Pan-American Exposition Souvenir Shell
date: label: Date made
content: 1901
notes: label: Description
content: Souvenir painted shell from the Pan American Exposition held in Buffalo, New York, in 1901.
label: Description
content: The 1901 Pan-American Exposition was a World’s Fair held in Buffalo, New York. Between May and November, over 8 million people attended the event. Intended to both highlight and promote the commercial, technological, and cultural development of the Western Hemisphere, the Pan-American Exposition was referred to as the “Rainbow City” for its spectacular nighttime illumination powered by nearby Niagara Falls. Electricity was also prominently used in features such as the 375-foot Electric Tower and in a popular fountain light show.
label: Description
content: In addition to a diversity of exhibits displaying commercial goods, technological inventions and fine art, fairgoers enjoyed Midway amusements such as the <i>Aeriocycle</i> a “giant see-saw” ride, and the <i>Trip to the Moon</i>, a dark ride later relocated to Coney Island’s Luna Park. The Bureau of Indian Affairs participated in the Fair and the Exposition was visited by numerous Native American leaders, and at one point featured a large mock battle between “Indians” and the “US Cavalry”.
label: Description
content: Today, the Fair is remembered for being the site of the assassination of President William McKinley, who was shot by an anarchist at the Exposition’s Temple of Music on September 6th, dying of his wounds eight days later. The Pan-American’s only remaining edifice, the New York State Building, now serves as the home of the Buffalo History Museum.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: New York, Buffalo
label: Associated Place
content: United States: New York, Buffalo
topic: label: Subject
content: Expositions and Fairs
label: Subject
content: Shells
label: related event
content: Pan-American Exposition
setName: label: See more items in
content: Culture and the Arts: Entertainment
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: The Larry Zim World's Fair Collection
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 1989.0438.0908
label: catalog number
content: 1989.0438.0908
label: accession number
content: 1989.0438
label: catalog number
content: 1901MD03
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Shell
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 3 1/8 in x 2 1/4 in x 2 in; 7.9375 cm x 5.715 cm x 5.08 cm