Road to the Olympics:
Inviting the World to London: from the Great Exhibition to the 2012 Olympics

The 2012 Olympics and Paralympics will be the latest in a succession of international festivals hosted by London, each of which has left a distinct legacy. 15,000 athletes from over 200 countries are expected. In the longer term the 2012 games will drive the regeneration of an industrial wasteland, the Lea River Valley. New housing and leisure facilities aim to provide a benchmark for 21st century urban living.

In 1851 the Great Exhibition was the first international trade and industry fair, a demonstration of Britain’s industrial prowess, but also a showcase of more traditional skills. Its success provided finance to set up major museums in South Kensington.

In 1908 London hosted the 4th Olympic games alongside the Anglo-French exhibition. The best organised games to this point, the dramatic conclusion to the Marathon brought the Olympics to worldwide notice.

The British Empire Exhibition showed off cultures of the Empire and its staging in north London was a boost for Metroland, new suburbs opened up by rail and tube. Wembley stadium was built for the exhibition and was the main arena for the 1948 Olympics. The ‘Austerity Games’ saw international sport return after the war, and was the last time a cultural Olympics was held. The Festival of Britain, 1951, also provided colour to the drabness of post-war Britain.