Urso Chappell’s ExpoMuseum Blog: 2011

30 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Friday, December 30, 2011

We're on a roll updating ExpoMuseum the past few days. We've updated and added pages for 2012, 2015, 2017, 2020,... http://t.co/nCZtZVT1

There's not much to say about possible bids for Expo 2022, Expo 2023, or Expo 2025, but those pages have been added: http://t.co/K7WrZN7H

Updated pages continue for the site (the next two world's fair bids): http://t.co/834bANCF and http://t.co/peeoGPfv

Updated the Expo 2015 page on http://t.co/2556uyUF with the new look and more information... more to come later! http://t.co/wWUzRjuX

29 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Thursday, December 29, 2011

Updated the Expo 2012 page on http://t.co/2556uyUF with the new look and more information... more to come later! http://t.co/HBW6jmGG

Here's the trailer for Lisa Seidenberg's documentary "I Have Seen the Future." http://t.co/Wx48J5Vi

Episode 28 of the World's Fair Podcast is now available for download as an MP3 or via iTunes. In it we talk with... http://t.co/4TStu7VH

The World's Fair Podcast, Episode 28: Filmmaker Lisa Seidenberg



Episode 28 of the World's Fair Podcast is now available for download as an MP3 or via iTunes. In it, John McGregor and Urso Chappell talk with filmmaker Lisa Seidenberg about her film about the 1939-1940 New York World's Fair, "I Have Seen the Future."

Urso also gives a brief update on the bidding process for Expo 2017 and Expo 2020.

View the trailer for "I Have Seen the Future" here:


Listen to this podcast as an MP3.

Subscribe to this podcast.

Listen to other episodes of the World's Fair Podcast.

28 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Updated the home page with new Expo 2012, 1962 World's Fair 50th anniversary, and Expo 2017/2020 bid info: http://t.co/v3gH64jE

http://t.co/yX8JhWDe has been updated with the final bids for world's fairs in 2017 and 2020: http://t.co/pxMeOGk9

Photos of the Expo '67 site in 1978 courtesy of ExpoMuseum friend Tom Kadien: http://t.co/1VgCHIjr

Urso's latest Expo 2012 blog post is about world's fair memorabilia: http://t.co/PAtLHIc9

Updated our Expo 2012 site: http://t.co/KfGeWnug

Memorabilia: Keeping the Expo Alive After Closing Day

My eighth post for the official Expo 2012 blog talks about souvenirs... a broad topic, I admit...

http://2012expo.wordpress.com/2011/12/28/memorabilia-keeping-the-expo-alive-after-closing-day/

23 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Friday, December 23, 2011

Urso's latest article in the official Expo 2012 blog is now up. In it, he talks about food at world's fairs. In... http://t.co/2YgfBLw2

18 December 2011

17 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Saturday, December 17, 2011

"Devil in the White City" (about 1893 Chicago) to be made into movie for 2013: http://t.co/mSA0PIlf

RT @UrsoChappell I'm still amused by inclusion of USA at Expo 2000 on this site (even though there was no US Pavilion): http://t.co/rSgLuZfD

Great photo showing the interior of the Expo 67 USSR Pavilion: http://t.co/0B6dokWS

From 1965..: "Expo [67] Symbol Becomes Cash Cow": http://t.co/cKCe2PDK

14 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Urso's latest article in the official Expo 2012 blog is now up! He talks about lesser known world's fair architecture: http://t.co/nYGyaEZ7

12 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Monday, December 12, 2011

The Expo 2000 Holland Pavilion still exists, but is a decaying mass that could really use some new care: http://t.co/3a7rfdT1

11 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Sunday, December 11, 2011

RT @UrsoChappell I'm working on my 6th article for the official Expo 2012 blog about some lesser known examples of world's fair architecture

10 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Saturday, December 10, 2011

This is old news in New South Wales, Australia, but it looks like the Newcastle 2017 bid will become a 2022 bid: http://t.co/o7y6hMIp

09 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Friday, December 09, 2011

The BIE site is now advertising something called The Expo that looks like a permanent online expo. http://t.co/9IAfmvPP

Great video about the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle and The Next Fifty: http://t.co/B9Yh4eBV

08 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Thursday, December 08, 2011

Photos of Osaka's Expo '70 are always somewhat surreal. Did they REALLY make that? http://t.co/mK1BqiFe

Bangkok Post makes the case for Ayutthaya, Thailand's bid to host Expo 2020: http://t.co/r1suuHQY

Photo set: "Expo 67 Memories" from Montreal's world's fair: http://t.co/L8ER0K1I

Panorama of the UK Pavilion interior at Shanghai's Expo 2010 world's fair: http://t.co/ydqWCpli

The exterior of the Russia Pavilion at Shanghai's Expo 2010: http://t.co/oLrVMypw

RT @KoHoSo Photo: http://t.co/z4q0xDg3 1962 magazine advertisement for the Seattle World's Fair

RT @fmkiabano Check out this great World’s Fair collection item from @NYPL Biblion: http://t.co/JlnX577B

RT @KSERIndieRadio 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SEATTLE WORLD’S FAIR, SOUNDLIVING - FRI 4PM http://t.co/SaBvGbzL

RT @Catalyst4Growth Riding "train of the future" (what they thought in 1962) to Space Needle & site World's Fair http://t.co/Qr5MUyxp

06 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Tuesday, December 06, 2011

RT @TacomaLibrary '62 World's Fair had machine that magically changed $ bills into coins f/ purchasing food f/ machines http://t.co/VvN8aqjU

RT @twoyangs little known city in korea to host 2012 world's fair http://t.co/yrKilpGK

RT @Chi_Humanities In 1893, the Columbian Exposition- Chicago World's Fair, women were striving to create equality... http://t.co/5mFVid2d

@Consultingwood @uncledavidsfarm There are some other interesting Disney-World's Fair connections in between 1893 and 1964, too!

RT @Sethlongphotos World's Fair grounds, 1962: Seattle Municipal Archives posted a photo: Item 165713, City Light... http://t.co/lZ6XO5eu

@TedOnTV There's a great section about audio-animatronic Lincoln & the original Illinois State Pavilion at the @WDFMuseum in San Francisco.

1962 Seattle World's Fair book talk, slide presentation, and book signing in Tacoma on Sunday: http://t.co/VvN8aqjU

RT @paleofuture If anybody wants to check out the 1964 New York World's Fair, I have two passes... http://t.co/KFoYlj9s

RT @travelingmouse The Carousel of Progress was created by Walt Disney and WED Enterprises for the GE Pavilion at the 1964 NY World's Fair.

RT @nelson_atkins For our 2012 World's Fair exhibition we're looking for pavilion ideas. See our Call for Proposal http://t.co/oP8VHzNX

05 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Monday, December 05, 2011

RT @UrsoChappell My 5th article for the official Expo 2012 blog is now up. I answer some basic world's fair questions. http://t.co/DYlgtMX3

Urso's fifth article for the official Expo 2012 blog is now up. He answers some basic questions that he hopes this... http://t.co/kjN8ui4O

03 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Saturday, December 03, 2011

I'm right now putting together my fifth article for the official Expo 2012 blog. It is going to try to answer some... http://t.co/C0JRXNnH

02 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Friday, December 02, 2011

Oops! Knoxville's convention center wasn't even there in 1982. RT @UrsoChappell Searching online, I just happened to... http://t.co/i4npViQX

Sunsphere Photo Copyright Violation

Interesting. While doing a search online to answer a question for someone, I ran across this item on eBay. The photo seemed VERY familiar. After doing some comparing, it looks like the creator indeed stole a photo I took of the Sunsphere in 2007 when I was there for the 25th anniversary.





Ironically, the convention center indicated in the photo did not exist until about 20 years after the exposition.

Compare:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/COVERSCAPE-computer-generated-1982-Worlds-Fair-Set-FDC-/250306617888
and
www.flickr.com/photos/expomuseum/784769080/

01 December 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Thursday, December 01, 2011

RT @UrsoChappell My 4th article in the Expo 2012 blog is now up. I talk about the 1962 Seattle World's Fair... http://t.co/GIxOW6tg

22 November 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Tuesday, November 22, 2011

3rd installment of Urso's World of Expos on the Expo 2012 blog: history of world's fair mascots f/ pelican to plankton: http://t.co/zp5B1hTl

15 November 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Tuesday, November 15, 2011

The second installment of Urso's World of Expos (about world's fair passports) is now on Expo 2012's official blog: http://t.co/uAoINUHi

12 November 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Saturday, November 12, 2011

The Flash introduction and music to the Canadian government's web page about Expo '67 never gets old: http://t.co/5GsV7gNm

11 November 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Friday, November 11, 2011

World's fair trivia: The first time gold, silver, & bronze medals were awarded at an Olympics was at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition.

10 November 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Thursday, November 10, 2011

I posted 2 photos on Facebook in the album "1904 World's Fair Exhibit" http://t.co/0Tz8iFuE

The Exponential Importance of Oceans (Expo 2012 blog post about ocean-themed world's fairs) http://t.co/nLcroeUN /via @wordpressdotcom

Urso's first article on the official Expo 2012 English-language blog is now available. http://t.co/AQ5FVtBj

07 November 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Monday, November 07, 2011

For folks that also use Google+, you can link to ExpoMuseum here:... http://t.co/qFxZLAx5

Just 186 days until Expo 2012 opens! http://t.co/KD5GqL4P

@FExpo88 I'm not righting it off until 10 December. After all, Sao Paulo and Dubai were surprises.

06 November 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Sunday, November 06, 2011

@FExpo88 Not necessarily. Australia could still land Expo 2017, which would only be a 29 year gap.

North American world's fair gap increases to at least 36 years: http://t.co/2zQ8z8Xh

03 November 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Thursday, November 03, 2011

Australia Pavilion Korea Yeosu Expo 2012 Recruitment Launched! http://t.co/SL7FShsF /via @wordpressdotcom

With no North American bids for Expo 2020, the soonest a world's fair could be held would be 2022... 36 yrs since Vancouver's Expo '86.

Updated with the final Expo 2020 bid list: http://t.co/1Vv6L3vX

RT @interexpos An amazing work on Expo'67 Montreal. http://t.co/CO7kETbD

02 November 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Final cities bidding for Expo 2020: Ayutthaya (Thailand), Dubai (UAE), Izmir (Turkey), Sao Paulo (Brazil), Yekaterinburg (Russia)

RT @2020WorldsFair Sadly, dreams for a San Francisco bay area world's fair in 2020 are dead. 2025 anyone?

Last minute 5th bid for Expo 2020: Dubai, but no Silicon Valley or Houston: http://t.co/Yu9To2Xg (in Turkish)

The bidding for Expo 2017 is still open until 10 Dec 2011. So far, it's Belgium vs. Kazakhstan for the smaller 3-month "recognized" expo.

02 November 2011: Today is the deadline to bid for a world's fair in 2020: It is Brazil vs. Russia vs. Thailand vs. Turkey. #Expo2020

01 November 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Tomorrow (2 November) is the deadline for cities to bid for Expo 2020. Will anyone join Ayutthaya, Izmir, Sao Paulo, and Yekaterinburg?

31 October 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Monday, October 31, 2011

RT @UNBiodiversity Towards the Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea: The Living Ocean and Coast http://t.co/y9RFnlQy // PDF

Visit next year's world's fair in SOUTH Korea... or you could visit this amusement park in NORTH Korea: http://t.co/hloQ9Sqb

RT @FExpo88 Korea Yeosu Expo 2012 Australia Pavilion recruitment has now officially begun! Read the Press Release here: http://t.co/FAD4XjSX

Russia Pav. was quite an experience! RT @lemog3d EXPO 2020 ekaterinburg: Russia, one year ago, at Shanghai Expo 2010 http://t.co/AD65eD8w

MO State Museum inundated with new 1904 St. Louis artifacts: http://t.co/jTyg3IJh

The deadline for bids to the world's fair in 2020 is Tuesday, 2 November (Paris time). So far, four cities have bid! http://t.co/hzhZ7noO

28 October 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Friday, October 28, 2011

Sao Paulo, Brazil joins Yekaterinburg, Ayutthaya, and Izmir in officially bidding for Expo 2020: http://t.co/1Vv6L3vX

26 October 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Thailand's proposed Expo 2020 site in Ayutthaya has been flooded. Does this give Izmir (or others) an edge? http://t.co/ob23yH4G

25 October 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Tuesday, October 25, 2011

InPark article about the Expo 2012 United States Pavilion: http://t.co/Urdyr2N1 #Expo2012 #Yeosu #Korea

San Diego 1915 Centennial celebration OK'ed: http://t.co/dF1H4L2N

Well, this is confusing. An event calling itself Expo '74, but not a world's fair, not in Spokane, and not in 1974: http://t.co/H9wC4jsX

New book about 1962 Seattle out in time for 50th anniversary: http://t.co/sRg9BzP2

Our site http://t.co/hzhZ7noO has been updated. We're expecting more updates in the coming weeks as bids become official.

24 October 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Monday, October 24, 2011

25 October 2011: Just 200 days until the next world's fair opens in Yeosu, South Korea... Expo 2012! http://t.co/W9aY1Y5q

RT @UrsoChappell It's been over a year, but I was on Voice of America's Korean service talking about world's fairs: http://t.co/rQIMrzdx

23 October 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Sunday, October 23, 2011

24 October 2011: Happy UN Day! Also, greetings to the newborn who became the 7 billionth person this week.

21 October 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Friday, October 21, 2011

It is now 22 October 2011 in Paris (home of the Bureau International des Expositions): 11 days until all bids must be placed for Expo 2020.

RT @AtomicBlonde37 Is it still ironic to wear a World Expo 88 Tshirt if you are 88? #HipsterGrandad

RT @definatalie This copper sculpture from Expo 88 always reminded me of a dalek. http://t.co/4r2ncP8o

RT @VillarrubiaSong Check out this video - Expo'92 en tu recuerdo parte 3 http://t.co/AtODGrcl… vía @videosurf

RT @Neilochka I think I got my love of Canada from my father, who went to Expo 67, and it was greatest trip he ever took...

20 October 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Thursday, October 20, 2011

RT @epoxypaint The Future Remembered: 1962 World's Fair House on Mercer Island: “This was a home that people could... http://t.co/5PIc01BL

BIE expects Ekaterinburg and Sao Paulo to join Izmir and Ayutthaya in bidding for Expo 2020: http://t.co/KfnuxPBr

13 days until 02 November, the deadline to put a bid forth for Expo 2020... 51 days until 10 December, the deadline for Expo 2017

17 October 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Monday, October 17, 2011

RT @pcousteau A blog about my new project with the US @StateDept to design USA Pavilion at next world expo in Korea http://t.co/Ii1bywWT

04 October 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Expo 2010's Saudi Arabia Pavilion re-opens (InPark blog article including great video): http://t.co/vKlhub2N

29 September 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Thursday, September 29, 2011

Evidence that, in the USA, people don't always know "expo" = "world's fair" ("it's basically a huge science fair...") http://t.co/LyStirCE

RT @UrsoChappell I voted! RT @nickhirshon Vote for the World's Fair Historical Society to get a $50,000 grant. http://bit.ly/pWX6s5 #worldsfair

28 September 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Possible redevelopment of Riverwalk, a legacy of New Orleans' 1984 Louisiana World Exposition: http://t.co/Rwb6g9Us

Expo 2010 retrospective in Shanghai: http://t.co/JmrpAwbm

News on Shanghai's World Expo Museum (not affiliated wth ExpoMuseum.com): http://t.co/8aoawxvX

Really amazing video showing the world population as a landscape... shown at Aichi, Japan's Expo 2005: http://t.co/0bZTbT9B

RT @theseasonpass Geekiest ERT ever recorded with Mike Collins from @coasterradio! ... We talk everything from Europe, to Ghost to 80s rock!

RT @ponderossa Expo '67, you are so damn cool. flic.kr/p/aq2Q83

RT @johnleesandiego Remembering the World's Fair - can we still dream big? - seattlepi.com http://bit.ly/pCmdOP

RT @TheBathBusiness 1933-1934 Kohler At The Chicago World’s Fair tinyurl.com/3kdjwjh

PopulouSCAPE

This isn't the best resolution for viewing this, but it's really interesting nonetheless. I first saw it on the big screen at Aichi, Japan's Expo 2005 as I was riding by on one of the aerial gondolas.

26 September 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Monday, September 26, 2011

Great view of Expo '58's Atomium, environmental graphics and tram: http://t.co/naSxKf3s

After our hiatus, the World's Fair Podcast returns! Episode 27 is now up for download. In it, we talk to Don... http://t.co/DqwBQ4g9

The latest episode of the World's Fair Podcast is now up. We talk about CSU Fresno's world's fair collection: http://t.co/mydXVWgW

The World's Fair Podcast, Episode 27: Don Larson and Tammy Lau



In episode 27 of the World's Fair Podcast, we talk to Don Larson and Tammy Lau about the Donald G. Larson Collection on International Expositions and Fairs in Fresno, California.

We also recap the bids and potential bids for Expo 2017 and Expo 2020.

The Donald G. Larson Collection on International Expositions and Fairs
The eCollection

Listen to this podcast as an MP3.

Subscribe to this podcast.

Listen to other episodes of the World's Fair Podcast.

23 September 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Friday, September 23, 2011

Knute Berger reports on some of the "past" found at Seattle's 1962 Century 21 Exposition: http://t.co/Z5NJ5952

Proposed Dublin "vertical park" plan inspired by Expo 2000 Holland Pavilion: http://t.co/lmmYiaTS

HemisFair '68 panels from Republic of China (Taiwan) Pavilion to be reinstalled on the 1968 site: http://t.co/4KKx98pj

Westport, CT viewing of 1939-'40 New York World's Fair documentary (with director's talk) on Sunday: http://t.co/XGM6IsLz

World's fair symposium at the University of Virginia today: http://t.co/ODZRwfq8

20 September 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The latest BIE word on Expo 2017 and Expo 2020 (no mention of USA efforts, no 2018 option, no Yekaterinburg.. yet): http://t.co/nzO7HjTg

Here's the entire roster of proposed logos for Expo 2015: http://t.co/0LrvXSF4

Here's the official BIE word on Expo 2017 and Expo 2020. Interesting bits: - Only 2017 is mention and not the... http://t.co/lainy54o

RT @UrsoChappell My design for Expo 2015's logo: http://t.co/crWOiql9

Expo 2017 and Expo 2020

Here's the official Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) word on Expo 2017 and Expo 2020:
http://www.bie-paris.org/site/en/articles/general-news/416-second-coordination-meeting-for-candidates-for-an-international-expo-in-2017-and-a-world-expo-in-2020.html

Interesting bits:
- Only 2017 is mention and not the possibility of 2018 for the smaller "recognized" world's fair
- No mention of Houston or Silicon Valley for Expo 2020
- No mention of Yekaterinburg for 2020 even though this sounds like it is definitely in the works.
- Expo 2017 bid deadline is 10 December 2011
- Expo 2020 bid deadline is 02 November 2011

I'm really concerned about the United States' bids for Expo 2020. It seems mostly contingent on the State Department letting us rejoin the BIE. I'm hoping to find out more news from both the Houston and Silicon Valley efforts soon.

18 September 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Sunday, September 18, 2011

New blog post: Treasure Island Museum: http://t.co/OwJRqwIF

Treasure Island Museum

This weekend, I had the opportunity to volunteer with the Treasure Island Museum Association. They had a booth at this year's Dragon Boat Races, so I got to meet and hang out with board member Walt Bilofsky as well as others with a passion for the island and the world's fair.



Here in San Francisco, we have some really great institutions. When I first moved here in 1995, I was eager to check out all three world's fair sites: the Music Concourse in Golden Gate Park (site of the 1894 California Mid-Winter Exposition), the Marina and the Palace of Fine Arts (the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition), and Treasure Island (the 1939-'40 Golden Gate International Exposition).

My first stop at Treasure Island was to the Treasure Island Museum, which chronicled the history of the island from its creation in the late 1930's (it's all landfill!), to it's role hosting the GGIE, and to its subsequent use as a naval base. Sadly, when the Navy moved out in 1997, the museum closed with it since the US Navy owned the artifacts. However, the Treasure Island Museum Association lives on.

With the imminent handover of the island from the Navy to the City and County of San Francisco, the island is slaved to be completely redeveloped. Along with that are plans to re-open the Treasure Island Museum as an event greater institution.

Click here to find out more about the Treasure Island Museum Association.

17 September 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Saturday, September 17, 2011

Great roundup of Expo 2015 news in one place: http://t.co/I2sikwOG (too bad more isn't in English, though)

Odd to see 1939-'40 New York mentioned as a "more recent" world's fair as there have been 20+ since then: http://t.co/MjXpwSVX

Great Esso TV commercial featuring Expo 67: http://t.co/samuw3gp

RT @tendersdirect Expo 2015 S.p.A is inviting firms to express interests in becoming partners at...: http://t.co/djZWU5E3

RT @luzdesign: I love these vintage Expo '67 postcards. J'adore ces cartes postales "vintage" de l'Expo '67. http://t.co/srUDvBr2

RT @alucidwake Stunning photo of Buckminster Fuller's Expo '67 dome on fire http://t.co/o5km9Zqz

RT @wolfsonian A “BEHIND THE SCENES” LOOK AT THE NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR nblo.gs/mRJtj

16 September 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Friday, September 16, 2011

Updated http://t.co/hzhZ7noO to include Yekaterinberg's bid for Expo 2020 and moving US efforts to "unlikely" category.

RT @expo2020russia Gov. Alexander Misharin and PM Vladimir Putin in the stand of Ekaterinburg bid for Expo 2020 in... http://t.co/onrbFJ1f

@USpedia It wasn't technically the very first iced tea, but iced tea was first popularized at 1904's world's fair in St. Louis.

06 September 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Tuesday, September 06, 2011

In Europe, it was at 1937 World's Fair in Paris. RT @WBR_SA Television was introduced to U.S. public at the 1939 World's Fair in New York!

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Monday, September 05, 2011: Sat Sep 03 2011 17:45:20 GMT-0700 (PDT)2025 would be more likely... http://t.co/7VF6bEF

05 September 2011

@ExpoMuseum Twitter: Monday, September 05, 2011

2025 would be more likely. RT @Philjimeneznyc Phil JimenezNYC might host another World's Fair by 2020 - on Governor's Island! http://bit.ly/nKfdTH

Just a few days left to see the 1930's world's fair exhibit in DC: http://t.co/03ts3G1

01 September 2011: ExpoMuseum.com celebrates its 13th anniversary.

RT @UrsoChappell Had a great lunch at the @Space_Needle with their writer in residence Knute Berger: http://t.co/QoQuNxd

22 August 2011

Expo '70 Animation

After posting about the Expo '70 Mushballoons, I was alerted to the existence of this great animation featuring Osaka's Expo '70. It's based on a popular Japanese comic strip called Sazae-san.

Tower of the Sun

You can see several iconic structures: the Tower of the Sun, the Mushballoons, and even the Australian Pavilion, whose architect we interviewed on the World's Fair Podcast.

19 August 2011

Expo '70's Mushballoons

I'm fascinated by these structures that were in Expo '70's amusement zone, Expoland. The park lived on for decades after 1970 and I'd love to find out whatever became of these structures... and how well they survived in the elements.

Expo '70 Mushballoons

The text accompanying the photos says:

"This is called the Mushballoon because it is shaped like a mushroom. The Mushballoons are the centerpiece of the Space of Planets in Expoland. They are elegant and dynamic in appearance.

The huge cushion of air is suspended by 45 strands of wire. The wires are all brought together and connected through a tube to a winch in the basement. When the winch is wound, the mushroom collapses in 15 minutes. The Mushballoons rest at night and bloom again in the morning. The diameter of one Mushballoon is 30 meters, that of another 20 meters, and that of the three others 15 meters.

Architectural Design: Taneo Oki Architects
Structural Design: Shigeru Aoki Research Office"

I found more information (including some cool diagrams) at:
http://www.tensinet.com/database/viewProject/3839.html

14 August 2011

Expo '70 Diagram

This great illustration shows the basic layout of the three towers from Osaka's Expo '70: from left to right, the Tower of Motherhood, the Tower of the Sun, and the Tower of Youth.

Expo 70 Illustration of Three Towers

Seemingly floating through the top of the Tower of the Sun is the space frame that served as a roof for the central plaza of Expo '70. The site is now an empty field with just the Tower of the Sun.

13 August 2011

The Duckburg World's Fair

Another item I discovered in the stacks of the Donald G. Larson Collection on International Expositions and Fairs (at CSU Fresno), was this comic book from Walt Disney.

Dondald Duck at the Duckburg World's Fair

Published in 1962, it was clearly inspired by the 1962 Seattle World's Fair that was in the construction phase at that point.

Walt Disney would famously be involved with the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair soon afterwards.

12 August 2011

The Famous Seattle Cosmodrome?

Early Promotional Material for Seattle's 1962 World's Fair

Going through the Donald G. Larson Collection on International Expositions and Fairs, I ran across this great promotional piece for Seattle's 1962 World's Fair. Printed before plans were set, it shows this concept for a "Cosmodrome."

14 June 2011

Expo '10, St. Louis

"Saint Louis Expo '10"

Don't remember Expo '10 in St. Louis? That's because it didn't happen. At least, it didn't happen outside the mind of a 15-year-old Urso.

I drew this concept for a world's fair for 2010 back in 1982 when I was 15 years old. I'd just attended my first world's fair at the time, the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville.

Some of the anachronisms you'll notice: a West Germany Pavilion, a Soviet Union Pavilion, and prominent tags for public telephones. I also hadn't anticipated that we'd drop the two-digit shorthand for years starting in 2000.

27 May 2011

The World's Fair Podcast, Episode 26: Martin Palicki of InPark Magazine on Expo 2010



Episode 26 of the World's Fair Podcast is now available for download. In it, Urso Chappell and John McGregor talk with Martin Palicki of InPark Magazine. They discuss the ups and downs of last year's world's fair in Shanghai, Expo 2010.

Listen to this podcast as an MP3.

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14 May 2011

From Twitter 05-13-2011





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12 May 2011

From Twitter 05-11-2011





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11 May 2011

Expo 86 Memories?

Did you go to Expo 86? What are your favorite memories?

2011 marks the 25th anniversary of Expo 86 and we're looking to create a special episode of the World's Fair Podcast for people to share their memories.

You can do this by calling our phone line (650-ASK-EXPO), emailing Urso@ExpoMuseum.com, or posting on Twitter adding "@ExpoMuseum"

From Twitter 05-10-2011





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10 May 2011

From Twitter 05-09-2011





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09 May 2011

From Twitter 05-08-2011



  • 10:07:59: RT @wellingtonwong It's hard to believe that Expo 86 was held in Vancouver 25 years ago. Remember Expo Ernie & the UFO HTO Water Park? ...
  • 14:00:44: RT @RC_CB Assistez à l’avant-première de « Tout le monde en parlait : Expo 86 », le 10 mai prochain. R.S.V.P.... http://ow.ly/4PKRn
  • 14:06:28: RT @briandistelberg Via @nypl, the 1939 World's Fair was apparently way ahead of 2006 internet memes...: http://bit.ly/iLVJz5
  • 14:08:27: 2011 not only marks 25 years since Expo 86, but also 25 years since North America has held a world's fair. Since then, there have been nine.


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08 May 2011

From Twitter 05-07-2011





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07 May 2011

From Twitter 05-06-2011





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05 May 2011

From Twitter 05-04-2011





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04 May 2011

From Twitter 05-03-2011





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03 May 2011

From Twitter 05-02-2011





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02 May 2011

From Twitter 05-01-2011





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01 May 2011

From Twitter 04-30-2011





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30 April 2011

Google's Doodle on 01 May 2011



Google's doodle on 01 May 2011 celebrates the 160th anniversary of the first world's fair, the 1851 Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, also known as the Crystal Palace:
http://www.ExpoMuseum.com/1851/

As I type this, it's 30 April 2011 in most of the world, but you can already see the doodle on Australia's site. It's interactive, so make sure you put your cursor over the graphic:
http://www.google.com.au/

2011 also marks the 25th anniversary of Vancouver's Expo 86. Next Friday, Science World hosts a celebration of Expo 86:
http://www.scienceworld.ca/swad

From Twitter 04-29-2011





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29 April 2011

From Twitter 04-28-2011





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