If you’ve ever ridden an elevator, zipped a jacket, watched IMAX, or tapped a touchscreen, you’ve experienced the legacy of a World’s Fair—whether you knew it or not. In this episode of Matters of Experience, hosts Abby and Brenda Cowan welcome Charles Pappas, one of the world’s leading authorities on World Expos, to uncover how these massive, temporary gatherings quietly shaped everyday life.
From the Crystal Palace of 1851 London to Dubai, Osaka, and beyond, Charles traces the evolution of World’s Fairs through what he calls three eras: products, progress, and panic. Along the way, he reveals how expos introduced groundbreaking technologies, redefined optimism during global crises, and now confront urgent environmental challenges. The conversation explores why these events function as powerful engines of cultural exchange, national identity, and human connection—something no digital platform can fully replace.
With vivid stories about iconic monuments like the Eiffel Tower, immersive pavilion design, and moments of pure serendipity, this episode is a love letter to shared, in-person experience—and a compelling argument for why the World Expo still matters today.