The designation "World Exposition" or "Expo" refers to a class of the largest, general scope exhibitions of 3 to 6 months' duration.
For other major international exhibitions, in addition to those endorsed by the BIE, see the comprehensive list at List of world's fairs.
| Dates |
Name of Exposition |
Location[1] |
Theme[2] or symbol[3] |
Notables |
Visitors
in millions[4] |
Cost
(USD)
in millions[4] |
Area
(ha)[4] |
| 04/1851 - 10/1851 |
The Great Exhibition |
London |
Industry of all Nations |
The Crystal Palace |
6.00 |
1.65 |
10 |
| 05/1855 - 11/1855 |
Paris International |
Paris |
Agriculture, Industry and Art |
Palais d'Industrie
Bordeaux Wine |
5.00 |
2 |
15 |
| 05/1862 - 11/1862 |
International |
London |
Industry and Arts |
|
6.00 |
2 |
15 |
| 04/1867 - 11/1867 |
Paris International |
Paris |
Agriculture, Industry and Arts |
Champ de Mars |
15.00 |
4.5 |
69 |
| 05/1873 - 10/1873 |
Austrian International |
Vienna |
Culture and Education |
Rotunde |
7.25 |
9.5 |
233 |
| 05/1876 - 11/1876 |
Centennial Exposition |
Philadelphia |
American Independence |
Centennial Arboretum
Telephone
Heinz Katsup |
10.00 |
8 |
115 |
| 05/1878 -11/1878 |
Paris International |
Paris |
Agriculture, Arts and Industry |
Statue of Liberty
Telephone
Braille |
16.00 |
11 |
75 |
| 09/1879 - 4/1880 |
Sydney International |
Sydney |
Agriculture, Arts and Industry |
The Garden Palace, steam trams |
1.1 |
|
|
| 10/1880 - 04/1881 |
Melbourne International |
Melbourne |
Arts, Manufacture, Agriculture and Industry |
Carlton Gardens |
1.30 |
1.6 |
25 |
| 1888 - 1888 |
Melbourne Centennial |
Melbourne |
Arts, Manufacture, Agriculture and Industry |
|
|
|
|
| 04/1888 - 12/1888 |
Barcelona International |
Barcelona |
|
|
2.30 |
1.7 |
47 |
| 05/1889 - 10/1889 |
Paris International |
Paris |
French Revolution |
Eiffel Tower
Annie Oakley |
32.00 |
0.3 |
96 |
| 05/1893 - 10/1893 |
World's Columbian |
Chicago |
Discovery of America |
Midway Plaisance
Fine Arts Building
Fluorescent lamp
Ferris wheel |
27.50 |
27 |
290 |
| 05/1897 - 11/1897 |
Brussels International |
Brussels |
Automobiles |
|
7.80 |
|
132 |
| 04/1900 - 11/1900 |
Paris International |
Paris |
Evaluation of a Century |
Motion Pictures
Escalator
Summer Olympics |
50.80 |
18.75 |
120 |
| 04/1904 - 12/1904 |
Louisiana Purchase |
St. Louis |
Louisiana Purchase |
Forest Park
Palace of Fine Art
Vulcan statue
Summer Olympics |
19.50 |
31.5 |
500 |
| 04/1905 - 11/1905 |
Liège International |
Liège |
Belgium Independence |
|
7.00 |
2.9 |
70 |
| 04/1906 - 11/1906 |
Milan International |
Milan |
Transport |
Electric Tramways |
10.00 |
2.6 |
100 |
| 04/1910 - 11/1910 |
Brussels International |
Brussels |
Industries |
|
13.00 |
3.5 |
90 |
| 04/1913 - 11/1913 |
Ghent International |
Ghent |
|
|
9.50 |
3.3 |
130 |
| 02/1915 - 12/1915 |
Panama-Pacific |
San Francisco |
Inauguration of the Panama Canal |
Palace of Fine Arts
Exploratorium |
19.00 |
25.8 |
254 |
| 05/1929 - 01/1930 |
Spanish-American Exhibition |
Seville |
Spanish-American Exhibition |
Plaza de España |
|
25 |
118 |
| 05/1933 - 11/1933 |
Century of Progress |
Chicago |
A Century of Progress |
Sky Ride
Graf Zeppelin
Homes of Tomorrow |
22.00 |
42.9 |
170 |
| 04/1935 - 11/1935 |
Brussels International |
Brussels |
Transports, Colonisation |
|
20.00 |
197 BEF |
152 |
| 05/1937 - 11/1937 |
Paris International |
Paris |
Arts and Technology in modern life |
Arc de Triomphe |
31.00 |
1,400 FRF |
105 |
| 04/1939 - 10/1940 |
New York World's Fair |
New York |
The World of Tomorrow |
Flushing Park
Bell Labs' Voder
Magna Carta
Sci-fi Convention |
45.00[5] |
155[6] |
500 |
| 12/1949 - 06/1950 |
Port-au-Prince International |
Port-au-Prince |
Foundation of Port-au-Prince |
|
|
|
30 |
| 07/1958 - 09/1958 |
Brussels World's Fair |
Brussels |
A more human world |
Heysel
Atomium |
41.00 |
2,500 BEF |
200 |
| 04/1962 - 10/1962 |
Century 21 Exposition |
Seattle |
Man in the Space Age |
Seattle Center
Space Needle
Seattle Monorail |
9.60[7] |
47[7] |
30 |
| 04/1967 - 10/1967 |
Expo '67 |
Montreal |
Man and His World Land |
Montreal Metro
Habitat '67
Montreal Biosphère |
50.00 |
431 CAD |
|
| 04/1968 - 10/1968 |
HemisFair '68 |
San Antonio |
Confluence of Civilizations in the Americas |
Tower of the Americas
Institute of Texan Cultures
HemisFair Arena |
6.40[8] |
156[8] |
93
acres[8] |
| 03/1970 - 09/1970 |
Expo '70 |
Osaka |
Progress and Harmony for Mankind |
Tower of the Sun
Moon rock
Electric Cars[9] |
64.00 |
30
Profit[9] |
815
acres[9] |
| 05/1974 - 11/1974 |
Expo '74 |
Spokane |
Tomorrow's Fresh New Environment |
IMAX[10] |
4.80 |
78.4 |
41[10] |
| 05/1982 - 10/1982 |
1982 World's Fair |
Knoxville |
Energy Turns the World |
Sunsphere |
11.00 |
42[11] |
30[11] |
| 05/1984 - 11/1984 |
1984 World's Fair |
New Orleans |
The worlds of Rivers |
Convention Center |
7.30 |
350 |
84
acres[12] |
| 03/1985 - 09/1985 |
1985 World's Fair |
Tsukuba |
Dwellings and Surroundings - Science and Technology for Man at Home |
|
20.3 |
|
acres[13] |
| 05/1986 - 10/1986 |
Expo '86 |
Vancouver |
Transportation and Communication |
Science World
Skytrain
BC Place |
22.00 |
311 CAD |
70 |
| 04/1988 - 10/1988 |
Expo '88 |
Brisbane |
Leisure in the Age of Technology |
|
18.00 |
625 AUD |
40 |
| 04/1992 - 10/1992 |
Expo '92 |
Seville |
The Era of Discovery |
|
41.80 |
|
215 |
| 08/1993 - 11/1993 |
Expo '93 |
Daejeon |
The Challenge of a New Road of Development |
Daejeon Expo Park, Daejeon Museum of Art |
|
|
25 |
| 05/1998 - 09/1998 |
Expo '98 |
Lisbon |
The Oceans: A Heritage for the Future |
Pavilhão Atlântico
Lisbon Oceanarium
Pavilion of Portugal |
11.00 |
|
70 |
| 06/2000 - 10/2000 |
Expo 2000 |
Hanover |
Humankind, Nature, Technology |
Hannover Principles |
18.00 |
10.2 DEM |
160 |
| 03/2005 - 09/2005 |
Expo 2005 |
Aichi |
Nature's Wisdom |
My Neighbor Totoro
ASIMO |
22.00 |
|
173 |