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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsAnyone been to World's Fairs, Expos? Here in The States, or Internationally? About to end Osaka, Japan 2025. Came up...
in my Google feed 2 days ago. (Not like I had the $ to hop on a plane! 😄 )
But I love innovative architecture, and these are the places to see it!
Wood construction was a big theme, along with living more harmoniously with nature, and each other. Part of the ethos was also to use parts of these pavillions into other structures Post-expo. They made this gigantic tall wooden ring around the main exhibits. You could walk on top of, and underneath it.
The overall Japan Pavillion is this roundish, not quite ?scallops shape - but wrapped in gorgeous red, patterned fabric!
Yeah, of course, now I'd be more circumspec about certain corporate pavillions unlike in 1964, and '65 going to the (unsanctioned) New York World's Fair which I [oved. GM's future's ride, the IBM "nested" (hoisted up) "Egg" you went up into on a "grandstand" to see their exhibit. "It's Small World After All".
The beautiful little fountains at night especially the very big fountain and colored lights display.
Back then I was 11, and 12 - mostly not interested in most of the States, and Countries Pavillions. The NYS was very cool.looking. Trying to refurbished it.
The Unisphere, and the park itself still exist!
But we had a meal at the India Pavillion. It included Nan bread. Which I fell in love with! My dad for a looong time would bring home pita bread insisting it was the same thing - but it wasn't! But I could quite articulate then why it wasn't! 😄
Then we went to Montreal Expo '67. I had more interest then in the Counties Pavillions.
There was this amazing ?company one where inside with these 3 increasingly complex mirrored rooms in which they projected moving images. Wow, still wow 58 years later!

sinkingfeeling
(56,501 posts)electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)Looking at photos...There were big metal? gators, designy pelicans on top of open construnction towers, a set of flattened pillars on top of each other, thin white arches.
And the tall gondola ride!
Srkdqltr
(8,984 posts)electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)Klarkashton
(4,241 posts)I wish we could do these nice things again.
Some asshole would bomb it or something now in this country..
bif
(26,294 posts)The giant tire that was a ride at the fair is now next to the I-94 Freeway just west of Detroit!
Klarkashton
(4,241 posts)Even the space age lantern lamps show up for sale now and then.
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)Maybe in the '00s or '10's I first saw the on line mention, and photos of the sale of those lamps.
They were so iconic to that WF, that I practically squealed on seeing them! 😄
Luckily, I was at home at the time!
😅
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)FalloutShelter
(13,862 posts)Went once with my parents and once with my Girl Scout troop.
I went past the Pieta 4 times. Never forget the absolutely astounding perfection of that sculpture.
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)elleng
(140,984 posts)an INFORMATION person!
and then I spent my Jr. college year in Europe!
THOSE WERE THE DAYS!!!!
mnhtnbb
(32,909 posts)Living in NJ. My brother and I were both teenagers. Went as a family with our parents.
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)Yeah, that part is sort of coming back to me. There was a big, wide wooden boardwalk type bridge from the parking lot over a roadway to the WF.
TY for evoking another memory! 👍
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)*🤔 Or were those the Belgium Waffle stands?! 😄
And very nice having a college year in Europe!
markodochartaigh
(4,262 posts)the 1984 NewOrleans, and 1986 Vancouver World's Fairs. They were all interesting as well as providing an introduction to the city hosting them.
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)Our WF was also turned into a permanent park. 👍
greatauntoftriplets
(178,358 posts)I loved it.
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)Last edited Mon Oct 6, 2025, 11:15 PM - Edit history (1)
I got sick the day before the very last day, so my my dad took my sister on the last day. I was soooo envious! 😑 😄
I know my folks enjoyed it various ways, too. Plus enjoying watching us having fun.
My dad did lightening. Pretty sure he liked looking at the various night time lighting of the pavillions.
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)Liberal In Texas
(15,680 posts)Some fairs are better than others, Seattle Worlds Fair was one of the best. Several of the buildings (Space Needle!) and the monorail are still being used.
My brother and me outside of the Hall of Industry, Worlds Fair 1962
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)looking at photos... Alaska's dome. Looks like another semi geodesic 1/3 dome notation dark away from that.
A squarish low tent structure further away
And those very cool thin, white four column arches in front f the US Science pavilion. LVery pretty design! Never saw a photo of those!
Nice they kept the monorail, too. My dad went up the Space Needle on a business trip a few years later. 👍
Thunderbeast
(3,715 posts)Also the first IBM computer and Touch Tone phone.
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)Liberal In Texas
(15,680 posts)As a kid I was taken with the Firebird III
In the World of Century 21 (We sure thought the 21st was going to be wonderful, little did we know!)
Floyd R. Turbo
(31,176 posts)
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)catbyte
(37,961 posts)I saw Charles De Gaulle. Woo hoo! And it was the first time I had Chinese food. I've been a fan ever since.
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)I loved that geodesic dome both outside, and being inside.
How interesting that I had my first Indian (the sub continent) food at the NY WF, and you had your first Chinese food at Expo '67.
quaint
(4,215 posts)All he told me about was the food.
My BIL was one of three Mexican artists featured in their pavilion at Expo '67.
I've not been to any.
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)😄😑
How cool for your BIL! 🎉
I double checked, but yes I remembered the spiky white Mexico pavillion before confirming my memory. 👍
quaint
(4,215 posts)electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)Brother Buzz
(39,093 posts)I had a blast in Seattle, but curiously remember nothing from New York.
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)🙂👍
regnaD kciN
(27,325 posts)
Century 21 (Seattle 1962) and Expo 86 (Vancouver 1986).
Ive also been to the site of Expo 67 in Montreal, but only in 1971, where parts of it still existed as Man and His World.
Interestingly, the 62 fair was the first time I visited Seattle. Moved there twenty years later, and have been here ever since.
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)Off I go to google !
Eta.
I did look it up!
LogDog75
(896 posts)Our family was living in Trumbull, Ct., about 60 miles from New York City from the fair. My mother took me and my sister on the train to see the World's Fair when I was 14. I still remember some of the exhibits and rides. One thing I remember seeing is NBC newscaster David Brinkley being driven in a gold cart.
electric_blue68
(24,144 posts)It's fun to still have the memories.
And David Brinkley in a golf cart?! 😄
I love that!
soldierant
(9,006 posts)when I was stationed on Okinawa, and they had the International Ocean Exposition.
Before that, 1962 in Seattle. That's about it.