Urso Chappell’s ExpoMuseum Blog

It was announced today that the Adrian Smith+Gordon Gill Architecture Company has won the competition to design Astana, Kazakhstan's wor...

On my separate blog, written in conjunction with the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), I've written about the many connections...

I had a bit of a revelation today. I read a lot of news articles about world's fairs -- both past ones as well as proposed ones. Many ...

It's been interesting to see the movement against Sochi, Russia's 2014 Winter Olympics start to focus on the 2018 FIFA World Cup... ...

So far, Expo 2015's confirmed participants represent 86% of the world's population. I put this map together tonight to show the ...

I'm putting together a page on ExpoMuseum.com about Walt Disney and world's fairs and I'm hoping folks out there might have som...

Last month, I had the pleasure of attending Cathy Maloney's presentation about world's fair gardens. Appropriately, she's the au...

I was rather fond of the existing Expo 2017 bid logo, but apparently there are plans to use a different logo for the event itself. They'...

In 1983, when I was sixteen years old, I would try to seek out everything I could about world’s fairs and their history. I’d gone...

In my second article in the Bureau International des Expositions' blog, I talk about the current state of world's fairs in the Unite...

At the Walt Disney Family Museum, we currently have an exhibit about author and illustrator Maurice Sendak. I thought this timeline in the...

Mon Jun 10 2013 08:05:16 GMT-0700 (PDT) @UrsoChappell's first blog entry on the official BIE web site is now up. He talks about world...

Wed May 15 2013 09:25:09 GMT-0700 (PDT) UK Foreign Secretary announced that the UK supports Dubai's bid for Expo 2020. http://t.co/GhBus...

Wed May 08 2013 14:51:49 GMT-0700 (PDT) Chicagoans: Celebrate the 120th anniversary of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition (world'...

Tue May 07 2013 16:55:02 GMT-0700 (PDT) Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the 1964-1965 New York World's Fair and we have the shir...

Thu Apr 18 2013 15:10:09 GMT-0700 (PDT) Mexico and Brazil have signed on for the next world's fair. Still no US or Canada: http://t.co/F...

Thu Mar 07 2013 17:40:45 GMT-0800 (PST) From Brussels' Expo '58: America, the Great Colossal Collage: Saul Steinberg’s Forgotten Mas...

Wed Mar 06 2013 18:42:58 GMT-0800 (PST) Ekaterinburg Expo 2020 bid on a Ural Airlines plane: http://t.co/vx56qHOviM

Fri Mar 01 2013 22:45:40 GMT-0800 (PST) World's Fair T-shirts and Hoodies - We have quite a few designs available now…. mostly commemora...

Thu Feb 28 2013 13:45:56 GMT-0800 (PST) Many people forget that New York has held THREE world's fairs: 1853, 1939-1940, and 1964-1965. h...

Fri Feb 22 2013 23:37:33 GMT-0800 (PST) Photo: 2013 marks the 25th anniversary of Brisbane, Australia’s Expo ‘88.... http://t.co/17pzCzfQC2 ...

Sat Feb 09 2013 12:02:38 GMT-0800 (PST) One of http://t.co/2551WYLv's latest acquisitions: a 1933-1934 Chicago pocket watch featuring M...

Mon Feb 04 2013 20:19:44 GMT-0800 (PST) Proposed 2014 New York World's Fair - It's great to see folks in New York talking about host...

It's interesting to see a mayoral candidate in New York talking about that city hosting a world's fair again, but 2014 is WAY too s...

Wed Jan 30 2013 02:02:49 GMT-0800 (PST) Bill Gates makes some interesting parallels between Seattle's 1962 World's Fair and the Duba...

Tue Jan 29 2013 14:19:05 GMT-0800 (PST) Minnesota World's Fair Site Launch - Is it too early to be talking about 2022? Well, it's cl...

Thu Jan 24 2013 16:09:35 GMT-0800 (PST) Key Area, originally built for 1962 Century 21 Exposition (world's fair) in Seattle, might becom...

Tue Jan 22 2013 21:26:39 GMT-0800 (PST) The Expo '74 World's Fair United States Pavilion: then and now: http://t.co/PsdDeTgo

Sat Jan 12 2013 16:16:55 GMT-0800 (PST) We've updated and increased the offerings in our online shop. We'd love to hear feedback. ht...

Wed Jan 09 2013 02:40:04 GMT-0800 (PST) With 2013 being the 25th anniversary of Expo '88, it seemed appropriate to update the 1988 Brisb...

Tue Jan 08 2013 13:35:11 GMT-0800 (PST) Cathy Maloney will be in San Francisco speaking about gardens at world's fairs on 20 June 2013. ...

Mon Jan 07 2013 16:48:23 GMT-0800 (PST) A cool souvenir from the 1939-1940 New York World's Fair. http://t.co/PqTA2nLZ Mon Jan 07 2013 ...

Sat Jan 05 2013 00:51:29 GMT-0800 (PST) Astana, Kazakhstan's booth for its successful bid to host Expo 2017, the 2nd energy-themed world...

Mon Dec 31 2012 00:21:06 GMT-0800 (PST) It's been 28 years since the last world's fair in the USA. Folks in MN are hoping to change ...

Sat Dec 29 2012 21:32:31 GMT-0800 (PST) Great home movies from a trip to Brussels and Expo '58. http://t.co/mm1fBnZb

Thu Nov 29 2012 17:15:50 GMT-0800 (PST) The Korea Pavilion at Japan's Expo '70: http://t.co/eS3mbcxW

Thu Nov 22 2012 08:01:36 GMT-0800 (PST) Astana wins the right to host Expo 2017... http://t.co/83473dBL http://t.co/pC2lzJR8 Thu Nov 22 20...

Sun Nov 18 2012 01:06:52 GMT-0800 (PST) http://t.co/2551WYLv will be in Paris on Thursday when the host of Expo 2017 (the world's fair)...

Thu Nov 15 2012 18:18:21 GMT-0800 (PST) It would be very sad news to see the end of such a great world's fair legacy! RT @CarouslOProgrs...

Wed Nov 14 2012 01:34:28 GMT-0800 (PST) @SGatti2015 Thanks for the re-tweet. I hope the USA signs up for Expo 2015 soon!

Tue Nov 13 2012 22:45:08 GMT-0800 (PST) Here's a reminder about our petition if you haven't already signed it. Get the USA back in t...

Mon Nov 12 2012 23:47:02 GMT-0800 (PST) I was reminded today of these cell phones of the future... from the Sweden Pavilion at Hannover'...

Mon Nov 05 2012 20:18:06 GMT-0800 (PST) The Expo '74 page has now been updated with new information and some new exclusive content. http...

Wed Oct 24 2012 18:49:49 GMT-0700 (PDT) Expo '88 is close to celebrating its 25th anniversary. It's interesting to note that there w...

Tue Oct 23 2012 00:50:50 GMT-0700 (PDT) We've been working on creating some Italian language content for ExpoMuseum. It's just a tim...

Mon Oct 22 2012 23:07:02 GMT-0700 (PDT) We're working on creating some basic information in Italian for http://t.co/2551WYLv. I've ...

Sun Oct 21 2012 18:06:16 GMT-0700 (PDT) At the Expo 2015 2nd International Participants Meeting earlier this month, they started the three d...

Thu Oct 11 2012 05:15:56 GMT-0700 (PDT) A quick report from Expo 2015's International Participants Meeting in Milan on how they're p...

Expo 2015 , the next world's fair, is 923 days away, but from what I've gotten to witness here in Milan, folks are busy as if it wer...

Wed Oct 10 2012 23:27:41 GMT-0700 (PDT) To open the 2012 International Participants Meeting, Milan's Expo 2015 authorities arranged to h...

Tue Oct 02 2012 23:23:10 GMT-0700 (PDT) Great video showing the USSR Pavilion at Expo '67. The last USSR Pavilion was nearly 25 years ag...

Sat Sep 08 2012 21:51:22 GMT-0700 (PDT) 930 images of Expo 2012 in less than 4 minutes! http://t.co/NCQ0GkDH

Fri Sep 07 2012 00:32:36 GMT-0700 (PDT) At Expo 2008, the "telecabina" would take you from the Zaragoza train station to the world...

Thu Sep 06 2012 11:17:53 GMT-0700 (PDT) Across from one of the entrances at this year's world's fair (Expo 2012 in Yeosu, South Kore...

Wed Sep 05 2012 00:21:24 GMT-0700 (PDT) We now have over 1300 photos from Yeosu, South Korea's Expo 2012 on our Flickr site: http://t.co...

Tue Sep 04 2012 23:41:46 GMT-0700 (PDT) Photos from Expo 2000, Hannover, Germany: http://t.co/gR210Kpb Tue Sep 04 2012 18:53:15 GMT-0700 (P...

Mon Sep 03 2012 00:30:24 GMT-0700 (PDT) The Marine Robot Pavilion, Expo 2012, Yeosu, South Korea: http://t.co/xFdqJ9cW

Sat Sep 01 2012 19:04:33 GMT-0700 (PDT) The Big-O Nighttime Spectacular at Expo 2012, the world's fair held in Yeosu, South Korea… http:...

Fri Aug 31 2012 18:39:07 GMT-0700 (PDT) The Climate and Environment Pavilion, Expo 2012, Yeosu, South Korea: http://t.co/6lOd6yGa

Thu Aug 30 2012 18:36:58 GMT-0700 (PDT) Expo 2005's mascots Kiccoro and Morizzo in a display in the Japan Pavilion, Expo 2012, Yeosu, So...

Wed Aug 29 2012 00:37:51 GMT-0700 (PDT) From Urso: I'm going through all of my Expo 2012 photos and posting them on Flickr. I've put...

Tue Aug 28 2012 22:45:54 GMT-0700 (PDT) Expo 2012's Lotte Pavilion featured what could be described as the hot air balloon version of Di...

Sat Aug 25 2012 18:40:23 GMT-0700 (PDT) Not all nations in Expo 2012's Atlantic Ocean Joint Pavilion were connected to the Atlantic Ocea...

Thu Aug 23 2012 21:23:59 GMT-0700 (PDT) Timor-Leste, being a new country, can claim a 100% participation rate at world's fairs. They...

Tue Aug 21 2012 22:26:34 GMT-0700 (PDT) Coach Jeff's Blog: You've Got To Be There - A great world's fair story! jeffdgary: Last ...

Mon Aug 20 2012 20:55:59 GMT-0700 (PDT) The 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee... the next-to-last world's fair in the United...

Sun Aug 19 2012 23:31:24 GMT-0700 (PDT) Disney Park fans: Yeosu's world's fair, Expo 2012 had its own "back side of water!...

Sat Aug 18 2012 21:16:41 GMT-0700 (PDT) If you look carefully, you'll see a sculpture on the roof of Expo 2012's organizing committe...

Fri Aug 17 2012 09:54:40 GMT-0700 (PDT) The Hanbit Tower, a legacy of Expo '93, Daejeon, South Korea: http://t.co/WKFbTvaq

Thu Aug 16 2012 16:18:29 GMT-0700 (PDT) The Expo Digital Gallery in the International Pavilion, Expo 2012, Yeosu, South Korea http://t.co/d4...

Wed Aug 15 2012 20:08:12 GMT-0700 (PDT) Abandoned Haibo Costume, Expo 2010, Shanghai, China http://t.co/kWl8ePBE http://t.co/WrGLe4LU Wed A...

Mon Aug 13 2012 16:34:30 GMT-0700 (PDT) Yesterday brought us more than one closing ceremony. Expo 2012, this year's world's fair, al...

Wed Aug 08 2012 12:24:57 GMT-0700 (PDT) World's fairs are time capsules we put in our collective memories and into future history... a w...

Thu Jul 26 2012 20:18:07 GMT-0700 (PDT) The Olympics got an early boost from world's fairs: http://t.co/gVBbjC0z Thu Jul 26 2012 20:05:...

Tue Jul 24 2012 22:06:24 GMT-0700 (PDT) Expo 2010's China Pavilion and Expo Axis: http://t.co/PAYSKZx4 Tue Jul 24 2012 22:01:11 GMT-070...

Mon Jul 23 2012 22:44:08 GMT-0700 (PDT) Photo: http://t.co/vfx6VTsH Mon Jul 23 2012 22:32:59 GMT-0700 (PDT) Great shot of the Space Needle ...

Fri Jul 06 2012 08:41:21 GMT-0700 (PDT) Episode 31 of the World's Fair Podcast is now up. In it, we interview Expo 2015's dir. of in...

In episode 31 of the World's Fair Podcast, John McGregor and Urso Chappell talk with Stefano Gatti, the director of international affa...

Sat Jun 23 2012 18:04:31 GMT-0700 (PDT) From Urso: In the Denmark Pavilion at Expo 2012, I had a wonderful conversation with one of the h...

Thu May 24 2012 03:19:15 GMT-0700 (PDT) Not much has been publicized about the corporate pavilions at Expo 2012. Here's an article about...

Expo 2012 opened on 12 May and I've been finalizing my plans to visit Korea. If anyone else is there while I'm there, it would be gr...

Episode 29 of the World's Fair Podcast is now available for download as an MP3 or via iTunes. In it, Urso Chappell and John McGregor tal...

Fri Mar 16 2012 04:40:39 GMT-0700 (PDT) Some great aerial shots of the Expo 2012 site under construction. Just 57 days until opening day! ht...

Mon Mar 12 2012 18:42:04 GMT-0700 (PDT) In Seattle on 16 March 2012? Learn more about the Seattle's 1962 World's Fair: http://t.co/r...

Sun Mar 11 2012 16:36:20 GMT-0700 (PDT) A slice of that weird period in world's fair history when they exhibited incubator babies... htt...

Sat Mar 10 2012 10:24:57 GMT-0800 (PST) In Habitat '67/Lego news... http://t.co/oAnrTxFu

Mon Feb 27 2012 20:58:35 GMT-0800 (PST) Interesting article about Montreal's Expo '67 legacy. http://t.co/mzjfZ8x3 Mon Feb 27 2012 ...

Fri Feb 17 2012 10:23:43 GMT-0800 (PST) Expo '86's McBarge, in Vancouver, looks like it may return! http://t.co/MWZcCN0y Fri Feb 17...

Tue Feb 14 2012 02:56:25 GMT-0800 (PST) The Expo '85 page has been updated and now includes some great video images. http://t.co/vpYLgSg...

Mon Feb 13 2012 02:40:34 GMT-0800 (PST) The 1984 New Orleans page, describing the Louisiana World Exposition, has been updated: http://t.co/...

Sun Feb 12 2012 13:32:19 GMT-0800 (PST) Knoxville holds on to "Scruffy" tittle 30 years after its world's fair: http://t.co/BL...

Sat Feb 11 2012 19:37:34 GMT-0800 (PST) As we get closer to opening day of Expo 2012, I'm seriously starting to make plans for the trip,...

Thu Feb 09 2012 02:34:23 GMT-0800 (PST) Fantastic English language introduction to Expo 2012 and Yeosu. http://t.co/qoXtki8V Thu Feb 09 201...

Wed Feb 08 2012 18:24:26 GMT-0800 (PST) New photos added to ExpoMuseum's Flickr feed: Lisbon's Expo '98: http://t.co/Sv3drjmc W...

Tue Feb 07 2012 23:10:18 GMT-0800 (PST) George Takei's review of Hanover's Expo 2000: http://t.co/vc7mLcKD Tue Feb 07 2012 01:13:25...

Sun Feb 05 2012 17:42:44 GMT-0800 (PST) Expo '86's McBarge may finally return! http://t.co/pFukp1fF

Thu Feb 02 2012 18:05:44 GMT-0800 (PST) Is there a 1962 World's Fair 50th Anniversary burnout already? http://t.co/vV2xfZ1S Thu Feb 02 ...