The 1893 World’s Fair
Welcome Columbian Exposition enthusiasts!
This educational, non-profit website is dedicated to the history and legacy of the 1893 World’s Fair held in Chicago. We aim to explore details of its buildings and lesser known corners of the fairgrounds, to rediscover the countless attractions ranging from the astounding to the mundane, and to document stories about the people who built and experienced the fair.
The Columbian Exposition remains alive today through research and reprints; learning about news and events; exploring sites and exhibits; cataloging World’s Fair fiction, drama, art, and other media; and collecting antiques and products. Enjoy our “nerds-eye” view of the Fair!
Connect
Follow Chicago’s 1893 Worlds Fair on WordPress.com
Follow us on Facebook
Read us on Substack
Listen to us on YouTube
Receive our Newsletter
The Myth of Marble: A Roman Statue of “Minerva” at the 1893 World’s Fair
Chicago is abuzz about “Myth and Marble,” a fabulous new exhibition at the Art Institute of Chicago running from March 15 to June 29, 2025. On display are fifty-eight magnificent sculptures of gods and [...]
“Isn’t it hideous?” Cleveland Caricature is a Columbian Claptrap
A flower arrangement made of immortelles (everlastings) at the 1893 World’s Fair intended to depict President Grover Cleveland. The floral display in the Horticultural Building turned heads and turned stomachs. This article in the [...]
Dyche’s Panorama of North American Mammals at the 1893 World’s Fair
While countless attractions at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition could make a reasonable claim to be the “most interesting” exhibit on the fairgrounds, the article reprinted below awards that honor to the “Exhibit of [...]
Maps
Explore maps of the fairgounds and a map of existing sites associated with the 1893 World’s Fair, visit Columbian Exhibition exhibits, or discover vestiges of the fair.
Apr. 12, 2025: “Daniel Burnham’s Chicago” (Glen Ellyn, IL)
He was one of Chicago’s greatest architects and served as Director of Works for the 1893 World’s Fair. Daniel Burnham will be portrayed by Terry Lynch in a presentation on April 12, 2025, sponsored [...]
Mar. 22, 2025: “Bertha Honoré Palmer – A Life in Three Acts” (Glen Ellyn, IL)
She was “The Queen of Chicago” and “The Queen of the Fair” in 1893. Bertha Honoré Palmer is the subject of a presentation by historian Laurie Russell on March 22, 2025, sponsored by the [...]
1893 World’s Fair natural history artifact to be restored
A treasured educational display from the 1893 World’s Fair will be restored, thanks to a $2 million gift. Dyche’s Panorama, formally called the “Exhibit of Large North American Mammals,” was originally displayed inside the [...]
Jan 14, 2025: World’s Fair Auction #46 closes
World’s Fair Auction #46 is now open, and online bidding closes at 10:00 PM EST on Tuesday, January 14, 2025. The auction catalog can be viewed at: http://www.worldsfairauction.com/cgi-bin/catalog.cgi. Lots 6 through 36 are items [...]
Jackson Park Prints to Support Block Club Chicago
Block Club Chicago—a nonprofit news organization dedicated to delivering reliable, nonpartisan, and essential coverage of Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods—has two gorgeous poster prints depicting remnants of the 1893 World’s Fair. The 6-by-20-inch limited-edition prints by [...]
Season’s Readings: 2024 Books about the World’s Columbian Exposition
Relatively few new books were added to the Columbian Exposition bookshelf this past year, but the small selection does cover several interesting topics. Three new academic works explore the Woman’s Building, model Haida Village, [...]
