World EXPOs have been held for more than 170 years around the world. The first exhibition was held in The Crystal Palace, Hyde Park London, UK, in 1851, and it is known as the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations. This event was the idea and initiative of Prince Albert, and marked the beginning of international exhibitions where innovative products are exhibited. The exhibition set the scene for future international exhibitions and had a significant impact on various aspects of society, such as education, art and design, global trade and tourism, and initiated structural changes in British society bringing multiple benefits to citizens, mostly through the transfer and application of world knowledge, technology and other achievements.

For 170 years, the World Expos have been a platform for showcasing the greatest innovations that have shaped the world we live in today. One of the main highlights of the world exhibitions are the national pavilions, designed by the participating countries, but also the heritage reflected in the buildings, technology, art and other achievements shown for the first time at EXPO.

The first live TV broadcast was from the 1939 New York World Expo, and Ultra HDTV debuted at EXPO 2005 in Japan. Also in technology, Charles Babbage’s analytical engine, one of the first mechanical computers, was exhibited at the London International Exhibition of Industry and Arts in 1862. Visitors to the Seattle Expo 1962 were amazed by the IBM Showbox — an early computer that responded to voice commands. Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated the world’s first telephone in 1876 at the Centennial International Exhibition of Arts, Manufactures, and Products of the Soil and Mine in Philadelphia. Japan World Exposition 1970 in Osaka gave visitors their first chance to see a prototype mobile phone. After World War II, world expos saw an increase in the participation of companies to showcase their new technologies and products.

Many food innovations tickled the palate and debuted at World Expos, including popcorn and Heinz ketchup at the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition in 1876 and ice cream cones at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition 1904 in St. Louis. Some of the buildings built for EXPOs are The Crystal Palace in London. Ferris Wheel by George Ferris, the first one in the world, was installed at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, to the great delight of visitors. When it was built in Brussels in 1958, the Atomium had the fastest elevators in the world at the time. The Space Needle, a tower 185 metres high, was built for the purposes of the exhibition in Seattle in 1962, and has become a symbol of the city. The Eiffel Tower, presented in 1889 in Paris, was originally built with the intention of being demolished in 20 years, but Gustave Eiffel knew that the scientific use of the tower could extend its life, so it was used for numerous scientific experiments – for meteorological and astronomical observations, testing the laws of physics, air resistance, etc. An fun fact regarding the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris 2024 is that, in honour of the return of the Games to France, every Olympic and Paralympic medal will include a part of the Eiffel Tower, creating a deep connection between this facility, the ultimate goal of many athletes, and the iconic monument of Paris and France.

Through all these legacies of innovative technology and art, the World Expos create a unique place where the world meets, and where together we can believe in the possibilities that lie ahead.