| The Great Exhibition took place in Hyde Park from the 1st of May to the 15th of October 1851. It was an overwhelming success. Six million people visited the exhibition, simply staggering given the fact that at that time it was equivalent to one third of the entire population of Great Britain. Especially considering the relatively undeveloped transport system at the time!
The Great Exhibition could never have been the success it was without the tremendous support of Prince Albert. It was housed in what became known as The Crystal Palace, designed by Joseph Paxton and, astonishingly, the huge construction went from the drawing board to being ready to open in just nine months. Without it what is today known as Crystal Palace might not exist. After the Great Exhibition, the huge glass structure was dismantled and rebuilt in Sydenham, South London.
Incredibly, not only was the Great Exhibition an unmitigated success, it also made a profit, enough to build the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum. Compare that with the Millennium Dome! |
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