The New York Crystal Palace Exhibition

Early American fairs drew inspiration from European counterparts, but their impact was limited.

The Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations, also known as the New York Crystal Palace Exhibition, in 1853-54, mirrored London's Great Exhibition but faced low attendance and financial loss. After this setback, it took over 20 years for another major exposition to occur in the United States.

The structure caught fire during the annual fair of the American Institute. The 2,000 people in the building were evacuated by New York fire fighters. Ironically, the building which was called “fireproof,” burnt to the ground in less than thirty minutes.