World Exposition Museum in Expo 2010

Preface-Expo City of Mascots

The first world exposition was initiated in London, United Kingdom, in 1851. It was soon held in turns by various cities in the world. Such world fairs provide countries with good opportunities to learn from one another the progress and achievement in new concepts, new inventions, new technologies, new cultures, and new lifestyles. Universal expositions are the showcases where technological advancement could be shown, as well as the platforms where innovative ideas could be brought together.

It would be great if we could learn more about what people thought when firstly seeing the display of the Otis elevator in New York City's World Fair in 1853. Did people feel amazing at the very first time talking via a telephone line in Paris' World Fair in 1878? The juicy fruit gum came up in Chicago's World Fair in 1893. Ice-cream cones and aircraft showed up in St Louis' World Fair in 1904. Tape recorders and televisions appeared in New York's World Fair in 1939.

I expected the above would be found in the current World Exposition Museum in the Shanghai Expo, but I was wrong. Instead, we saw both eastern and western human history in the Museum. There was a display of the Preface-Expo City of Mascots. If you ask me whether it is worth to pay a visit to the World Exposition Museum, I would say yes. It is because there is a display of the most precious oil painting of the first World Expo at London. After all, we had only spent 10 minutes for the entire visit. There was not any queue at the entrance. The World Exposition Museum is opposite to the Pavilion of Footprint at Zone D in Puxi. If you are going to the Pavilion of Footprint, you may consider going to the World Exposition Museum too.

Did China participate in the first World Exposition?

World Exposition Museum

I am now at London. Regarding the 2010 Expo news, it is quiet here. Many British people answered me that they knew nothing about the world exposition being held in China at the moment. My London friend who is a Chinese said, "There are not any posters or advertisement telling us about the Shanghai Expo. We could hardly hear it from our TV!" I do not feel surprised because London is far away from Shanghai. It is logical that Asian news will only occasionally come up on their topics of interest.

The 2010 Expo is expecting 70,000,000 visitors. In other words, there will only be a handful of people in the world having the chance to visit the Expo site. That is the reason supporting my initiation of a blog in sharing my Expo experience. I am proud of being one of the visitors. I hope that more people will be sharing this important event. World expositions record human wisdoms. Let's imagine. If people visiting the first world exposition in 1851 had written down their personal experiences, we would have surely understood more about the event. In those days, people recorded things by painting pictures. The to-day technology has allowed us to record things lively in various ways. Why can't we squeeze a little bit of our time to write something? Although there is an official Expo website, it is good to hear from the voices of visitors. 

Did China participate in the first Expo in 1851? The answer is yes because from an oil painting we find a Chinese standing among the participants. According to his dresses, we understand that he is a government official. This invaluable painting, which is originally stored in the Victoria and Albert Museum of London, is now being displayed in Shanghai. After the exhibition, it will get back to London. Will you take this opportunity to see the picture? It is now being exhibited in the World Exposition Museum at Zone D of the Shanghai Expo. No photographing is allowed.