The 1904 World’s Fair Exhibit

The 1904 World’s Fair was a fascinating yet complex event that continues to evoke a range of emotions. It was grand and shameful. It was full of fun and full of indignity. Now, 120 years after it opened in St. Louis, the 1904 World’s Fair exhibit at the Missouri History Museum will reintroduce audiences to the fair and its legacy.

Boasting multicultural exhibitions and architectural marvels, which spanned almost 1,200 acres of Forest Park, the 1904 World’s Fair (also known as the Louisiana Purchase Exposition) was truly larger than life. Twenty million people attended this pivotal event in St. Louis history – one that continues to attract both awe and criticism more than a century later.

Today, the World’s Fair has taken on an almost mythical significance. In this revamped exhibit, artifacts, images and maps will illustrate a more complete picture, showing what it was like from different perspectives: the organizers, the visitors, the workers – both those who came to St. Louis voluntarily and those who were forced.

It will re-examine the complexity of the fair in ways that will make this story feel new again. Learn about the fair as a construction site, as an arena, as a representation of empire, as an amusement park and so much more.