Great Exhibition (1851)
The Great Exhibition was the brainchild of Queen Victoria’s consort, Prince Albert, who envisioned an event to celebrate the glories of the British Empire. The country was currently leading the world in virtually everything – both industrially, militarily and economically.
Crystal Palace, Hyde Park
The Great Exhibition was held in a specially commissioned ‘Crystal Palace’ on the northern-edge of Hyde Park, and opened on the 1st May. The building was an achievement in itself, designed by Joseph Paxton in less than ten days. It went from plans to fruition in just nine short months.
It was 1848 feet long and 454 feet wide, and can best be described as a glorified greenhouse – held together by a web of iron rails.
British Empire exhibition
The Crystal Palace housed about 13,000 exhibits from the British Empire, attracting 6 million visitors. It portrayed everything from kitchen equipment to steel-making displays. Inventions from all over the Commonwealth were gathered together and draped in the British banner; with monumental examples of empire architecture, from Ancient Egypt to India.
Musical concerts were given on the world’s largest organ, and musicians, tightrope walkers and escapologists all shared space with pet performances involving cats, dogs and pigeons. It even had an air-show, and the nation’s first-ever motor show!
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Outside in the park there was a magnificent set of water fountains, with over 12,000 jets spraying forth foam to 250-feet. Statues were erected all over, many of which were copies of the world’s most famous – the likes of which still exist in the V&A’s Cast Room.
The park also contained the world’s first-ever attempt at building life-size dinosaurs.
Profits from the Great Exhibition
The profits from the event totalled £186,000, which funded some of London’s finest museums – the Science Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum all got built from proceeds.
The Royal Albert Hall also benefited, as did the area south side of Kensington Gardens (now known as the Albertopolis).
End of the Crystal Palace
After the event was over, the Crystal Palace was moved to Sydenham Hill in South London, where it sadly burnt down on the 30th November 1936.
Historical pictures
The Great Exhibition, 1851
Inside the Great Exhibition
Crystal Palace, Great Exhibition
Inside the Crystal Palace
The Crystal Palace, in Hyde Park
