The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, also called the Great Exhibition or Crystal Palace Exhibition, was one of the greatest British events of the 19th century.
The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations was organized by Henry Cole and by Prince Albert, who was Queen Victoria’s husband. It attracted people from all over the world, including Charlotte Bronte, George Elliot, and Charles Darwin, and it had a profound impact on the world.
Background
After the hugely popular and successful French Industrial Exposition of 1844, the British government decided that they wanted to organize an event that could show the industrial development of Britain. So as a result, Prince Albert, Francis Fuller, Henry Cole, and other Royal Society for the Encouragement of Acts members decided to organize a “celebration of industry” for the people of the world.
Location
The Great Exhibition was held inside a building called the Crystal Palace, which was designed by Joseph Paxton specifically for the event. It was a cast-iron and glass building with an area of 990,000 square feet, and it was located in Hyde Park, London.
Exhibitions
Over 14,000 exhibitors attended the Great Exhibition, and not all of them were British. Some of the attendees came from nearby countries like France and Denmark, as well as from faraway places like Australia and New Zealand. The exhibition was a great place to display innovative products.
Among the most memorable exhibition attendees was Frederick Bakewell, who displayed one of the earliest forms of the fax machine. Also, William Chamberlin, Jr. displayed one of the world’s earliest voting machines, and Matthew Brady won medals for his gorgeous daguerreotypes.
Inventions weren't the only displays at the Great Exhibition. A man named George Jennings came up with the idea of charging people to use “retiring rooms”, which was the precursor to today’s public restrooms. The world’s largest diamond, the Koh-i-noor, also made an appearance.
Success
The Great Exhibition was a complete success. It lasted for a total of 141 days in 1851, from May 1 to October 15. It was estimated that at least 6 million people visited the Crystal Palace to see the exhibits. The attendees were dazzled by everything they saw at the exhibition, and there were plenty of things that they had never seen before. It was an unforgettable experience for everyone who went to the exhibition.
Afterwards
The Great Exhibition also had an interesting effect on the relationship between the British people and their government, because people began to see the Royal Family as a model family for the entire country. The Great Exhibition encouraged the public to welcome the industrialization that was taking place in Britain, which had previously been met with considerable resistance. The Great Exhibition of 1851 helped spark a passion for the industrialization of Britain, and it is still regarded as one of the most successful world gatherings of all time.
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