Expositions
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Smithsonian participated in numerous international world’s fairs and expositions. The Panama-Pacific Exposition of 1915 held in San Francisco, California, was intended celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, as well as to illustrate the function and administrative faculty of the Government of the United States, and to demonstrate the nature and growth of its institutions, their adaptation to the wants of the people, and the progress of the nation in the arts of peace and war. It also marked the city of San Francisco’s recovery from the devastating earthquake of 1906. The Smithsonian Institution contributed an exhibit to the exposition focusing primarily on ethnology.
These postcards are only a small sample of the postcards the Archives has from the Panama-Pacific Exposition. More can be found in Record Unit 70 – Smithsonian Institution, Exposition Records of the Smithsonian Institution and the United States National Museum, 1867-1940, Box 87, Folder: 9A.
Color postcard welcoming “the world” to San Francisco, the city of the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition. A circular motif is on the top portion of the card, comprised of many different images symbolizing American identity and progress. The postcard honors the American workman: “California honors the American workman and immortalizes the year 1915.” The postcard is unused. 1915, Exposition Pub. Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Box 87, Folder: 9A, Negative Numbers SIA2012-2560 (front) and SIA2012-2561 (back).
Black and white postcard with a night view of the Palace of Horticulture from the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The palace is brightly lit, and its reflection is visible in the water in the foreground of the postcard. The postcard is numbered “X-51” in the bottom right-hand corner on the front. The postcard is unused. 1915, Pacific Novelty Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Box 87, Folder: 9A, Negative Numbers SIA2012-2840 (front) and SIA2012-2841 (back).
Color postcard from the Panama-Pacific Exposition with a woman and a bear. The woman is wearing a red dress. The bear is walking on all fours, attached to the woman with a “leash” made of orange flowers. The city of San Francisco is in the background of the postcard. The front of the postcard has a red border. The postcard is unused, and it is numbered “15-5” in the bottom right-hand corner on the front. 1915, Exposition Pub. Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Box 87, Folder: 9A, Negative Numbers SIA2012-3554 (front) and SIA2012-3555 (back).
Color postcard of the Great South Gardens from the Panama Pacific Exposition. A fountain is in the middle of the square, and the square is crowded with people. A building with red ornaments towers on the left side of the image. The postcard is unused, and it is numbered “X-158” in the bottom right-hand corner on the front. 1915, Pacific Novelty Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Box 87, Folder: 9A, Negative Numbers SIA2012-3556 (front) and SIA2012-3557 (back).
Color postcard of the Palace of Fine Arts from the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The palace is cream-colored and water is in front of it. A domed structure of the palace is in the center of the image. The postcard is numbered “X-153” in the bottom right-hand corner on the front. The postcard is unused. 1915, Pacific Novelty Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Box 87, Folder: 9A, Negative Numbers SIA2012-7597 (front) and SIA2012-7598 (back).
Color postcard of the Tower of Jewels at night from the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The palace is illuminated, and bright light is radiating from behind it in red, white, and blue colors. The palace’s reflection is visible below it. The Tower of Jewels rose to 435 feet and was covered with over 100,000 cut glass Novagems. The 3⁄4 to 2 inch colored "gems" sparkled in sunlight throughout the day and were illuminated by over 50 powerful electrical searchlights at night. The postcard is numbered “X-141” in the bottom right-hand corner on the front. The postcard is unused. 1915, Pacific Novelty Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Box 87, Folder: 9A, Negative Numbers SIA2012-7599 (front) and SIA2012-7600 (back).
Color postcard of the Palace of Horticulture illuminated at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The palace is brightly lit, with a rainbow of light radiating from behind it. The palace has red roofing and green domes. The postcard is numbered “X-162” in the bottom right-hand corner on the front. The postcard is unused. 1915, Pacific Novelty Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Box 87, Folder: 9A, Negative Numbers SIA2012-7601 (front) and SIA2012-7602 (back).
Grayscale postcard of the Tower of Jewels illuminated at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The palace is brightly lit, and light is radiating from behind it. The reflection of the palace is visible below it in the water. The postcard is numbered “X-49” in the bottom right-hand corner on the front. The postcard is unused. 1915, Pacific Novelty Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Box 87, Folder: 9A, Negative Numbers SIA2012-7603 (front) and SIA2012-7604 (back).
Grayscale postcard of a 235-foot tall aeroscope at the Panama Pacific Exposition. The aeroscope is towering above the ground and leaning to the left. Three people are standing on the ground observing the aeroscope. The postcard is numbered “X-73” in the bottom right-hand corner on the front. The postcard is unused. 1915, Pacific Novelty Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Box 87, Folder: 9A, Negative Numbers SIA2012-7605 (front) and SIA2012-7606 (back).
Color postcard of opening day at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. A massive fountain, the Fountain of Energy, dominates the center of the image. The foundation is surrounded by an enormous crowd of people. A series of arches is behind the fountain, with the city of San Francisco rising in the background. The postcard is numbered “X-160” in the bottom right-hand corner on the front. The postcard is unused. 1915, Pacific Novelty Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Box 87, Folder: 9A, Negative Numbers SIA2012-7607 (front) and SIA2012-7608 (back).
Grayscale postcard with an aerial view of the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The water beyond the city has many ships in it, and mountains rise in the background. The postcard is numbered “E18” in the bottom right-hand corner on the front. The postcard is unused. 1915, Pacific Novelty Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Box 87, Folder: 9A, Negative Numbers SIA2012-7609 (front) and SIA2012-7610 (back).
Grayscale postcard with a view from outside the Panama-Pacific Exposition. The view overlooks houses and buildings to the Exposition, where the Tower of Jewels is rising in the center of the postcard. The dome of the Palace of Horticulture is on the left. A large tree overhangs the left side of the view. The postcard is numbered “X-41” in the bottom right-hand corner on the front. The postcard is unused. 1915, Pacific Novelty Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Box 87, Folder: 9A, Negative Numbers SIA2012-7611 (front) and SIA2012-7612 (back).
Grayscale postcard of the Massachusetts Building at the Panama-Pacific Exposition. A large group of people is on the steps of the building, lined up for the picture. People are also on the balconies of the building. The postcard is numbered “57” in the bottom right-hand corner on the front. The postcard is unused. 1915, Pacific Novelty Co., Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 70, Box 87, Folder: 9A, Negative Numbers SIA2012-7613 (front) and SIA2012-7614 (back).