# Canonical recap data for 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle (1900)
# Source: https://recap.at/1900/paris-exposition-1900
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: paris-exposition-1900
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1900/paris-exposition-1900"
title: 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle
aliases:
- Exposition Universelle of 1900
- 1900 Paris World's Fair
- Paris Universal Exposition
- Belle Époque Exposition
subtitle: The Belle Époque world's fair showcased technological marvels and modernist ambitions while introducing cinema to mass audiences.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1900-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 1900
decade: 1900
country:
name: France
slug: france
summaryShort: The Exposition Universelle of 1900, better known in English as the 1900 Paris Exposition, was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from 14 April to 12 November 1900, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next. It was the sixth of ten major expositions held in the city
summaryLong: The Exposition Universelle of 1900, better known in English as the 1900 Paris Exposition, was a world's fair held in Paris, France, from 14 April to 12 November 1900, to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next. It was the sixth of ten major expositions held in the city between 1855 and 1937. It was held at the esplanade of Les Invalides, the Champ de Mars, the Trocadéro and at the banks of the Seine between them, with an additional section in the Bois de Vincennes, and it was visited by more than fifty million people. Many international congresses and other events were held within the framework of the exposition, including the 1900 Summer Olympics.
lede: Paris hosted a massive world's fair from April to November 1900 that drew millions of visitors to showcase technological marvels, colonial conquests, and artistic achievements of the industrial age. The Exposition Universelle was designed to celebrate the closing of the 19th century and project European dominance into the 20th. It became one of the defining cultural events of the Belle Époque, leaving behind architectural landmarks like the Grand Palais that still stand today.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/L%27Exposition_de_Paris%2C_LDUT1210%283%29%283%29.jpg/1280px-L%27Exposition_de_Paris%2C_LDUT1210%283%29%283%29.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "Exposition Universelle (1900)"
importance: 85
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Duration
  value: April 14 to November 12, 1900
- label: Attendance
  value: Over 50 million visitors
- label: Exposition number in Paris
  value: Sixth of ten major expositions held in the city
- label: Primary exhibition dates
  value: 183 days
- label: Major permanent structures built
  value: Grand Palais, Petit Palais, Pont Alexandre III
- label: Countries represented
  value: Approximately 83 nations
- label: Exhibition area
  value: Approximately 2,160 acres (875 hectares)
timeline:
- date: 1898-01-01
  title: Planning and site selection
  description: French government designates the Champs-Élysées, Invalides, and Trocadéro areas as the primary exhibition sites after selecting Paris to host the 1900 Exposition.
- date: 1899-10-01
  title: Construction accelerates
  description: Major permanent structures including the Grand Palais and Petit Palais are nearing completion as the opening date approaches.
- date: 1900-04-14
  title: Opening day
  description: The Exposition Universelle opens to the public with President Émile Loubet presiding. Electric lighting and innovative transportation systems demonstrate technological progress.
- date: 1900-07-14
  title: Bastille Day celebration
  description: The exposition marks France's national holiday with special exhibitions and ceremonies, drawing record attendance.
- date: 1900-11-12
  title: Closing ceremony
  description: The Exposition Universelle officially closes after hosting over 50 million visitors and establishing Paris as the cultural center of the Belle Époque.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposition_Universelle_(1900)"
  title: 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
impactStatement: The 1900 Paris Exposition crystallized the optimism and contradictions of the Industrial Age, showcasing everything from electricity and automobiles to ethnographic exhibits that reinforced colonial hierarchies. It attracted over 50 million visitors and left permanent architectural marks on Paris, including the Grand Palais and Petit Palais. The fair demonstrated how world's fairs functioned as vehicles for national prestige, technological propaganda, and the global circulation of ideas—a model that shaped international exhibitions for decades.
categories:
- festival
- tech-launch
metaDescription: Paris's 1900 World's Fair showcased industrial progress and colonial power to 50M+ visitors. April-November 1900.
wikidataQid: Q753646
taxonomy:
domain: cultural
eventTypes:
- convention_expo
canonicalClasses:
- celebration
- creation
impactRadius: global
velocity: gradual
predictability: scheduled
intentionality: planned
domainCoupling: multi_domain
lifecycleClass: growth
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260519205438/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposition_Universelle_%281900%29"
  capturedAt: 2026-05-19
  label: 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposition_Universelle_(1900)"
