Great Exhibition of 1851 Events

Snap a photo against one of our large-scale backdrops and take home a memory of your own Festival day!

Invent, draw and print playful, imaginary machines which you can take home or exhibit with Royal College of Art graduate Tamsin Loxley.

Become a curator for the day with Assemblage Collective! In this hands-on workshop, you’ll design your very own miniature exhibition by crafting and designing a paper concertina.

A bold and thought-provoking artwork exploring Imperial College London's history and heritage.

Explore hidden stories from the Great Exhibition of 1851 through a textile art installation created by our Young Producers.

Watch a giant sand sculpture of the iconic Crystal Palace take shape across the festival weekend—presented by the Museum of Architecture.

Discover the beautiful Royal Parks at the top of Exhibition Road and their instrumental role in hosting the Great Exhibition of 1851.

The Great Exhibition of 1851 was the largest public event in its history, hosting 100,000 exhibits inside a giant Crystal Palace. But how should we reflect on its legacy 175 years later?

Doodle along as architects and engineers explore how modern design, values and science could shape a 21st century Crystal Palace.