Displaying Edinburgh in 1886: the International Exhibition of Industry, Science and Art
View/ Open
Smith2015.doc (26.25Mb)
Date
30/06/2015Item status
Restricted AccessAuthor
Smith, George Wilson
Metadata
Abstract
The International Exhibition of Industry, Science and Art held in Edinburgh in 1886 was
the first universal international exhibition to be staged in Scotland. This thesis examines the
event as a reflection of the character and social structure of its host city and as an example
of the voluntary organisation of an ambitious project. The background to the Exhibition is
located in the progress of large-scale exhibitions in Victorian Britain, in competition
between cities, and in Edinburgh’s distinction as an administrative and cultural centre and a
national capital. The Exhibition’s organisers are situated within the city’s networks of power
and influence and its circles of commerce, industry and municipal government. The space
created to host the Exhibition is examined as an ideal depiction of Edinburgh as both a
modern and a historic city. The origins of the exhibitors populating the Exhibition space are
analysed, and their motivations and exhibiting strategies are scrutinised. The composition of
the visitors to the Exhibition is considered and the development of the event as a venue for
popular entertainment and spectacular display is discussed. In conclusion the chaotic
aftermath of the project is examined, together with its influence on subsequent British
exhibitions.