1889 Exposition Universelle
date: label: Date made
content: 1889
notes: label: Description
content: Paris' 1889 Exposition Universelle commemorated the 100th anniversary of the start of the French Revolution. Best known for introducing the Eiffel Tower, it was the fourth Exposition held in Paris, attracting over 32 million visitors between the months of May and October.
label: Description
content: Held primarily on the Champ de Mars, the Exposition highlighted achievements in Science, Industry and the Arts. 35 nations were represented, with over 61,00 exhibitors. Because of the Exposition's revolutionary theme, the European monarchies declined participation.
label: Description
content: In addition to the now iconic Eiffel Tower, there were numerous international pavilions, a Machinery Hall, two Palaces of the Arts, a reproduction of a Cairo Street, and numerous examples of homes and habitations.
label: Description
content: Advancements in electricity were a highlight of the Exposition, and it was the first capable of staying open at night due to Thomas Edison's incandescent lamps. Other inventions highlighted included an electric streetcar/train, the phonograph and the moving sidewalk.
label: Description
content: The Exposition also exhibited people's from French colonies, seen as degrading by many participants. This type of <i>human zoo</i> was common in Fair's of the time, reinforced racist stereotypes in a vulgar display of Western cultural elitism.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: France: Île-de-France, Paris
topic: label: Subject
content: Expositions and Fairs
label: related event
content: Exposition Universelle (1889)
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: 1989.0438.0516
label: catalog number
content: 1989.0438.0516
label: accession number
content: 1989.0438
label: catalog number
content: P1889NM02
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Medal
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 1 3/4 in; x 4.445 cm