ABSTRACT

On a fine morning in May 1851, London’s first international exhibition of works of art and industry threw open its doors to the public. The Crystal Palace, a glass-walled building resembling a giant greenhouse, sprawled over 18 acres in Hyde Park. Inside, a dizzying array of manufactured goods, machines, and raw materials invited visitors to take stock of participating countries’ mineral resources and innovations in design and technology. The famous Koh-i-Noor diamond, which the British East India Company had recently presented to Queen Victoria, occupied a central showcase.