The History of World Expositions

The Paris 1900 World Exposition
Unprecedented dimensions


Year: 1900
City: Paris
Country: France
Duration: 15th April - 12th November 1900
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Copyright: Kraemer 1900, o.S.
Antecedents

In the wake of rumours that Kaiser Wilhelm was planning an international exposition in Berlin for the year 1900, the French Republic announced its intention to stage a world exposition on 13th July, 1892. A year later, on 9th September 1893, Alfred Picard was appointed commissioner general, and on 13th June, 1896 parliament passed a law on the staging of the exposition, which was intended to take stock of all areas of achievement of the 19th century. In order to present a synthesis of the advances achieved in the closing century in the arts, science and technology, an exposition of unprecedented dimensions was required. In preparation for the event, congresses were held at which individual fields of science or the arts were analysed. In the literature of the day, these congresses were referred to as landmarks of the exposition.

As a symbol of international progress, the commission headed by Picard planned to present visual demonstrations of the production processes at the exposition for the first time. In addition to the customary exposition buildings, the resultant need to present the technology in an aesthetic environment led to the erection of machine halls, which were put into operation as model factories for the duration of the exposition.



EXPOSEEUM - The Museum of World Exhibitions, Hanover, Expo Plaza 11
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