Worldwide expos and global exhibitions have been happening annually across the globe since 1851. World expos are a chance for nations to gather, to improve human knowledge on pressing challenges of our time and solutions for the issues. Held over a period of 3 to 6 months, these world expos invite tens of millions and highlight scientific, technological, economic and social progress.
Here are five of the biggest World Expos that have been hosted across the world by their attending numbers:
New York World's Fair
New York City, United States
Attendees: 45 million
In 1939, just 5 months before the breakout of World War II, the fifth largest expo took place in New York City. It’s motto ‘The World of Tomorrow’ saw 45 million people visit the Big Apple and were introduced to the newest fabric at the time, Nylon. Albert Einstein was in attendance on the opening day and gave a speech on Cosmic Rays. One of the most popular exhibits was the Westinghouse Time Capsule, not to be opened for 5 millennia until 6939, the time capsule feature 35 small everyday items. Items included writings from Albert Einstein, a dictionary, copies of Life magazine, one US dollar in change and seeds of common foods.
EXPO '67
Montreal, Canada
Attendees: 50.30 million
Between April 1967 and October 1967, Expo 67 was hosted by Canada, set the single-day attendance record for a world's fair, with 569,500 visitors on its third day (bie-paris.org). The event was particularly timed, as it saw the 100th birthday anniversary of Canada as a nation. The theme for the 1967 expo was featured around ‘Man and His World’ and was a partnership between the federal government, Québec government the city of Montreal. Initial problems of the rising cost of building site from $10 million to $40 million didn’t stop the event from being a success; 50 million people attended the expo, with the theme being split into 5 main groups Man the Creator, Man the Explorer, Man the Producer, Man the Provider, and Man and the Community. One stand-out from the expo event was Habitat 67, designed by local Montreal architect Moshe Safdie’s, it showcased cheaper and better alternatives to house people with a revolutionary and graphic design, that is still used as housing today.
Paris International
Paris, France
Attendees: 50.80 million
The 1900 world expo event was held in Paris, the second time of holding a world exhibition. The events theme was an overview of the 19th Century, and the event was used to be an introduction to the 20th century. The expo helped to secure Paris' reputation as a leading city of the modern and as the world capital of luxury and lifestyle. One of the most famous landmarks in the world was build for the event, The Eiffel Tower. It was built as main and central attraction of the 1900 Expo and built to celebrate 100 years since the French revolution. The event saw the opening of the Paris metro and premiered a breakthrough with film technology; ballet and Opera films projected that not only had moving images, but sound as well. The 1900 expo was also a platform for the 1900 Olympic Summer games, also being held in Paris, where it was the first Olympic games that women were able to compete in. In addition, the first diesel engineer debuted at the event, German engineer Rudolf Diesel's displayed his invention running on peanut oil, an invention that would go on to change the world.
Expo 70
Osaka Japan
Attendees: 64.2 million
In 1970 the first trade show to be hosted outside of Europe and North America took place in Osaka Japan. The expo took place over 6 months between May and September, with the theme of Progress and Harmony for Mankind. The event was a pivotal event for Japan’s return to global importance after World War II, it helped to demonstrate the physical and economic rebuild of the country. It featured futuristic engineering and architectural finesse with 4 pillars of sub themes, Have richer life and better health, utilise nature in more prosperous ways, design and better everyday life and mutually understand each other more deeply. With the first moon landing being 3 years prior to the event, one of the main attractions was Moon rock, a large rock from earth’s satellite. Another key element of the event was electric cars, Suzuki's first electric car was operating through the venue. In addition, a time capsule was buried there, to be opened 5,000 years later, in the year 6970. The second most attended world expo did not go unnoticed as the city of Osaka will also be hosting the 2025 world expo.
Expo 2010
Shanghai, China
Attendees: 73.08 million
Coming in at number 1, the largest and most expensive World expo event to date, Expo 2010 was hosted in China with the theme ‘Better City, Better Life’. The theme was chosen to signify Shanghai as the next ‘great world city" and highlight its status within the 21st Century. Open from May 2010 to October of the same year, 192 countries attended to also make it the most visited world expo by attended countries, tied with Expo 2020. One venue built for the expo was the Oriental Crown, costing an estimated US$220 million, it has since been renamed to China’s Art Palace, being the largest art museum in Asia, it displays the counties fine art. Robots were at the forefront of the event, in Japan’s pavilion, humanoid robots served meals and played the violin, while Spain’s robot was a 6.5 meter tall mechanical animated baby, which moved its head, blinked and breathed.
