In 1851, the first “Great Exhibition” was held in London England to showcase what cultural gems the worlds nations had to offer. It was organized by the husband of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and a civil servant, Henry Cole (also the inventor of the Christmas card).
Inspired by the previous expositions held in France to showcase France’s inventions, technology and cultural legacy, England decided to do something similar on a grander scale, as England has the tendency to do. Instead of showcasing only the works of the English, the exhibition included exhibits from all over the world (though its primary focus were the achievements of Britain and its colonies).
While it was a celebration of achievements, it was also a message to the rest of the world that Britain was to remain the industrial centre of the universe. It was also a show of stability and hope, as Europe had just emerged from a period of economic and social instability and upheaval.
Anyone lucky enough to be able to attend got to see the finest in modern technology (for 1851), which included everyday processes unveiled in a way the general public had never seen before, such as the process of turning cotton to fabric, or viewing raw materials prior to their use for making machinery and other items.
All of the exhibits were held in a large glass building, named the Crystal Palace, which was built specially for the exhibition. It was similar in structure to a large greenhouse, as the designer, Joseph Paxton, had a lot of experience with them. The building was almost 2000 ft long and almost 500 ft wide. Thankfully it was large, as over the course of the exhibition being open between May and October of 1851, over 6 million people visited, from all around the world. The gross income for the exhibition was approximately £180,000 (~$300,000 CAD), which when adjusted for inflation, is over £18,000,000 (~$30,000,000 CAD). Manufacturers created stereoscope cards of the event which allowed people to view the exhibition without having gone.
References:
https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Great-Exhibition-of-1851/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Exhibition
https://www.bl.uk/victorian-britain/articles/the-great-exhibition