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Today is exactly 175 years since the Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations opened in Hyde Park in 1851

More simply referred to as ‘the Great Exhibition’, the event drew 6 million visitors (equivalent to one third of Britain’s population at the time) to see over 100,000 exhibits that showcased industrial and technological progress from around the world, housed in the Crystal Palace. The profits and legacy of the Great Exhibition made South Kensington the cultural district that it is today, which in turn is how the Great Exhibition Road Festival – and even Imperial itself – exists. 

As Imperial’s flagship public engagement event, the Festival is a free annual celebration of science and the arts that attracts over 50,000 visitors each summer to South Kensington. Visitors can expect hands-on workshops, fascinating talks, performances and installations. As part of that original cultural district, Imperial leads the Festival in collaboration with iconic museums, research and culture organisations in and around Exhibition Road, including the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, the Royal Parks, V&A and many more. 

At this year’s Festival, as well as the usual displays of innovative science and inspiring art, there will be From walking tours to craft workshops, visitors can get well and truly stuck in to the history of the first ‘World Fair of Nations’. A highlight of the programme is , a panel talk in which leading archivists and historians will transport the audience back inside the Crystal Palace to explore what was on show, what was excluded and how these decisions link to Imperial ambitions that exploited and suppressed people from the wider world. 

As we walk in to attend these sessions, the route takes you past so many of the institutions that sprang from the Great Exhibition, like Imperial or the Natural History Museum. Learning more about the area makes you feel much more like you're part of the fabric of it, weaving yourself through that history as you walk through it. The Great Exhibition is linked to so much that happens today. Young Producer

is back again for this year’s Festival, in which a group of 18-25 year olds connected the local area of the Kensington and Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham or Westminster get paid experience in co-producing an experience for young people at the Festival. This year, the Young Producers are tackling the Great Exhibition head on, exploring the often-overlooked stories of people and communities from the global majority whose labour, knowledge and cultures shaped the Great Exhibition, even though their voices and experiences were not recognised in 1851. 

Allair, one of the Young Producers behind , recently took to the airwaves on Portobello Radio to talk about her experience of co-curating the display. She was joined by Dr Jen Wallis, historian and Senior Teaching Fellow at ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, who provided a detailed history of the Great Exhibition itself.

When reflecting on the project, another one of the Young Producers said: "a lot of the facts about the Great Exhibition and the Victorian era just aren't presented to you in British schools. Here, we get a different perspective when talking about the British Empire: we look at it from the colonies' perspective, which isn't really what we did in our education."

While this year’s Festival is taking inspiration from its roots, it’s also very much looking forward to the future of science and art in South Kensington. Among the programmed events are talks on , , and  

While everything at the Festival is completely free, many of the talks and events are ticketed. The best way to stay on track of ticket releases is to register to receive Festival updates delivered straight to your inbox.

And if you’re a student or staff member at Imperial who is interested in seeing the Festival from up close, you’ve still got time to register as a volunteer. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, learn about the incredible research happening across Imperial and have an interesting day out. 

Click here to visit our volunteering information page, and download our guide  to find out if it’s for you. Interested? Make sure to sign up by Friday 15 May (the earlier you sign up for shifts, the more say you’ll have in which zone you’re placed in or the type of activity you’ll support).