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1906 Milan
| Name: | Milan International |
| Dates: | 28 Apr – 11 Nov 1906 |
| Days: | 198 days |
| Venue: | Sempione Park and Piazza d’Armi 100 ha (247 acres) |
| Theme: | Transport |
| Exhibitors: | 27,000 from 49 countries and 2 colonies |
| Awards: | |
| Visitors: | Sources range from 4,012,776 to10,000,000 – tickets 1 lira |
| Legacy: | 13m lira costs ($2.5m) with 2m lira losses |
Milan has always presented itself as the northern industrial capital of Italy. This event’s full name was L’Esposizione Internazionale del Sempione, but it was also referred to as the ‘Great Expo at Work’ and also the ‘Nautical and Overland Transportation’ event.
Most significantly the event marked the opening of the 19km (12m) Simplon railway tunnel through the Alps from Milan into Switzerland, it was formally opened on 10 May 1906 by the Italian king, Victor Emmanuel II, and the Swiss president.
This event used Milan’s first fair ground, Sempione Park. The Parco Real housed the fine art displays (which included clothing, furniture, silks…) while the Piazza d’Armi hosted the industrial and engineering exhibits, and the foreign pavilions. An elevated railway linked these locations. The Piazza d’Armi site pavilions were linked by a petroleum-powered tramway, created by Fiat.
In all some 120 purpose-built buildings were used for the event, including a Motor Car building, claimed as the first worldwide. On 3 Aug 1906 a fire destroyed the Decorative Arts and Architecture pavilion losing all its exhibits, however, a rebuilt pavilion was operating within a month.
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There were over 27,000 exhibitors representing 49 countries and two colonies. Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Persia, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Salvador, Serbia (Montenegro), Siam, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Peru, Turkey, Uruguay, United States and Venezuela. Colonies were India (GB) and Tunisia (Fr).
Event attractions included Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, the Streets of Cairo feature, automobile parades, tethered balloon rides, Pope Pius IX’s railway carriage, embrodery featured heavily on all manner of products…
The event had two main legacies. The International Commission on Occupational Health was founded at the event and the Milan Aquarium was built for the show. Both are extant, the aquarium now part of th Museum of Natural History, Milan.
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