Hanoi Exhibition

The Hanoi Exhibition (Exposition de Hanoi) was a world's fair held in Hanoi in then French Indochina between November 16, 1902, and February 15 or 16, 1903.

Context
Hanoi had become the capital of French Indochina earlier in 1902 replacing Saigon. Earlier activities to mark the change included a festival on 26 February 1902 attended by emperor Thành Thái and the governor general Paul Doumer and the opening of the Paul Doumer (now Long Biên) Bridge. The exhibition was the idea of Paul Doumer.

Grand Palais de l'Exposition


The site of the fair was the racecourse established in the early 1890s, and its main building was the Grand Palais de l'Exposition (Nhà Đấu xảo) designed by Adolphe Bussy.

The preparation for the fair, especially the construction of the exhibition palace, left Hanoi's budget in deficit for a decade.

When the Japanese took over Vietnam, they based their military and supply in the palace. Later, air raids at the end of World War II completely destroyed the building.

The modern site of the palace now stands the Friendship Cultural Palace (Cung Văn hoá Hữu nghị), a concert venue in southern Hoàn Kiếm District.

Participation
The fair showed products from France and her colonies, and from other territories in Southeast Asia:, Burma, Ceylon, China, Dutch Indies, Formosa (now Taiwan), French Indo-China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Malacca, the Philippines, Siam and Singapore.

Exhibits
As well as country displays there was a machine gallery, a La Grand Roue amusement ride, and art in the French Section of Fine Arts including work by Carolus-Duran.