The World Exposition: Does the World Care?

August 7, 2006 8:31 AM

The Bureau of International Expositions. Zaragoza, Spain has been gearing up for Expo 2008. These events showcase the nations of the world, their products, and to a smaller extent, their people. In 2005 it was in Aichi, Japan. There are other expositions: The Triennial of Milan, and the International Horticultural Exposition. Not to be confused with its imitators.
posted by parmanparman (6 comments total)

Zaragoza - wonderful city; Capitol of Aragon - home to the Palacio de la Aljaferia and other delights. I think I'll start planning a trip.
posted by adamvasco at 8:54 AM on August 7, 2006

The World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago was the first powered by electricity, and displayed the advantages of AC current (courtesy Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse) to the general public.

We might not be having this conversation without it.
posted by cenoxo at 10:13 AM on August 7, 2006

Cool!

I think I'll start planning a trip.

Me too. I went to Aichi and it was a lot of fun, even found some fun things to do in Nagoya.
posted by carter at 1:25 PM on August 7, 2006

The Aichi Expo last year was very popular. I was planning to check it out until I heard about the long lines at each pavillion. A friend went on a Saturday and was only able to see a small fraction of the pavillions due to the long lines.
posted by zardoz at 5:29 PM on August 7, 2006

I went to Expo in Lisbon in 1998. What I enjoyed most were some of the stands/ pavillions from countries with smaller budgets than the economic giants. The creativity seemed more diverse - also I suppose the queues were non existent. Among others I got hooked on Chile, which I have yet to visit and I also remember the shell exposition from one of the small Pacific Island states.
posted by adamvasco at 2:30 AM on August 8, 2006

See also this online Museum of past Expo's.

I spent the better part of my 14th summer at Expo '86 in Vancouver. My mother had a season pass from her employer.

It was definitely one of the most important years in my life. I learned a lot about the world and I was also allowed to take the train by myself into the city!

It also transformed that area of the city from a 70 hectare industrial zone in decline (1982) into this (1986 - Expo Site).

When the Exposition was over, the city sold the entire piece of land to Li Ka Shing - a developer from Hong Kong who turned the land into parks, playgrounds, shopping and condominiums. Here is that parcel of land today (2005).
posted by SSinVan at 5:55 AM on August 8, 2006