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1851, London, England - The Great Exhibition

The Great Exhibition was held in Hyde Park, London, England from May 1 to October 11, 1851 and is considered the first world's fair. It took place in the Crystal Palace designed by Joseph Paxton.

1889, Paris, France - Universal Exposition of 1889

The Exposition Universelle de 1889 was a World's Fair held in Paris, France from May 6, to October 31, 1889. Remembered most for the Eiffel Tower.

1893, Chicago, United States - World's Columbian Exposition

The World's Columbian Exposition was held in Chicago, Illinois, United States from May 1 to October 31, 1893. It celebrated the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of the New World.

1904, Saint Louis, United States - Louisiana Purchase Exposition

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition was held in the St. Louis, Missouri, United States from May 1 to October 31, 1904. The Fair celebrated the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase.

1915, San Francisco, United States - Panama-Pacific International Exposition

Staged to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, and drawing over 19 million visitors in only nine months, the Pan-Pacific International Expo rose like a literal jewel from the ashes of San Francisco's 1906 Earthquake and Fire.

1933-34, Chicago, United States - A Century of Progress International Exposition

A Century of Progress International Exposition was held in Chicago, Illinois from 1933 to 1934 to celebrate the city's centennial. The theme of the fair was technological innovation. Its motto was "Science Finds, Industry Applies, Man Conforms".

1939-40, New York, United States - The 1939-40 New York World's Fair

The 1939-40 New York World's Fair, located on the current site of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, was one of the largest world's fairs of all time. The fair ran for two seasons and over 44 million people attended.

1939-40, San Francisco, United States - Golden Gate International Exposition

The Golden Gate International Exposition was held in San Francisco, California to celebrate the opening of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge. The exposition's first season ran from February 18, 1939 through October 29, 1939 and its second season was from May 25, 1940 through September 29, 1940.

1958, Brussels, Belgium - Expo '58

Expo 58 was held in Brussels, Belgium from April 17 to October 19. It was the first major World's Fair after World War II.

1964-65, New York, United States - The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair

The 1964/1965 New York World’s Fair, located on the current site of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The fair ran for two seasons and took place without sanctioning from the Bureau of International Expositions.

1967, Montreal, Canada - Expo 67

Expo 67 was held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It was considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with over 50 million visitors and 62 nations participating.

1970, Osaka, Japan - Expo '70

Expo '70 was held in Osaka, Japan from March 15 and September 13, 1970. This was the first World's Fair held in Japan, 77 countries participated and over 64 million visitors attended.

2010, Shanghai, China - Expo 2010

World Expo Shanghai 2010 will be held in Shanghai, China from May 1 to October 31. Its theme is "Better City, Better Life."

1840 to 1859

1860 to 1879

1880 to 1899

1900 to 1919

1920 to 1939

1940 to 1959

1960 to 1979

1980 to 1999

2000 to 2019

2020 to 2039

World's Fair Bids

Fairs That Never Were

Many fairs have been proposed over the years. Projects start with great fanfare and then fade away. These are their stories.

Events

Do you have a free world's fair related event you'd like to publicize? A picnic or get together? Post your event here.

Community Chat

General discussion, something for everyone.

Festival of Laughing Gas

It's a cavalcade of comedy! A parade of parody, delightful deadpan and silly slapstick. Something funny for everyone.

The Souvenir Shop

Have a Fair collectible you would like to sell? Are you trying to find a buyer for a one-of-a-kind item? Do you buy and sell world's fair memorabilia? The Souvenir Shop is the place for you.

Commercial Events

Want to promote a world's fair related commercial event? Are you having a collectibles show? Is there an admission fee? Commercial Events is the place for you.