Anyone been to World's Fairs, Expos? Here in The States, or Internationally? About to end Osaka, Japan 2025. Came up...

[electric_blue68]

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]

1. Just the 1984 thing in New Orleans.

[electric_blue68]

15. "Just"? Hey, I only got to two myself! 😉 TY

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]

2. We were at the 67 expo in Montreal also. Don't remember much but i know i enjoyed it.

[electric_blue68]

16. Cool! Ty

[Klarkashton]

3. Worlds Fair 65 NY. Vancouver Expo 1986.

I wish we could do these nice things again.
Some asshole would bomb it or something now in this country..

[bif]

11. I went to the 65 NY World's Fair as well.

The giant tire that was a ride at the fair is now next to the I-94 Freeway just west of Detroit!

[Klarkashton]

14. Bits and pieces are all over the place.

Even the space age lantern lamps show up for sale now and then.

[electric_blue68]

20. Oh, I know! "Even the space age lantern lamps" ...

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]

17. Oh, Ha! Cool! Yeah, I remember that tire. Ty

[FalloutShelter]

30. NY Worlds Fair 1964

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]

38. Ooops, missed you.... The Pieta was quite astonishing in it's artistic mastery! Ty

[elleng]

4. I WORKED at The Fair in New York, 1964,

an INFORMATION person!

and then I spent my Jr. college year in Europe!

THOSE WERE THE DAYS!!!!

[mnhtnbb]

6. We went to the 1964 NY World's Fair!

Living in NJ. My brother and I were both teenagers. Went as a family with our parents.

[electric_blue68]

19. Nice! I think we drove there, and probably parked in the very new then Mets Stadium parking lot....

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]

18. Oh, very cool! Were the *bubble things info booths? There were a lot of those

*🤔 Or were those the Belgium Waffle stands?! 😄

And very nice having a college year in Europe!

[markodochartaigh]

5. I went to the 1982 Knoxville World's Fair,

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]

21. Ah from photos the Sunsphere, and The cool tentlike Tennessee Amphitheater!

Our WF was also turned into a permanent park. 👍

[greatauntoftriplets]

7. My family went to the 1964 NY World's Fair...in 1965.

I loved it.

[electric_blue68]

22. Glad you did. My sister and couldn't get enough of it!

Last edited Mon Oct 6, 2025, 10:15 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]

23. Ooops dbl post

[Liberal In Texas]

8. Seattle '62

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. TY. Yes, the Space Needle! And....

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]

35. Saw John Glen's FRIENDSHIP SEVEN!

Also the first IBM computer and Touch Tone phone.

[electric_blue68]

37. Wow! Ty

[Liberal In Texas]

41. And don't forget the video phone.

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]

9. EXPO 86

[electric_blue68]

25. Ah, look at that geodesic dome, and to the left sort of faceted triangular pavillion. TY

[catbyte]

10. I went to Expo 67 in Montreal when I was a kid.

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]

26. I was just going to add a post about the US Pavillion at Expo '67. TY....

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]

12. Son and family and friends went to Osaka this June.

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]

27. Ohhhh, that'd would have been disappointing to me if someone I knew only talked about the food!

😄😑

How cool for your BIL! 🎉
I double checked, but yes I remembered the spiky white Mexico pavillion before confirming my memory. 👍

[quaint]

29. There were three master and three up and coming artists.

[electric_blue68]

32. Oh. Very cool!

[Brother Buzz]

13. '62 Seattle worlds fair and '64-'65 (?) New York Worlds fair

I had a blast in Seattle, but curiously remember nothing from New York.

[electric_blue68]

28. Oh, dear! (sez this NYC'r) Nah, that's ok.

🙂👍

[regnaD kciN]

31. I've been to two...

…Century 21 (Seattle 1962) and Expo 86 (Vancouver 1986).

I’ve 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]

36. Cool! Have to go look up the Vancouver one.

Off I go to google !

Eta.
I did look it up!

[LogDog75]

33. I attende the 1964 World's Fair in New York

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]

34. Ah. Yeah, an aunt & uncle lived up there.

It's fun to still have the memories.

And David Brinkley in a golf cart?! 😄
I love that!

[soldierant]

39. Not since 1975

when I was stationed on Okinawa, and they had the International Ocean Exposition.

Before that, 1962 in Seattle. That's about it.

[electric_blue68]

40. TY. I will look that up tomorrow! 👍