International celebrations hosted by American cities (and American participation abroad) has highlighted the growing strength of the nation and significant visions for the future.

Chicago, IL’s World’s Columbian Exposition (1893) shifted American urbanism towards the planned City Beautiful, while the 1939 New York World’s Fair (controlled by Robert Moses) foreshadowed technological shifts to follow the Second World War.

Later, while Seattle (1962) focused on science and the 1964–5 New York World’s Fair introduced exciting futuristic visions and Disney audio-animatronics, other fairs have been seen as economic and urbanistic failures (Knoxville, Tennessee, 1982; New Orleans, LA, 1984); enthusiasm shifted towards the Olympic media stage. American participation abroad has produced notable buildings but it, too, has lacked enthusiastic government and corporate support, especially in Brussels (1958) when exhibits treated America’s social problems. Subsequent exhibits abroad have stressed space and technology as well as innovative design like Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic dome for Montreal (1968).