Long before tech companies relied on shareholder meetings and cringe-inducing social media posts to flaunt their latest inventions, the World's Fair was the place to put cutting-edge tech on display. Just take a look at all these robots, flying machines and giant cutlery that wowed audiences at these fairs for over a century.
From Civil War veterans marveling at modern tanks to a car entirely made of glass, here are 24 Tony Stark-level inventions that were showcased at World's Fairs.
1
“William Avery Demonstrating Gliding at the 1904 World's Fair - 1904.”
2
“A futuristic grocery shopping trip envisioned at the General Motors Pavilion at the World's Fair, New York in 1964.”
3
“Lois Kendall playing the bass with robot ‘Elektro’ at the 1939 World's Fair in New York.”
4
“‘World's Largest Knife and Fork,’ on display by the Beaver Falls Cutlery Company at the 1876 World's Fair in Philadelphia.”
5
“The railroad pageant on the World's Fair in May 27, 1939.”
6
“1967: The Hostess of the Kaleidoscope Pavilion at Expo 67, the International World's Fair held in Montreal, Canada. It featured 112 colored fins that created the illusion the structure was moving as spectators moved across the grounds.”
7
“The Perisphere, a modernistic structure which was the centerpiece of 1939 New York World's Fair. It was connected to the spire-shaped Trylon by what was at the time the world's longest escalator.”
8
“Exhibition of industrial machinery, World Fair in Paris 1889.”
9
“T.C. Benbow in his 'METEOR' at the 1904 Saint Louis World's Fair - October 25, 1904.”
10
“Two model American warships and operators, photographed at the Naval Show at the Pike during the 1904 World's Fair.”
11
“The Sky Ride at the World's Fair in Chicago 1933.”
12
“Driving Simulators at the 1962 ‘Century 21 Exposition’ World's Fair in Seattle.”
13
“Pontiac's ‘Glass Car’ on display at the 1939 World's Fair in New York.”
14
“RCA introducing television to the world at the 1939 Worlds Fair; president F.D.R was televised dedicating the 1939 Worlds Fair on the screen.”
15
“In 1939, Willis Carrier, the engineer who coined the term “air-conditioning,” holds a thermometer inside a display that demonstrates air-conditioning at the New York World's Fair.”
16
“Dinosaurs on the Hudson being transported by barge to the New York World's fair. 1964.“
17
“France's Airship in Trial Flight at the Palace of Transportation Field at the Saint Louis World's Fair - Saint Louis, Missouri - 1904.”
18
“Building the first Ferris wheel for the Chicago World's Fair in 1893.”
19
“Arriving at Expo 58: the Brussels World’s Fair. The Atomium was the centerpiece and symbol of the fair. Belgium, 1958.”
20
“The futuristic Dreyfuss Streamliner Train, unveiled at the 1939 World's Fair in New York.”
21
“Civil War veterans inspect an M1 Combat Car at the 1939 World's Fair in New York.”
22
AT&T demonstrating their “picturephone,” 1964.
23
A moving walkway at the Chicago World’s Fair, 1893.
24
General Motors flaunts their prototype of a self-driving car, 1964.
