Exposition records of the Smithsonian Institution and the United States National Museum, 1867-1940

After the success of the London Crystal Palace Exposition of 1851, expositions became increasingly popular in both the United States and in Europe. However, serious participation by the United States government did not begin until the International Exposition in Philadelphia, known as the Centennial Exposition of 1876. Government involvement in expositions was authorized by an Act of Congress. The purpose of the government exhibits was to set forth the nature of American institutions and various aspects of the life of the citizenry, and to illustrate the nation's military power. The act usually created a Government Board of Management or Government Exhibit Board, which would be composed of representatives from the executive departments, the Smithsonian, and the United States Fish Commission. This board was in charge of appropriations, organization, preparation, installation, and management of government exhibits. The exposition records of this collection provide an account of the Smithsonian's involvement in United States and foreign expositions. Although the depth of coverage in the records is uneven, they convey much information about Smithsonian participation in expositions, esp