientific research.''
|-
|align=center|[[Brussels International Exposition (1935)|1935]]
|{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Brussels]], Belgium
|27 April – 3 November 1935
|align=center|152
|align=center|20,000,000
|align=center|25
|''Transport''
|-
|align=center|[[Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne|1937]]
|{{flagicon|French Third Republic}} [[Paris]], France
|25 May – 25 November 1937
|align=center|104
|align=center|31,040,955
|align=center|35
|''Arts and technology in modern life''
|-
|align=center|[[1939 New York World's Fair|1939]]
|{{flagicon|United States|1912}} [[New York City]], United States
|30 April 1939 – 27 October 1940
|align=center|500
|align=center|45,000,000
|align=center|54
|''Building the World of Tomorrow<!-- visitors number is an unofficial figure used in both the Expo article and the longer List of world expositions article -->''
|-
|align=center|[[Exposition internationale du bicentenaire de Port-au-Prince|1949]]
|{{flagicon|Republic of Haiti (1859–1957)}} [[Port-au-Prince]], Haiti
|8 December 1949 – 8 June 1950
|align=center|30
|align=center|250,000
|align=center|18
|''The festival of Peace''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 58|1958]]
|{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Brussels]], Belgium
|17 April – 19 October 1958
|align=center|200
|align=center|41,454,412
|align=center|39
|''A World View: A New Humanism''
|-
|align=center|[[Century 21 Exposition|1962]]
|{{flagicon|United States}} [[Seattle]], United States
|21 April – 21 October 1962
|align=center|30
|align=center|9,000,000
|align=center|49
|''Man in the Space Age''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 67|1967]]
|{{flagicon|Canada}} [[Montreal]], Canada
|28 April – 29 October 1967
|align=center|400
|align=center|54,991,806
|align=center|62
|''Man and his World''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo '70|1970]]
|{{flagicon|Japan|1947}} [[Osaka]], Japan
|15 March – 13 September 1970
|align=center|330
|align=center|64,218,770
|align=center|67
|''Progress and Harmony for Mankind''
|-
|align=center|[[Seville Expo '92|1992]]
|{{flagicon|Spain}} [[Seville]], Spain
|20 April – 12 October 1992
|align=center|215
|align=center|41,814,571
|align=center|108
|''The Age of Discovery''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2000|2000]]
|{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Hanover]], Germany
|1 June – 31 October 2000
|align=center|160
|align=center|18,100,000
|align=center|174
|''Humankind – Nature – Technology''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2005|2005]]
|{{flagicon|Japan}} [[Aichi Prefecture|Aichi]], Japan
|25 March – 25 September 2005
|align=center|173
|align=center|22,049,544
|align=center|121
|''Nature's Wisdom''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2010|2010]]
|{{flagicon|China}} [[Shanghai]], China
|1 May – 31 October 2010
|align=center|523
|align=center|73,085,000
|align=center|100
|''Better City, Better Life''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2015|2015]]
|{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Milan]], Italy
|1 May – 31 October 2015
|align=center|110
|align=center|22,200,000
|align=center|139
|''Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2020|2020]]
|{{flagicon|United Arab Emirates}} [[Dubai]], United Arab Emirates
|1 October 2021 – 31 March 2022
|align=center|438
|align=center|24,102,967
|align=center|200
|''Connecting Minds, Creating the Future''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2025|2025]]
|{{flagicon|Japan}} [[Osaka]], Japan
|13 April – 13 October 2025
|align=center|155
|align=center|25,578,986
|align=center|165
|''Designing Future Society for Our Lives''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2030|2030]]
|{{flagicon|Saudi Arabia}} [[Riyadh]], Saudi Arabia
|{{nowrap|1 October 2030 – 31 March 2031}}
|align=center|600
|align=center|
|align=center|
|''Foresight for Tomorrow''
|}

===Specialised Expos===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 83%;"
!Year
!Location
!Dates
!{{nowrap|Area (ha)}}
!Visitors
!Participants
!Theme
|-
|align=center|[[ILIS 1936|1936]]
|{{flagicon|Sweden}} [[Stockholm]], Sweden
|15 May – 1 June 1936
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|8
|''Aviation''
|-
|align=center|[[Second International Aeronautic Exhibition|1938]]
|{{flagicon|Finland}} [[Helsinki]], Finland
|14–22 May 1938
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|25
|''Aerospace''
|-
|align=center|[[Exposition internationale de l'eau|1939]]
|{{flagicon|Belgium}} [[Liège]], Belgium
|20 May – 2 September 1939
|align=center|50
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|8
|''Art of Water''
|-
|align=center|[[International Exhibition on Urbanism and Housing|1947]]
|{{flagicon|French Fourth Republic}} [[Paris]], France
|10 July – 15 August 1947
|align=center|6.35
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|14
|''Urbanism and Housing''
|-
|align=center|[[Universal Sport Exhibition (1949)|1949]]
|{{flagicon|Sweden}} [[Stockholm]], Sweden
|27 July – 13 August 1949
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|14
|''Sport and physical culture''
|-
|align=center|[[The International Exhibition of Rural Habitat|1949]]
|{{flagicon|French Fourth Republic}} [[Lyon]], France
|24 September – 9 October 1949
|align=center|110
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|N/A
|''Rural Habitat''
|-
|align=center|[[The International Textile Exhibition|1951]]
|{{flagicon|French Fourth Republic}} [[Lille]], France
|28 April – 20 May 1951
|align=center|15
|align=center|1,500,000
|align=center|24
|''Textile''
|-
|align=center|[[EA 53|1953]]
|{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Rome]], Italy
|26 July – 31 October 1953
|align=center|12
|align=center|1,700,000
|align=center|N/A
|''Agriculture''
|-
|align=center|[[Conquest of the Desert (exhibition)|1953]]
|{{flagicon|Israel}} [[Jerusalem]], Israel
|{{nowrap|22 September – 14 October 1953}}
|align=center|4.60
|align=center|600,000
|align=center|13
|''Conquest of the Desert''
|-
|align=center|[[The International Exhibition of Navigation|1954]]
|{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Naples]], Italy
|15 May – 15 October 1954
|align=center|100
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|25
|''Navigation''
|-
|align=center|[[The International Expo of Sport (1955)|1955]]
|{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Turin]], Italy
|25 May – 15 June 1955
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|120,000
|align=center|11
|''Sport''
|-
|align=center|[[Helsingborg Exhibition 1955|1955]]
|{{flagicon|Sweden}} [[Helsingborg]], Sweden
|10 June – 28 August 1955
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|10
|''Modern Man in the Environment''
|-
|align=center|[[Exhibition of Citriculture|1956]]
|{{flagicon|Israel}} [[Beit Dagan]], Israel
|21 May – 20 June 1956
|align=center|55
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|N/A
|''Citrus''
|-
|align=center|[[Interbau|1957]]
|{{flagicon|West Germany}} [[West Berlin]], West Germany
|6 July – 29 September 1957
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|1,000,000
|align=center|13
|''Reconstruction of Hansa District''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 61|1961]]
|{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Turin]], Italy
|1 May – 31 September 1961
|align=center|50
|align=center|5,000,000
|align=center|19
|{{nowrap|''Man and his Work – A Century of Technological and Social Developments''}}
|-
|align=center|[[IVA 65|1965]]
|{{flagicon|West Germany}} [[Munich]], West Germany
|25 June – 3 October 1965
|align=center|50.20
|align=center|2,500,000
|align=center|31
|''Transport''
|-
|align=center|[[HemisFair '68|1968]]
|{{flagicon|United States}} [[San Antonio]], United States
|6 April – 6 October 1968
|align=center|39
|align=center|6,384,482
|align=center|23
|''The confluence of civilizations in the Americas''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 71|1971]]
|{{flagicon|Hungarian People's Republic}} [[Budapest]], Hungary
|27 August – 30 September 1971
|align=center|35
|align=center|1,900,000
|align=center|35
|''The Hunt through the World''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo '74|1974]]
|{{flagicon|United States}} [[Spokane, Washington|Spokane]], United States
|4 May – 2 November 1974
|align=center|40
|align=center|5,600,000
|align=center|56
|''Celebrating Tomorrow's Fresh New Environment''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo '75|1975]]
|{{flagicon|Japan|1947}} [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]], Japan
|20 July 1975 – 18 January 1976
|align=center|100
|align=center|3,485,750
|align=center|35
|''The Sea We would like to See''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 81|1981]]
|{{flagicon|People's Republic of Bulgaria}} [[Plovdiv]], Bulgaria
|14 June – 12 July 1981
|align=center|51
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|70
|''Earth – Planet of Life''
|-
|align=center|[[1982 World's Fair|1982]]
|{{flagicon|United States}} [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]], United States
|1 May – 31 October 1982
|align=center|29
|align=center|11,127,780
|align=center|16
|''Energy turns the World''
|-
|align=center|[[1984 Louisiana World Exposition|1984]]
|{{nowrap|{{flagicon|United States}} [[New Orleans]], United States}}
|12 May – 11 November 1984
|align=center|34
|align=center|7,335,000
|align=center|15
|''The World of rivers – Fresh Water as a source of life''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 85 (Tsukuba, Japan)|1985]]
|{{flagicon|Japan|1947}} [[Tsukuba]], Japan
|17 March – 16 September 1985
|align=center|100
|align=center|20,334,727
|align=center|48
|''Dwellings and surroundings – Science and Technology for Man at Home''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 85 (Plovdiv, Bulgaria)|1985]]
|{{flagicon|People's Republic of Bulgaria}} [[Plovdiv]], Bulgaria
|4–30 November 1985
|align=center|5.80
|align=center|1,000,000
|align=center|54
|''Inventions''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 86|1986]]
|{{flagicon|Canada}} [[Vancouver]], Canada
|2 May – 13 October 1986
|align=center|70
|align=center|22,111,578
|align=center|55
|''Transportation and Communication: World in Motion – World in Touch''
|-
|align=center|[[World Expo 88|1988]]
|{{flagicon|Australia}} [[Brisbane]], Australia
|30 April – 30 October 1988
|align=center|40
|align=center|18,560,447
|align=center|36
|''Leisure in the age of Technology''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 91|1991]]
|{{flagicon|Bulgaria}} [[Plovdiv]], Bulgaria
|7 June – 7 July 1991
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|9
|''The activity of young people in the service of a World of Peace''
|-
|align=center|[[Genoa Expo '92|1992]]
|{{flagicon|Italy}} [[Genoa]], Italy
|15 May – 15 August 1992
|align=center|6
|align=center|817,045
|align=center|52
|''Christopher Colombus: The Ship and the Sea''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo '93|1993]]
|{{flagicon|South Korea|1984}} [[Daejeon]], South Korea
|7 August – 7 November 1993
|align=center|90.10
|align=center|14,005,808
|align=center|141
|''The Challenge of a New Road of Development''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo '98|1998]]
|{{flagicon|Portugal}} [[Lisbon]], Portugal
|22 May – 30 September 1998
|align=center|50
|align=center|10,128,204
|align=center|160
|''The Oceans: a heritage for the Future''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2008|2008]]
|{{flagicon|Spain}} [[Zaragoza]], Spain
|14 June – 14 September 2008
|align=center|25
|align=center|5,650,943
|align=center|108
|''Water and sustainable development''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2012|2012]]
|{{flagicon|South Korea}} [[Yeosu]], South Korea
|14 May – 12 August 2012
|align=center|25
|align=center|8,203,956
|align=center|103
|''The living ocean and coast''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2017|2017]]
|{{flagicon|Kazakhstan}} [[Astana]], Kazakhstan
|10 June – 10 September 2017
|align=center|35
|align=center|3,977,545
|align=center|137
|''Future Energy''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2027 (Belgrade, Serbia)|2027]]
|{{flagicon|Serbia}} [[Belgrade]], Serbia
|15 May – 15 August 2027
|align=center|25
|align=center|
|align=center|
|''Play for Humanity – Sport and Music for All''
|}

===Horticultural Expos===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 83%;"
!Year
!Location
!Dates
!{{nowrap|Area (ha)}}
!Visitors
!Participants
!Theme
|-
|align=center|[[Floriade 1960|1960]]
|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Rotterdam]], Netherlands
|25 March – 25 September 1960
|align=center|50
|align=center|4,000,000
|align=center|N/A
|''International Horticulture''
|-
|align=center|[[Internationale Gartenbauausstellung 63|1963]]
|{{flagicon|West Germany}} [[Hamburg]], West Germany
|26 April – 13 October 1963
|align=center|76
|align=center|5,400,000
|align=center|35
|''Horticulture of all Categories from the Point of View of Economics and Culture''
|-
|align=center|[[Wiener Internationale Gartenschau 64|1964]]
|{{flagicon|Austria}} [[Vienna]], Austria
|16 April – 11 October 1964
|align=center|100
|align=center|2,100,000
|align=center|28
|''International Horticulture''
|-
|align=center|[[Parc floral de Paris|1969]]
|{{flagicon|France}} [[Paris]], France
|23 April – 5 October 1969
|align=center|28
|align=center|2,400,000
|align=center|17
|''Flowers of France and Flowers of the World''
|-
|align=center|[[Floriade 1972|1972]]
|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Amsterdam]], Netherlands
|26 March – 1 October 1972
|align=center|75
|align=center|4,300,000
|align=center|N/A
|''Efforts accomplished by International Horticulture''
|-
|align=center|[[Internationale Gartenbauausstellung 73|1973]]
|{{flagicon|West Germany}} [[Hamburg]], West Germany
|27 April – 7 October 1973
|align=center|76
|align=center|5,800,000
|align=center|50
|''International Horticulture''
|-
|align=center|[[Wiener Internationale Gartenschau 74|1974]]
|{{flagicon|Austria}} [[Vienna]], Austria
|18 April – 14 October 1974
|align=center|100
|align=center|2,600,000
|align=center|30
|''International Horticulture''
|-
|align=center|[[Floralies Internationales de Montréal|1980]]
|{{flagicon|Canada}} [[Montreal]], Canada
|17 May – 1 September 1980
|align=center|40
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|23
|{{nowrap|''Relationship between man's socio-cultural activities and his physical environment''}}
|-
|align=center|[[Floriade 1982|1982]]
|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Amsterdam]], Netherlands
|8 April – 10 October 1982
|align=center|50
|align=center|4,600,000
|align=center|17
|''International Horticulture''
|-
|align=center|[[Internationale Gartenbauausstellung 83|1983]]
|{{flagicon|West Germany}} [[Munich]], West Germany
|28 April – 9 October 1983
|align=center|72
|align=center|11,600,000
|align=center|23
|''International Horticulture''
|-
|align=center|[[International Garden Festival|1984]]
|{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Liverpool]], United Kingdom
|2 May – 14 October 1984
|align=center|95
|align=center|3,380,000
|align=center|29
|''The progress accomplished by International and National Horticulture''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo '90|1990]]
|{{flagicon|Japan}} [[Osaka]], Japan
|1 April – 30 September 1990
|align=center|140
|align=center|23,126,934
|align=center|83
|''The Harmonious Coexistence of Nature and Mankind''
|-
|align=center|[[Floriade 1992|1992]]
|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Zoetermeer]], Netherlands
|10 April – 12 October 1992
|align=center|68
|align=center|3,355,600
|align=center|23
|''Horticulture is being involved in a continuous process of renewal''
|-
|align=center|[[Internationale Gartenbauausstellung 93|1993]]
|{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Stuttgart]], Germany
|23 April – 17 October 1993
|align=center|64
|align=center|7,311,000
|align=center|40
|''City and Nature – Responsible Approach''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo '99|1999]]
|{{flagicon|China}} [[Kunming]], China
|1 May – 31 October 1999
|align=center|218
|align=center|9,427,000
|align=center|70
|''Man and Nature – Marching into the 21st century''
|-
|align=center|[[Floriade 2002|2002]]
|{{nowrap|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Haarlemmermeer]], Netherlands}}
|25 April – 20 October 2002
|align=center|140
|align=center|2,071,000
|align=center|30
|''The contribution of the Netherlands horticulture and international horticulture''
|-
|align=center|[[Internationale Gartenbauausstellung 2003|2003]]
|{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Rostock]], Germany
|25 April – 12 October 2003
|align=center|100
|align=center|2,600,000
|align=center|32
|''A Seaside Park. A new flowered world''
|-
|align=center|[[Royal Flora Ratchaphruek 2006|2006]]
|{{flagicon|Thailand}} [[Chiang Mai province|Chiang Mai]], Thailand
|1 November 2006 – 31 January 2007
|align=center|80
|align=center|3,848,791
|align=center|32
|''To Express the Love for Humanity''
|-
|align=center|[[Floriade 2012|2012]]
|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Venlo]], Netherlands
|5 April – 7 October 2012
|align=center|66
|align=center|2,046,684
|align=center|38
|''Be part of the theatre in nature; get closer to the quality of life''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2016 (Antalya, Turkey)|2016]]
|{{flagicon|Turkey}} [[Antalya]], Turkey
|23 April – 30 October 2016
|align=center|112
|align=center|4,693,571
|align=center|54
|''Flowers and Children''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2019|2019]]
|{{flagicon|China}} [[Beijing]], China
|29 April – 7 October 2019
|align=center|503
|align=center|9,340,000
|align=center|110
|''Live Green, Live Better''
|-
|align=center|[[Floriade 2022|2022]]
|{{nowrap|{{flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Almere]], Netherlands}}
|14 April – 9 October 2022
|align=center|60
|align=center|685,189
|align=center|32
|''Growing Green Cities''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2023 (Doha, Qatar)|2023]]
|{{flagicon|Qatar}} [[Doha]], Qatar
|2 October 2023 – 28 March 2024
|align=center|80
|align=center|N/A
|align=center|N/A
|''Green Desert, Better Environment''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2027 (Yokohama, Japan)|2027]]
|{{flagicon|Japan}} [[Yokohama]], Japan
|19 March – 26 September 2027
|align=center|80
|align=center|
|align=center|
|''Scenery of the Future for Happiness''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2029|2029]]
|{{flagicon|Thailand}} [[Nakhon Ratchasima province|Nakhon Ratchasima]], Thailand
|{{nowrap|10 November 2029 – 28 February 2030}}
|align=center|109
|align=center|
|align=center|
|''Nature and Greenery: Envisioning the Green Future''
|-
|align=center|[[Expo 2031|2031]]
|{{flagicon|United States}} [[Minnesota]], United States
|1 May – 15 October 2031
|align=center|90.6
|align=center|
|align=center|
|''Human/Nature: Where Humanity and Horticulture Meet''
|}

==Legacies==

===Remaining structures===
[[File:Georges Garen embrasement tour Eiffel.jpg|thumb|upright|Chromolithograph of the [[Eiffel Tower]] illuminations in 1889]]
[[File:Seattle world fair stamp.jpg|thumb|upright|The Space Needle and Monorail depicted on this 1962 stamp]]

Most of the structures are temporary and are dismantled after the fair closes, except for landmark towers. By far the most famous of these is the [[Eiffel Tower]], built for the [[Exposition Universelle (1889)]]. Although it is now the most recognized symbol of its host city [[Paris]], there were contemporary critics opposed to its construction, and demands for it to be dismantled after the fair's conclusion.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Controversy about the Eiffel Tower|url=http://paris-eiffel-tower-news.com/eiffel-tower-stories/eiffel-tower-controversy.htm|website=Paris Eiffel Tower News|access-date=3 February 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305103625/http://paris-eiffel-tower-news.com/eiffel-tower-stories/eiffel-tower-controversy.htm|archive-date=5 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Other structures that remain from these fairs:
* 1851 – London: [[The Crystal Palace]], from the first World's Fair in London, designed so that it could be recycled to recoup losses, was such a success that it was moved and intended to be permanent, only to be destroyed by a fire in 1936.<ref name="burning">{{cite web|url=http://www.wardsbookofdays.com/1december.htm|access-date=19 June 2014|title=Crystal Palace: Joseph Paxton – Transported by moving company}}</ref>
* 1876 – Philadelphia: The [[Centennial Exposition]]'s main building, [[Memorial Hall (Philadelphia)|Memorial Hall]], is still in [[Fairmount Park]], [[Philadelphia]], and serving as the new home for the [[Please Touch Museum]]. The space under the entrance to [[Memorial Hall (Philadelphia)|Memorial Hall]] houses a scale model of the entire Exposition.
* 1880 – Melbourne: The [[World Heritage Site|World Heritage]]–listed [[Royal Exhibition Building]] in [[Melbourne]], constructed for the [[Melbourne International Exhibition (1880)|Melbourne International Exhibition]].
* 1893 – Chicago: The [[Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago)|Museum of Science and Industry]] in [[Chicago]] is housed in the former Palace of Fine Arts, one of the last remaining buildings of the [[World's Columbian Exposition]]. In conjunction with the fair, the [[Art Institute of Chicago]] building was built to house conferences, as the World's Congress Auxiliary Building. The [[Garden of the Phoenix]], a remnant of the Japanese pavilion, also survives. The intent or hope was to make all Columbian structures permanent, but most of the structures burned, possibly the result of arson during the [[Pullman Strike]]. The foundation of the world's first [[Ferris_Wheel_(1893)|Ferris Wheel]], which operated at the Exposition, was unearthed on the [[Midway Plaisance|Chicago Midway]] during a construction project by [[University of Chicago|the University of Chicago]], whose campus now surrounds the Midway. Relocated survivors include the Norway pavilion, a small house now at a museum in Wisconsin, and the Maine State Building, now at the Poland Springs Resort in Maine.
* 1894 – San Francisco: The [[Japanese Tea Garden (San Francisco, California)|Japanese Tea Garden]] in [[San Francisco]]'s [[Golden Gate Park]] is the last major remnant of the [[California Midwinter International Exposition of 1894|California Midwinter International Exposition]].<!--Note that the De Young Museum building stripped of its exterior ornament circa 1940, damaged in the 1989 quake, then demolished in 2001 was NOT the Fine Arts Building from the 1894 fair, which was badly damaged in the 1906 quake, but a completely different circa 1920 replacement.--> Large ornamental wooden gates and a pagoda from the 1915 [[Panama–Pacific International Exposition]] were brought in after the latter fair closed,<ref>[https://archive.today/20130221082642/http://home.comcast.net/~sgsanders/pages/remnants6.html PPIE Found Remnants: Architecture: Japanese Gates and Pagoda.] Retrieved 10 January 2013.</ref> making the Tea Garden a rare if not unique instance of a survivor that incorporates architectural features from two completely separate fairs.
* 1897 – Nashville: A full-scale replica of the [[Parthenon (Nashville)|Parthenon]] was built for the [[Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition]] where it stands today in [[Nashville]]'s [[Centennial Park (Nashville)|Centennial Park]]. It features plaster reproductions of the [[Elgin Marbles]] and, in 1990, a re-creation of the original [[Athena Parthenos]] statue was installed inside just as it was in the original [[Parthenon]] in ancient Greece.
* 1900 – Paris: the [[Grand Palais]] and [[Petit Palais]].
* [[File:1904 World's Fair Administration Building (Brookings Hall, Washington University) seen from the southeast with the Italian Pavilion in the foreground.jpg|thumb|[[Brookings Hall]] at [[Washington University in St. Louis]], the administration building of the [[Louisiana Purchase Exposition|1904 World's Fair]]]]1904 – St. Louis: The [[St. Louis Art Museum]] in [[Forest Park (St. Louis, Missouri)|Forest Park]], originally the Palace of the Fine Arts, and [[Brookings Hall]] at [[Washington University in St. Louis]], are remnants of the [[Louisiana Purchase Exposition]] (held a year late, as it was originally intended to be the centennial of the [[Louisiana Purchase]]. But organizers, and President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], wanted the fair to be held during the Olympics which were moved from Chicago.), better known as the St. Louis World's Fair. The aviary in Forest Park gave root to the [[St. Louis Zoo]].
* 1906 – Milan: The [[Civic Aquarium of Milan]] built for the [[Milan International (1906)|Milan Exposition]] is still open after 100 years and was recently renovated. The [[International Commission on Occupational Health]] (ICOH) was settled in Milan during the fair and had its first congress in the Expo pavilions. In June 2006 the ICOH celebrated the first century of its life in Milan. An elevated railway with trains running at short intervals linked the fair to the city center. It was dismantled in the 1920s.
* 1909 – Seattle: The landscaping (by the Olmsted brothers) from the [[Alaska–Yukon–Pacific Exposition]] (AYPE) in Seattle still forms much of the [[University of Washington]] campus. The only major building left from the AYPE, Architecture Hall, is used by the university's architecture school.
* 1915 – San Francisco: The [[Palace of Fine Arts]] in [[San Francisco]] and its adjacent artificial lagoon are the only major remnants of the [[Panama–Pacific International Exposition]] still in their original locations on the former fairgrounds (now the city's [[Marina District, San Francisco|Marina District]] neighborhood), but the building is almost entirely a reconstruction. The plaster-surfaced original, not intended to survive after the fair, was a crumbling ruin in 1964 when all but the steel framework was demolished so that it could be reproduced in concrete. The San Francisco Civic Auditorium, now the [[Bill Graham Civic Auditorium]], is another major legacy of the fair but was built off-site in the city's [[Civic Center, San Francisco|Civic Center]]. The independent [[Panama–California Exposition]] in [[San Diego]] left a substantial legacy of permanent buildings and other structures which today define its site, San Diego's central [[Balboa Park (San Diego)|Balboa Park]], including the Prado walkway, the California Tower and Dome (now home to the [[San Diego Museum of Us|Museum of Us]]), the 1,500-foot Cabrillo Bridge, the lily pond and botanical gardens, and the [[Spreckels Organ Pavilion]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.balboapark.org/info/history |title=Balboa Park History |access-date=16 May 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716100221/http://www.balboapark.org/info/history |archive-date=16 July 2011 }}</ref>
* 1929 – Seville and Barcelona: much survives from the two simultaneous fairs [[Spain]] hosted that year. The most famous are the remnants of the [[Ibero-American Exposition of 1929|Ibero-American Exposition]] in [[Seville]], in which the Spanish Pavilion's ''Plaza de España'' forms part of a large park and forecourt. Most of that fair's pavilions have survived and been adapted for other uses, with many of them becoming [[consulate-general|consulates-general]] for the countries that built them. The [[1929 Barcelona International Exposition|Barcelona International Exposition]] featured the famous [[Barcelona Pavilion|German pavilion]] designed by [[Mies van der Rohe]], which was demolished but later rebuilt on the original site.<ref>Expo, International Expositions 1851–2010, Anna Jackson, 2008</ref>
* 1936 – Johannesburg: The [[Empire Exhibition, South Africa]] was built close to the [[University of the Witwatersrand]], and by the late 1970s the growth of the university was large enough to incorporate the permanent buildings from the exhibition. In 1985, the university purchased the South African Government Building; the two Heavy Machinery Halls, now called Empire Hall and the Dining Hall; the Hall of Transport; the Tower of Light; the Cape Dutch complex; and the Bien Donne Restaurant.
* 1939 – New York City: [[Queens Museum|The New York City Building]] from the [[1939 New York World's Fair|1939's World Fair]], was reused for the 1964 World's Fair and is now the Queens Museum. [[Parachute jump]] was a ride from the fair. It was moved to the [[Coney Island]] boardwalk in [[Brooklyn]].{{citation needed|date=July 2021}}
* 1942 – Rome: A special case is the [[Esposizione Universale Roma|EUR]] quarter in [[Rome]], built for a World's Fair planned for 1942 but cancelled because of [[World War II]]. Today it hosts governmental and private offices, and several museums.
* 1958 – Brussels: In [[Brussels]], the [[Atomium]] still stands at the exposition site. It is a 165-billion-times-enlarged iron-crystal-shaped building. Until June 2012, the "American Theatre" on the Expo grounds was frequently used as a television studio by the [[Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie|VRT]].
[[File:Seattle - Worlds Fair sign at 47th and Aurora, 1962.gif|thumb|[[Seattle]] – World's Fair sign at 47th and Aurora, 1962]]
* 1962 – Seattle: The [[Space Needle]] theme building of the [[Century 21 Exposition]] commonly known as the Seattle World's Fair still stands as a [[Seattle]] icon and landmark. The [[Seattle Center Monorail]], the other widely known futuristic feature of the fair, still operates daily. The US pavilion became the [[Pacific Science Center]]. The original exterior and roof of the Washington State Pavilion has been preserved as a landmark, and now is part of [[Climate Pledge Arena]].
[[File:Unisphere-2 (27835155267).jpg|thumb|The Unisphere, from the 1964 World's Fair in New York City, in the 21st century]]
* 1964 – New York City: many structures still stand
** The [[Unisphere]], built for the [[1964 New York World's Fair|second New York World's Fair]], stands on its original site in Flushing Meadows, Queens
** [[New York Hall of Science]], built for the fair, continues to operate as a science museum, similar to its original role
** The Port Authority Heliport and Exhibit is now the [[Terrace on the Park]] event and catering venue
** The [[New York State Pavilion]] is mostly derelict, but is still an icon, with its observation towers prominently featured in 1997's ''[[Men in Black (1997 film)|Men in Black]]''. The Theaterama building is the only portion still maintained, and is used by the [[Queens Theatre in the Park|Queens Theater]]. The Tent of Tomorrow building and observation towers are being restored {{as of|2019|lc=y}}.
** The New York City Pavilion, a holdover from the [[1939 New York World's Fair|1939 fair]], continues to serve as the home of the [[Queens Museum]]
** Other artifacts remain throughout the park, and many buildings were transported for use elsewhere and continue to function.
* 1967 – Montreal: Among [[Expo 67 pavilions#Extant pavilions|the structures still standing from Expo 67 in Montreal]] are [[Moshe Safdie]]'s [[Habitat 67]], [[Buckminster Fuller]]'s American pavilion the "[[Montreal Biosphère|Montreal Biosphere]]", the Jamaica Pavilion, the Tunisia Pavilion, and the French pavilion (now the [[Montreal Casino]]).
* 1968 – San Antonio: San Antonio kept the [[Tower of the Americas]], the [[Institute of Texan Cultures]] and the Convention Center from HemisFair '68.
* 1970 – Osaka: The [[Tower of the Sun]] was left standing, but was neglected after the conclusion of the [[Expo '70]]. After restoration to the structure was completed, the museum inside the tower was re-opened on 18 March 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tower-of-the-sun|title=Tower of the Sun – Suita-shi, Japan – Atlas Obscura|access-date=10 January 2020}}</ref>
* 1974 – Spokane: [[Spokane]] still has its [[Riverfront Park (Spokane)|Riverfront Park]] that was created for Expo '74—the park remains a popular and iconic part of Spokane's downtown.
[[File:Sunsphere.jpg|thumb|View of 1982 fairgrounds, with the Sunsphere]]
* 1982 – Knoxville: The [[Sunsphere]] from the [[1982 World's Fair|Knoxville World's Fair]] remains as a feature of [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]]'s skyline.
* 1984 – New Orleans: The main pavilions of the [[1984 Louisiana World Exposition|1984 New Orleans]] World's Fair became the [[Ernest N. Morial Convention Center]], which is also known for its use as a shelter of last resort during [[Hurricane Katrina]] and later hosted the [[Miss Universe]] in [[Miss Universe 2022|2022]].
* 1986 – Vancouver: In [[Vancouver, British Columbia|Vancouver]], many [[Expo 86]] projects were designed as legacy projects. Of note are the [[Skytrain (Vancouver)|Skytrain]], [[Science World at TELUS World of Science|Science World]] and [[Canada Place]].
* 1988 – Brisbane: The [[The Skyneedle, Brisbane|Skyneedle]], the symbol tower of [[Expo '88]] in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, still stands. Other survivors are the [[Nepalese Peace Pagoda]] of the Nepalese representation, now at the transformed World Expo '88 site South Bank Parklands, and the Japan Pond and Garden from the Japanese representation, now at the Brisbane Mount Cooth-tha Botanic Gardens. In 2018 the World Expo 88 Art Trail was re-birthed and dramatically expanded as part of the 30th Anniversary of World expo 88, now forming a Major tourist attraction in its own right.<ref>[https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/facilities-recreation/arts-culture/public-art/public-art-trails/world-expo-88-public-art-trail-30th-anniversary "World Expo '88 Public Art Trail – 30th Anniversary."] Brisbane City Council (''Brisbane.qld.gov.au''). Retrieved 10 June 2019.</ref>
* 1992 – Seville: The pavilions of [[Seville Expo '92|Expo '92]] in Seville had been converted into a technological square and a [[theme park]].
* 1998 – Lisbon: The main buildings of [[Expo '98]] in [[Lisbon]] were completely integrated into the city itself and many of the art exhibition pieces still remain.
* 2005 – Nagoya: The [[My Neighbor Totoro|home of Satsuki & Mei Kusakabe]], built for the 2005 Expo in [[Aichi]], remains operating at its original site in Morikoro Park and is a popular tourist attraction, eventually being incorporated into [[Ghibli Park]] in 2022.
[[File:China Pavilion 30Apr10.jpg|thumb|The [[China pavilion at Expo 2010|China pavilion]] at the [[Expo 2010]]; repurposed as a museum]]
* 2010 – Shanghai: The [[China pavilion at Expo 2010|China pavilion]] from [[Expo 2010]] in Shanghai, the largest display in the history of the World Expo, is now the [[China Art Museum, Shanghai|China Art Museum]], the largest art museum in Asia.
* 2015 – Milan: The Italian Pavilion of Expo 2015 remains on the original site.

===Reuse of sites===
Some world's fair sites became (or reverted to) parks incorporating some of the expo elements, such as:
* [[Audubon Park, New Orleans]]: Site of New Orleans's [[World Cotton Centennial]] in 1884
* [[Jackson Park (Chicago)|Jackson Park, Chicago]] and the [[Midway Plaisance|Chicago Midway]]: Site of the 1893 [[Columbian Exposition]]
* [[Centennial Park (Nashville)|Centennial Park]], [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]]: [[Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition|Tennessee Centennial Expo]] in 1897
* [[Forest Park (St. Louis)|Forest Park, Saint Louis]]: Home of the [[St. Louis, Missouri|Saint Louis]] [[Louisiana Purchase Exposition]] of 1904
* [[San Diego]]: [[Panama–California Exposition|Panama–California Exposition (1915)]] and [[California Pacific International Exposition (1935)]]
* [[Seattle Center]]: [[Century 21 Exposition]] in 1962
* [[Flushing Meadows–Corona Park|Flushing Meadows Park]], [[Queens]], [[New York City]]: Site of both the [[1939 New York World's Fair]] and the [[1964 New York World's Fair]]
* [[Montreal]]: [[Expo 67]]
* [[San Antonio, Texas|San Antonio]]: [[HemisFair '68]]
* [[Expo Commemoration Park]], [[Osaka]]: [[Expo '70]]
* [[Riverfront Park (Spokane)|Riverfront Park]], [[Spokane, Washington|Spokane]]: [[Expo '74]]
* [[1982 World's Fair#After the fair|World's Fair Park]], [[Knoxville, Tennessee|Knoxville]]: [[1982 World's Fair]]
* [[Vancouver]]: [[Expo 86]]
* [[Brisbane]]: [[Expo '88]]: now represented with the [[South Bank Parklands]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visitsouthbank.com.au/ |title=Home – South Bank – Visitor Info – What's On – Shopping – Dining – Attractions and more |publisher=Visit South Bank |date=4 June 2009 |access-date=1 May 2011}}</ref>
* [[Seville, Spain|Seville]]: [[Seville Expo '92|Expo '92]]
* [[Daejeon|Daejeon (Taejŏn)]]: [[Expo '93]]
* [[Lisbon]]: [[Expo '98]] was divided into several structures: [[Pavilhão Atlântico]], [[Casino Lisboa, Portugal|Casino Lisboa]], [[Lisbon Oceanarium|Oceanário]] and {{Interlanguage link|Pavilhão do Conhecimento|pt}}.
* [[Shanghai Expo Park]]: [[Expo 2010]]
*  Rho, [[Milan]], [[Lombardy]] District: [[Expo 2015]]

===Relocation of pavilions===
[[File:Exposition univ 1900.jpg|thumb|Poster for the 1900 expo]]

Some pavilions have been transported overseas intact:
* The Argentine Pavilion from the [[Exposition Universelle (1889)|1889 Paris]] was relocated to [[Buenos Aires]], Argentina until its demolition in 1932.
* The Chilean Pavilion from [[Exposition Universelle (1889)|1889 Paris]] is now in [[Santiago]], Chile, and following significant refurbishment in 1992 functions as the Museo Artequin<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.artequin.cl/ |title=Artequin |publisher=Artequin.cl |access-date=1 May 2011}}</ref>
* The [[Institute of Hygiene, Lima|Peruvian Pavilion]] from [[Exposition Universelle (1900)|1900 Paris]] was partially rebuilt in [[Lima]], as home to the Military Academy of History.
* The [[Japanese Tower of Brussels|Japanese Tower]] of the 1900 World's Fair in Paris was relocated to [[Laken]] (Brussels) on request of King Leopold II of Belgium.
* The [[Belgian Building|Belgium Pavilion]] from the 1939 New York World's Fair was relocated to [[Virginia Union University]] in [[Richmond, Virginia]].
* The [[Soviet Union|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]] in UAE<ref name="uaenewhome">{{cite web|url=http://expo2020dubai.ae/en/world_expos/the_uae_in_world_expos|access-date=5 December 2013|title=The UAE in World Expos |website= Expo 2020, Dubai, UAE|archive-date=15 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215203648/http://expo2020dubai.ae/en/world_expos/the_uae_in_world_expos|url-status=dead}}</ref>
* The Bahrain Pavilion from [[Expo 2015]] was relocated to Bahrain. The Azerbaijan Pavilion is in that country's capital [[Baku]]. The Chinese Pavilion was brought back to [[Qingdao]] and is on the site of the 2014 horticultural exhibition.
* The [[Save the Children]] Italy pavilion from Expo 2015 was dismantled and re-built as school for Syrian refugee children in [[Lebanon]].<ref name="catalyticactionwebsite">{{cite web|url=http://www.catalyticaction.org/all-project-list/jarahieh-school-for-syrian-refugee-children-in-lebanon/|access-date=27 January 2017|title=Jarahieh School for Syrian refugee children in Lebanon |website=CatalyticAction |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706070143/http://www.catalyticaction.org/all-project-list/jarahieh-school-for-syrian-refugee-children-in-lebanon/ |archive-date= 6 July 2017 }}</ref><ref name="savethechildrenwebsite">{{cite web|url=https://www.savethechildren.it/blog-notizie/la-nuova-vita-del-villaggio-expo-una-scuola-libano |website=Save the Children Italia |access-date=27 January 2017|title=La nuova vita del villaggio Expo: una scuola in Libano|date=29 December 2016}}</ref>

The Brussels [[Expo '58]] relocated many pavilions within [[Belgium]]: the pavilion of Jacques Chocolats moved to the town of [[Diest]] to house the new town swimming pool. Another pavilion was relocated to [[Willebroek]] and has been used as dance hall Carré<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.carre.be |title=Home – Carré |publisher=Carre.be |access-date=1 May 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501034214/http://www.carre.be/ |archive-date=1 May 2011 }}</ref> ever since. One smaller pavilion still stands on the boulevard towards the [[Atomium]]: the restaurant "Salon 58" in the pavilion of Comptoir Tuilier.

===Other legacies===
Many exhibitions and rides created by [[Walt Disney]] and his [[Walt Disney Imagineering|WED Enterprises]] company for the [[1964 New York World's Fair]] (which was held over into 1965) were moved to [[Disneyland Park (Anaheim)|Disneyland]] after the closing of the Fair. Many of the rides, including "[[It's a Small World]]", and "[[Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln]]", as well as the building that housed the [[Carousel of Progress]] are still in operation.<ref name="OCR s872">{{cite web | title=Disney history: Disney rides open at World's Fair | website=Orange County Register | date=April 20, 2014 | url=https://www.ocregister.com/2014/04/20/disney-history-disney-rides-open-at-worlds-fair/ | access-date=June 5, 2024}}</ref> The concept of a permanent world's fair came to fruition with the Disney [[Epcot]] theme park at the [[Walt Disney World Resort]], near [[Orlando, Florida]].<ref>{{cite news |title=35 incredible facts about Disney's EPCOT theme park |url=https://abc7ny.com/happy-birthday-epcot-disney-theme-park-turns-35/2477013/ |access-date=8 April 2025 |work=ABC}}</ref> Epcot has many characteristics of a typical universal exposition: national pavilions and exhibits concerning technology and/or the future, along with more typical amusement park rides. Meanwhile, several of the 1964 attractions that were relocated to Disneyland have been duplicated at the [[Walt Disney World Resort]].

Occasionally other mementos of the fairs remain. In the [[New York City Subway]] system, signs directing people to [[Flushing Meadows–Corona Park]] remain from the 1964–1965 event. In the [[Montreal Metro]] subway at least one tile artwork of its theme, "Man and His World", remains. Also, a seemingly endless supply of souvenir items from fair visits can be found, and in the United States, at least, often turn up at garage or estate sales. Many fairs and expos produced [[postage stamp]]s and commemorative [[coin]]s.

==See also==
{{Portal|World}}
* [[Agricultural show]]
* [[International Textile Machinery Association exhibition]]
* [[State fair]]
* [[Great Exhibition]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|editor-last1=Findling|editor-first1=John E.|editor-last2=Pelle|editor-first2=Kimberly D.|title=Encyclopedia of World's Fairs and Expositions|location=Jefferson, NC and London|publisher=McFarland|year=2008}}
* {{cite book|first=Alexander C. T.|last=Geppert|title=Fleeting Cities: Imperial Expositions in Fin-de-Siècle Europe|location=Basingstoke/New York|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|date=2010}}
* Geppert, Alexander C. T., [http://ieg-ego.eu/en/threads/crossroads/knowledge-spaces/alexander-c-t-geppert-worlds-fairs?set_language=en&-C= ''World's Fairs''], [http://www.ieg-ego.eu/ EGO – European History Online], Mainz: [http://www.ieg-mainz.de/likecms/index.php Institute of European History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160219021834/http://www.ieg-mainz.de/likecms/index.php |date=19 February 2016 }}, 2018, retrieved: 8 March 2021 ([https://d-nb.info/1175590657/34 PDF]).
* {{cite journal|doi=10.18537/est.v007.n013.a1|title=World Expos. Five structural approaches|journal=Estoa|volume=7|issue=13|pages=7–22|year=2018|last1=López César|first1=Isaac|last2=Estévez-Cimadevila|first2=Javier|doi-access=free|hdl=2183/20872|hdl-access=free}}

==External links==
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* [http://www.bie-paris.org/site/en Bureau International des Expositions] – official website
* [http://www.expobids.com/ Expo Bids: The World's Fair Bid Tracker] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204070818/http://www.expobids.com/ |date=4 February 2020 }} Information about bids for future world's fairs
* [http://www.celebrate88.com/expofaqs.html Expo FAQs] General World's Fair questions answered at Celebrate 88
* [http://www.expositionmedals.com/ Exposition Medals] Award medals of American World's Fairs and Expos
* {{cite web|publisher=[[Victoria and Albert Museum]]|url=http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/prints_books/object_stories/posters/index.html|title=Exposition Posters|work=Paintings and Drawings|access-date=10 January 2019|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027174025/http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/prints_books/object_stories/posters/index.html|archive-date=27 October 2007}}
* [https://archives.lib.umd.edu/repositories/2/resources/1351 World's Fair Ephemeral and Graphic Materials collection]
* [http://www.weltausstellungen.net/ Weltaustellung.net] Photographs from thirteen fairs, includes stereograms
* [http://beinecke.library.yale.edu/digitallibrary/worldfairs.html World's Fairs and the Landscapes of the Modern Metropolis] Posters, photographs, pamphlets, commemorative books, maps, government reports, and ephemera from the collection of the [http://www.library.yale.edu/beinecke/ Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Yale University]
* [http://openarchive.icomos.org/1705/ "World's Fairs. Structure laboratory: the contribution of the buildings built for the World's Fairs to the history of architecture structural typologies".] PhD thesis by Isaac López César.

{{List of world exhibitions}}
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[[Category:World's fairs| ]]
[[Category:Exhibitions]]
[[Category:Fairs]]