The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations (commonly referred to as The Great Exhibition) was the first World's Fair, held in London’s Hyde Park from May 1 to October 15, 1851. Organized by Prince Albert and other members of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), the Great Exhibition celebrated Great Britain's industrial and technological achievements, epitomized by the Crystal Palace, a 990,000-square foot edifice of cast-iron and glass in which the exhibition was held. This series consists of a single item, a special issue of the newspaper

The Centennial International Exposition was the first World’s Fair held in the United States. Commemorating the centennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, hosted the Centennial Exposition from May 10 to October 10, 1876. Boasting 250 separate pavilions, the Exposition showcased the United States' scientific and technological innovations, achievements in art and culture, and advancements in trade and industry accomplished during its short history. This series comprises ephemera, albumen prints, and realia souvenirs, including a trade card and five wooden Centennial Medals depicting various Exposition buildings.

The World Cotton Centennial commemorated the centennial of the earliest record of a shipment of cotton exported from the United States in 1784. New Orleans, Louisiana, served as a major hub of the cotton industry in the United States, including the Cotton Exchange (1871-1964). This series comprises one weaving of an unidentified building.

The World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was held in Chicago, Illinois, from May 1 to October 30, 1893, to commemorate the four-hundredth anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in North America in 1492. Several leading architects were responsible for the design of exhibition buildings, including George B. Post, Sophia Hayden, Charles McKim, and Richard Morris Hunt. The Columbian Exposition was the first World's Fair to include a separate amusement area, called the Midway Plaisance, which featured the world's first Ferris wheel, which had been an attempt to outdo the Eiffel Tower, the centerpiece of the Paris World’s Fair of 1889. The Exposition also showcased the city's progress since its devastation by the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. The bulk of collection comprises material from the Columbian Exposition and contains advertisements, trade cards, invitations, programs, contracts, a scrapbook, photographic prints, and realia souvenirs, including a silk scarf, weavings, and a stereoscope.

The Pan-American Exposition was held in Buffalo, New York, from May 1 to November 2, 1901. The Exposition showcased Buffalo's role as a center of industry, due mainly to its hydroelectric power and proximity to Niagara Falls. On September 6, 1901, President William McKinley was assassinated outside of the Temple of Music, an event that invariably cast a pall over the remaining month of the Fair. This series consists of two postcards, one a publicity postcard detailing achievements and costs of the Fair, and another showing a map of several exhibition buildings.

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, held in St. Louis, Missouri, commemorated the hundredth anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase (one year late). From April 30 to December 1, 1904, the Exposition attracted approximately 20 million visitors. This series consists of a costume fan that depicts an illustration of the land acquired through the Louisiana Purchase and a map of the fairgrounds.

Held in San Francisco, California, the Panama-Pacific International Exposition celebrated the completion of the Panama Canal and the four-hundredth anniversary of the discovery of the Pacific Ocean by the explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa. This series comprises two souvenir felt pennants.

The 1939 New York World’s Fair has been touted as the last of the great American World’s Fairs. One of the most popular American fairs, the Fair attracted nearly 45 million visitors between its two season with themes of unlimited progress through technology and an idealized American family. This series contains ten black-and-white photographs depicting various Fair buildings and structures, including the Trylon and Perisphere, the Lagoon of Nations (Italian Pavilion, French Pavilion, Soviet Pavilion), the Court of Peace, the Ford Building and the General Motors Building.

Held on the same site as the 1939 New York World’s Fair, the 1964 Fair was not recognized by the Bureau International des Exposition, leading to a lack of participation from major World’s Fair players such as Canada, the Soviet Union, Australia, and various European countries. The Fair showcased a variety of mid-twentieth-century technologies, including space exploration, then in its infancy, and animatronics designed by The Walt Disney Company. This series comprises one souvenir metal dish that depicts an illustration of the Unisphere.

Canada’s first World’s Fair, Expo 67 celebrated the centennial of the confederation of Canada in 1867. Hosting 62 participating countries, the Expo attracted approximately 50 million visitors. This series consists of a ticket order form contained in an issue of