Dark parallel worlds
The supposedly 'high-tech' and the 'primitive' not only sat side-by-side at World's Exhibitions, they were also combined.
Displays for visitors were as much aimed as a sort of carnival as they were as a means of seeing the world all in one place. At the Paris Exhibition in 1900, special underground displays led visitors into dark mysterious realms.
One of these displays showed wonders of ancient civilizations and the natural world, including dinosaurs. Another 'underground world' seemed to reconstruct a complete gold mine from South Africa, showing off both the high technology of display as well as the hard work (and primitive conditions) of the workers in European colonies.
How to cite this page
Alexander Badenoch, 'Dark parallel worlds', Inventing Europe, http://www.inventingeurope.eu/story/dark-parallel-worlds