In Search of Tomorrowland
by Dr. Anthony Paustian
Author of A Quarter Million Steps
Chair, 2020 International Space Development Conference
National Space Society
REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION
©2019 Anthony D. Paustian
Whenever I visit Chicago, my favorite attraction is the Museum of Science and Industry. The beautiful, massive building the museum calls home was once called the Palace of Fine Arts, and is now the last remaining structure of the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition that was held there in 1893. World’s Fairs (or Expositions and Exhibitions, as they were also called) were long, multi-month events popular from 1851 to the 1960s. In a single location, they showcased and celebrated the world’s new technologies and inventions, scientific advancements, cultural contributions in art, and astonishing curiosities. They combined the enterprise of a trade show with the atmosphere of a carnival, which produced an effect that not only entertained, enlightened, and inspired, but also marked seismic shifts in society.
Pe…
Author of A Quarter Million Steps
Chair, 2020 International Space Development Conference
National Space Society
REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION
©2019 Anthony D. Paustian
Whenever I visit Chicago, my favorite attraction is the Museum of Science and Industry. The beautiful, massive building the museum calls home was once called the Palace of Fine Arts, and is now the last remaining structure of the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition that was held there in 1893. World’s Fairs (or Expositions and Exhibitions, as they were also called) were long, multi-month events popular from 1851 to the 1960s. In a single location, they showcased and celebrated the world’s new technologies and inventions, scientific advancements, cultural contributions in art, and astonishing curiosities. They combined the enterprise of a trade show with the atmosphere of a carnival, which produced an effect that not only entertained, enlightened, and inspired, but also marked seismic shifts in society.
Pe…