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![The Biosphère]()
The Biosphère was built to house the United States’ pavilion for the 1967 World Expo in Montréal. It was designed by Richard Buckminister Fuller and was constructed of steel and acrylic cells. The 200-foot orb now houses an environmental sciences museum.![The Eiffel Tower]()
The internationally-recognized icon of France is a relic of Paris’s hosting of the 1889 World Expo. Designed by Gustave Eiffel, the tower was still under construction at the time of the expo. Even though the tower was not yet finished, visitors were allowed to walk on the structure’s second floor platform. More than 200 million people have visited the puddle iron tower since 1889.![The Parachute Jump]()
Created for the 1939-1940 World's Fair in New York City, the Parachute Jump was originally located in Flushing Meadows, Queens. Riders were secured in a two-person canvas seat which hung from a closed parachute. The riders were then lifted to the top of the structure. A release mechanism dropped the riders and their descent was slowed by the parachute. After the fair, it was moved to Coney Island, Brooklyn where it still stands today but is no longer in use.![The Chicago Ferris Wheel]()
The world’s first Ferris Wheel was a main feature of the 1893 World Expo in Chicago. Designed by Geogrge Washington Gale Ferris, Jr., the rotating wheel was 264 feet tall and carried 36 cars, each of which could carry 60 people. The wheel was dismantled in 1894.![Le Chateau d'Eau and Plaza]()
A scene from the 1900 World Expo in Paris. The Chateau d'Eau and its plaza were the central pavilion of the expo, which showcased technological innovations of the day.![The Unisphere]()
The Unisphere was a product of the 1964-1965 World's Fair held in New York City. Located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens, the 12-story globe was meant to symbolize "Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe."![The Garden Palace]()
The Garden Palace was constructed for the 1879 World Expo in Sydney. It was designed by James Barnet and constructed primarily of timber, which enabled its destruction by fire in 1882.![The Space Needle]()
The Space Needle, an artifact from the 1962 World Expo in Seattle, has become a city landmark. Standing at 605 feet, the Space Needle was designed by John Graham and now houses the Sky City restaurant.![The U.K. Pavilion in Shanghai]()
Several buildings from the Shanghai World Expo, opening Saturday, May 1, are tremendous works of art in their own right. This view of the U.K. pavilion shows why it's certain to be a piece of architecture people will remember for years to come.A Brief History of World's Fair Architecture
In anticipation of the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, China, we look back at the world-famous structures that were built for the global stage.
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- A Brief History of World's Fair Architecture
