What Was the Paris Exposition (1889)?

The Exposition Universelle of 1889 celebrated the French Revolution's centennial with a six-month showcase of industry, technology, art, and design on 96 hectares in Champ-de-Mars and Trocadéro. Highlights:

• Eiffel Tower (Gustave Eiffel) – became France's symbol
• Crystal Palace, Gallery of Machines, Exposition Park
• First all-electric building (Palace of Electricity)
• First public cinematography (kinetoscope)

~32 million visitors; 25 million paid admissions. The Eiffel Tower alone recouped its cost many times over and earned profit for investors.