An Archive of Past Events
Relating to the 1893 World’s Fair
Sept. 25, 2018: World’s Fair Auction #32 closes
Columbian Exposition collectors may be interested in World’s Fair Auction #32, now open for preview. Online bidding closes on September 25th, 2018, at 10:00 PM EDT. The auction catalog can be viewed at: http://www.worldsfairauction.com/cgi-bin/CATALL.CGI. Lots 14 through 57 relate to the 1893 World’s Fair, and include: a rare 14-by-11-inch poster of the Viking Ship; a milk glass tumbler depicting the Illinois State Building; a jig-saw puzzle picturing Horticultural Hall; a "Chicago Exposition 1893" globe inkwell; an ornate "Columbian Fair Souvenir" metal box; admission tickets, trade and postal cards, souvenir coins and medals, and spoons. World’s Fair Auction offers world’s fair [...]
Sept. 25, 2018: Columbian Exposition Symposium and Exhibit at BYU-Idaho
The McKay Library Special Collections of Brigham Young University-Idaho has mounted an exhibition “See the Fair; Exploring the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition 125 Years Later” during the Fall 2018 semester. With many items coming from the personal collection of Andrea Radke-Moss, a professor in the History Department, the exhibit showcases books, photos, stereoview cards, pamphlets, and other World’s Fair memorabilia, along with a display of period clothing. The exhibit runs from September 25 through December 14, 2018. BYU-Idaho is located in Rexburg, Idaho. On October 25-26, 2018, the university held a symposium on the 1893 World’s Fair. Faculty presentations [...]
Sept 11, 2018: Remembering Swami Vivekananda’s Address at the 1893 World’s Fair
The state government of Bengal has declared a day of celebration for September 11, 2018, to honor the 125th anniversary of when Swami Vivekananda addressed the World’s Parliament of Religions at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Plans include seminars and symposia and a light and sound program at Swami Vivekananda's ancestral house. From September 7-9, thousands of delegates will gather for the second World Hindu Congress in Lombard, Illinois, with an objective of re-connecting Hindus worldwide with their common heritage and their spiritual link to people of all other denominations. Swami Vivekananda addressed the World’s Parliament of [...]
Sept. 8-Oct. 13, 2018: “Chicago’s Gold Coast Patronage and the 1893 World’s Fair” Tours (Chicago)
In conjunction with their exhibit “Treasures from the White City: The Chicago World’s Fair of 1893," the Richard H. Driehaus Museum in Chicago is offering a series of walking tours titled “Chicago's Gold Coast Patronage and the 1893 World's Fair” on Saturdays from 1-2:30 pm between September 8 to October 13. Led by Sally Kalmbach, the tour will explore Chicago’s famous Gold Coast neighborhood. Still one the most beautiful and architecturally rich neighborhoods in the city, the Gold Coast was once home to World’s Fair architect John Root (whose former home is still standing) and Potter and Bertha Palmer [...]
Sept. 8, 2018-Aug. 11, 2019: “Treasures from the White City: The Chicago World’s Fair of 1893” at the Driehaus Museum (Chicago)
The Richard H. Driehaus Museum presents Treasures from the White City: Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, displaying original objects and memorabilia designed for and exhibited at the fair on the occasion of its 125th anniversary. The objects are drawn from the Museum’s permanent collection, as well as the Richard H. Driehaus private collection, and are exhibited in two galleries in the Nickerson Mansion, the building that now houses the Museum, which not only stood during the World’s Fair in 1893 but also hosted a large reception to celebrate the event. Treasures from the White City is divided into three [...]
Sept. 1-30, 2018 World’s Fair Diorama at The Whistler (Chicago)
Natural history exhibits from the 1893 World’s Fair are on display in the front window of The Whistler, a bar in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, throughout the month of September. In celebration of our 125th anniversary, the Field Museum has lent the specimens from their original 1893 World’s Fair collection for the pop-up diorama. The Field and Whistler will team up for a series of “Science of Alcohol” discussion series, including “The Biology of Beer” (Sunday, Sept. 9, 6 p.m.), “Hard Stuff” about ancient brewing practices in Egypt and Peru (Tuesday, Sept. 18, 7 p.m.), and “Pickled” [...]
Aug. 30, 2018 – Feb. 24, 2019: S.S. Columbus Whale Boat Exhibit at the North Point Lighthouse and Museum (Milwaukee)
"A Whale of a Ship" exhibit at the North Point Lighthouse and Museum in Milwaukee. The S.S. Christopher Columbus, the only whaleback ship ever built for passenger service, transported millions of visitors to the 1893 World’s Fair between downtown Chicago and the Columbian Exposition fairgrounds. The excursion liner operated on the Great Lakes through 1933. A new exhibit running from August 30, 2018, through February 24, 2019 at the North Point Lighthouse and Museum in Milwaukee explores the construction and operation of this historic boat. “The S.S. Christopher Columbus: A Whale of a Ship” features photographs of [...]
Aug. 25, 2018: Historic Marker for the Norway Building
On Saturday August 25, 2018, an Illinois State Historical Society (ISHS) marker commemorating the Norway Building was dedicated in Jackson Park on the exact site where the building stood during the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. A delegation of Norwegians traveled to the event from Orkdal—where the building was originally constructed and then returned to in 2017 as a museum and heritage center (see "The Long Journey of the Norway Building.") They were joined by members of the Norwegian-American community of Chicagoland, representatives of the Jackson Park Council, and World’s Fair enthusiasts for the dedication ceremony, held at noon under beautiful [...]
Aug. 11, 2018 Ride Like the Devil in a “Devil in the White City” Bike Tour (Chicago)
The Chicago History Museum is offering a “Ride Like the Devil: a Devil in the White City Bike Tour” on August 11, 2018, from 9 am to noon. Cycle back to 1893, pedal past sites related to the World’s Fair, and discover its lasting influence on Chicago. Along the way, tour guide Greg Borzo, author of Where to Bike Chicago, will uncover Daniel Burnham’s grand plans and the devilish doings of H. H. Holmes. The route will take riders past the site of one of the greatest attractions of the Columbian Exposition, which was modeled on the design of [...]
Aug. 9, 2018: A World of Innovation Exploring the Inventions and Engineering of the 1893 World’s Fair
The Chicago Engineers' Foundation (CEF) is hosting a Columbian Exposition event titled A World of Innovation: Exploring the Inventions and Engineering of the 1893 World's Fair on Thursday, August 9, 2018 from 12-1:30 PM at the Union League Club of Chicago. With a mission to encourage and empower the next generation of engineers, the CEF is one of the three foundations with a home at the Union League Club. A World of Innovation is part of a series of events in 2018 at the Club to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the World's Fair. We previously reported on their [...]