EXPO history

The World Exhibition was conceived in the middle of the 19th century out of the need to gather all ideas, cultural goods and industrial achievements of the world under one roof. The World Exhibition is, indeed, a gathering of nations and peoples in one place, with the aim of developing mutual relations through the quest for a vision for the progress of humanity.

World Expo is still a global event, a unique concept dedicated to improving people's lives, i.e., finding solutions to the challenges faced by humanity. The "World Expo" connects countries and peoples, promotes science and innovation, and strives to make the application thereof in industry, architecture and art accessible to all, thus leaving a clearer vision of the future and a lasting legacy to humanity.

Serbia, as a part of the world, has been proudly presenting its tradition, achievements, culture and economy at the World Exhibition since 1885.

The following are the most important World Exhibitions that have changed the world in the past 170 years!

The World Exhibition was conceived in the middle of the 19th century out of the need to gather all ideas, cultural goods and industrial achievements of the world under one roof. The World Exhibition is, indeed, a gathering of nations and peoples in one place, with the aim of developing mutual relations through the quest for a vision for the progress of humanity.

World Expo is still a global event, a unique concept dedicated to improving people's lives, i.e., finding solutions to the challenges faced by humanity. The "World Expo" connects countries and peoples, promotes science and innovation, and strives to make the application thereof in industry, architecture and art accessible to all, thus leaving a clearer vision of the future and a lasting legacy to humanity.

Serbia, as a part of the world, has been proudly presenting its tradition, achievements, culture and economy at the World Exhibition since 1885.

The following are the most important World Exhibitions that have changed the world in the past 170 years!

London 1851

Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations

The largest diamond in the world, Koh-i-Noor and the first revolver

The first World's Fair was organized in London in 1851. The invitation to the nations to participate was personally sent by British Queen Victoria, and the festival was attended by celebrities of that time, such as Charles Darwin, Charlotte Bronte, Louis Carroll, Charles Dickens. The gathering was held in the Crystal Palace, specially built for the needs of the exhibition. The exhibits of twenty-eight countries of the world were on display, while six million people visited the exhibition. The presentation of the largest diamond in the world, the legendary Koh-i-Noor, is remembered as a special attraction of the first World Exhibition. In addition, the inventor, Samuel Colt presented the future of weapons, i.e., the first revolver to the world.

Paris 1855

Universal Exhibition of Agricultural, Industrial and Fine Arts Products

An early version of the Statue of Liberty, a lawn mower and a sewing machine

The exhibition in Paris, under the patronage of Emperor Napoleon III, brought to the world a cross-section of the creative work of that period, presenting the works of Delacroix, Ingres and an early version of the future Statue of Liberty. For the needs of the World Exhibition, the Palais d'Industrie was built, which was supposed to surpass the London Crystal Palace. The hall was built in 1855 by Jean-Marie-Victor Viela and Alexandre Barrault, but it was demolished in 1897 to make room for the future Grand Palais, the exhibition space of the World's Fair in 1900. There were many inventions on display that changed humanity, including a lawn mower and a sewing machine.

London 1862

The achievements of the industrial revolution

Electric telegraph and plastic

Some 28,000 exhibitors from 36 countries took part at the repeated exhibition in London in 1862, dedicated to the achievements of industrial revolution. The new inventions presented there announced the age of transport, telecommunications and innovative materials. Among the novelties seen at the Exhibition were electric telegraph, the first samples of plastic, electric loom and advanced locomotive models.

Philadelphia 1876

Centennial Exhibition

The first typewriter, telephone, telegraph and ketchup

Philadelphia’s fair was the first World Exhibition outside Europe, and it is remembered also as the "Centennial Exhibition", because its holding marked the 100th anniversary of the signing of the American Declaration of Independence. The official name of the festival was: "International Exhibition of Arts, Manufacturers, and Products of the Soil and Mine ". Some 37 countries participated, and the exhibition was visited by 10 million people. The exhibition featured industrial achievements and innovations such as the first typewriter devised by "Remington", the first telephone invented by Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison’s first telegraph, and "Heinz" ketchup.

Antwerp 1885

Serbia's first appearance at the World's Fair

Serbia's first appearance at the World Exhibition

The Kingdom of Serbia was one of the 25 countries that participated in the World Exhibition in Belgium, in addition to France, Germany, Austria, Canada, Great Britain, the Ottoman Empire, Portugal, Spain, the Kingdom of Romania and the United States. Serbia’s pavilion occupied an area of 125 square meters, hosting a total of 302 exhibitors, and during the exhibition, the representatives of our country won a total of 157 awards.

Paris 1889

Universal Exhibition

Eiffel Tower and phonograph

The Eiffel Tower, today the most recognizable architectural structure in the whole world was built for the needs of the "Universal Exhibition" in Paris in 1889. The tower served as the entrance gate to the World Expo. Its imposing dimensions and height of 300 meters were going to ensure its status as the tallest building in the world for the next 40 years. The invention whose presentation marked the exhibition was a sound reproducing device - the phonograph. With this device, Claude Debussy first heard music from the island of Java, which had a decisive influence on his work. Among the guests of the Paris exhibition were artists such as Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Edward Munch, Henry James, but also the American scientist Thomas Edison and the Serbian genius Nikola Tesla.

Chicago 1893

World's Columbus Exhibition

Nikola Tesla’s alternating current

The exhibition in the American city of Chicago staged in 1893 was named "World’s Columbus Exhibition", in honor of the four hundredth anniversary of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in the New World. When then-US President Grover Cleveland lowered the switch lever, he turned on 160,000 electric light bulbs that lit up the night in Chicago, announcing the start of the largest exhibition the world had ever seen. The exhibition meant a great victory of alternating current over direct current, and the brilliant mind behind that change was Nikola Tesla. In six months, the exhibition was visited by 27 million people. Eadweard Muybridge, the pioneer of the art of motion pictures, gave a lecture on the subject of his pioneering photography projects.

Paris 1900

Universal Exhibition 1900

Diesel engine, talking film, escalators and X-ray

At the exhibition in Paris, which bade farewell to the nineteenth and announced the twentieth century in 1900, Serbia presented itself to the world for the first time in a specially built exhibition pavilion in the shape of a church. The Serbian pavilion attracted the attention of the visitors, and our delegation won numerous awards - 19 gold, 69 silver and 98 bronze medals. Mihajlo Petrović Alas also won one of the gold plaques awarded to Serbia, for a computing machine operating according to the principle of capillary flow of fluids - the first of its kind in the world. This computer, the "hydro integrator", was able to solve two classes of differential equations and many scientists today consider it a precursor to plotters. Other inventions that thrilled the world and announced the future during this exhibition were: diesel engine, talking film, escalators and X-ray machine. Due to the great influence of this gathering, the Olympic Games in 1900 were actually held as part of the Universal World Exhibition!

St. Louis 1904

Louisiana Purchase Exposition

Cordless telephone, fax machine, electric tram and cars running on petrol, steam and electricity

It was organized in 1904 on the occasion of the centenary of the annexation of Louisiana by the United States. More than sixty countries of the world participated. The exhibition presented innovations such as: cordless telephone and telegraph, fax machine, incubator, electric tram, as well as cars powered by gasoline, steam and electricity. Theodore Roosevelt refused to appear at the exhibition in St. Louis before the end of the voting so as not to influence the election results. The exhibition was attended by celebrities such as Chief Geronimo and the poet T.S. Eliot, while the festival itself had a significant impact on architecture, art and pop culture.

Milan 1906

Great Exhibition of Work

The longest tunnel in the world

The theme of the exhibition in Milan of 1906 was transport and, for that occasion, “Simplon” the longest tunnel in the world was built. The tunnel was 19,803 meters long and caused a real sensation when it was opened for traffic. The exhibition was a symbol of the economic and social revival of Milan, positioning it as the industrial centre of Italy.

SanFrancisco 1915

Panama - Pacific International Exhibition

Panama Canal, telephone line with New York and colour photography

The exhibition in San Francisco, called "Panama - Pacific International Exhibition ", was organized to mark, on the one hand, the completion of works on the newly built Panama Canal, and, on the other hand, to show to the world the city recovered from the 1906 earthquake. During the exhibition, a special attraction was the establishment of a telephone line with New York, through which people on the other side of the continent could hear the Pacific Ocean. The presentation of Kodachrome photography allowed people to enjoy colour images.

New York 1939-40

The World of Tomorrow

The first TV

The exhibition in New York called "The World of Tomorrow" is remembered as one of the most successful exhibitions in the world that lasted for two whole years. The innovative concept of the exhibition was to turn to a vision of the future. Over 44 million visitors enjoyed the presentation of the homes of the future, futuristic cars, trains, but also new media, such as television. The RCA presented to visitors the first television that broadcasted the first presidential television address in history - the speech of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Unfortunately, half a year after the end of the Exhibition, the world sank into another great war, and the continuation of the story of world exhibitions would have to wait until 1958.

Brussels 1958

New Humanism

Atomium and Richter Pavilion

Under the name "New Humanism", the first post-war World's Fair was held in Brussels, Belgium, following a 19- year break. For the needs of the Exhibition, the Atomium was built, a structure that would become a symbol of Brussels and of the world science in general. At this gathering of states, huge attention was attracted by Yugoslavia’s unique pavilion, designed by the architect Vjenčeslav Richter. It was one of the smallest but, according to architects from all over the world, one of the most elegant and impressive. Made of iron and glass, it represented the modernism of Yugoslav ideas. A strong cable held six steel arches representing the six republics of Yugoslavia. Owing to its artistic value, elegance and simplicity, it was awarded the gold medal of the Belgian crown, and two years later it was transferred to Wevelgem in West Flanders, where it was reconstructed and it still stands today as one of only few preserved pavilions from that era.

Seattle 1962

"Man in Space"

Space Needle and the Cold War

The World Exhibition held in Seattle in 1962 had an organization conceived around separate units called "worlds": The World of Tomorrow, The World of Science, The World of Commerce and Industry. The central theme of the exhibition was space conquest. The tower known as the Space Needle was erected for the occasion, and today it is a landmark of the city of Seattle. At the same time, art played an important role in this festival as well, and the works of Caravaggio, Picasso, Rembrandt and Monet were exhibited at the Fair.

Montreal 1967

People and Their World

One of the most successful world exhibitions of the 20th century

The exhibition in Montreal in 1967 is considered one of the most successful world exhibitions of the 20th century. The gathering broke the previous record of daily visits, with more than half a million visitors. The exhibition was originally supposed to be held in Moscow and when it withdrew, Montreal prepared for the exhibition in record time. As many as ninety pavilions were presented at the exhibition. Yugoslavia exhibited there for the first time since 1958, in a pavilion designed by architect Miroslav Pešić. The Exhibition in Montreal was visited, among others, by Queen Elizabeth II, Haile Selassie, Lyndon Johnson, Jacqueline and Robert Kennedy, Maharishi and Marlene Dietrich.

Osaka 1970

Progress and Harmony for Humanity

Stone from the Moon

At the Exhibition in Osaka, known as "Progress and Harmony for Humanity", the focus was on the relationship between man and nature. The idea of the Exhibition was to move the gathering in the direction of the festival of wisdom of the world, where ideas that stimulate further development of the planet would be freely exchanged. The main attraction of the Exhibition in Osaka was a large stone brought from the Moon during the return of the Apollo 12 mission to Earth. The City of Osaka is scheduled to host the 2025 World's Fair again.

Seville 1992

Age of Discovery

Five centuries since the discovery of America

The 1992 World's Fair marked five centuries since Columbus' discovery of America. More than 100 countries were represented, and the Exhibition was seen by more than 41 million visitors. This World Exhibition was supposed to be organized together with the city of Chicago, but due to numerous difficulties, the American city did not participate in this gathering.

Shanghai 2010

Better City, Better Life

Energy efficient public transport

The World Exhibition entitled "Better City - Better Life" was held in China, in the city of Shanghai in 2010. The Exhibition broke all previous attendance records. This spectacular high-tech show aimed to promote Shanghai as the world’s new big megalopolis. As many as 73 million visitors made the Shanghai Expo the most visited exhibition of all time. Thus, on 16 October 2010, a record of 1.03 million visitors was set in just one day of the exhibition! More money was spent on the preparation of the World Exhibition in Shanghai than during the organization of the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008. This exhibition was used to present plans for more energy efficient public transport and to promote of environmentally sustainable technologies in construction. The Republic of Serbia presented itself in Shanghai with a 1000 m2- pavilion featuring an interesting façade motivated by a pattern of Pirot carpets.

Milan 2015

Let's Feed the Planet, Energy for Life

How we can feed the world?

Under the slogan "Let's feed the planet, energy for life", the last World Exhibition was held in the Italian city of Milan in 2015. The focus of the World's Fair in Milan was on nutrition and the development of new approaches to production in order to provide enough food for the growing population in the world of the future. Serbia was among 144 countries that participated in the exhibition.