Marketing the 1938 British Empire Exhibition

This Knowledge Catalyst project aimed to preserve the educational wealth and value of 'The British Empire Exhibition', first displayed in 1938 as an international showcase of the British Empire. Its focus on modernist pavilions and palaces are of particular architectural interest. In 2005 Glasgow School of Art secured funding to digitise the exhibition and preserve its important architectural and historical merit, but its physical preservation has relied upon the charitable organisation 'House for an Art Lover 2', who have kindly displayed research materials on the original site. This project aims to increase visitor numbers for 'The British Empire Exhibition' and to make enough money, with the sale of publications and souvenirs, to preserve the exhibition.

James Richardson, a recent design graduate, helped to turn some of the exhibition's expert knowledge into saleable items and transferred academic expertise to leaflets, teaching material and a sixty-page book on the exhibition, all to be used and sold on site. A half-day seminar was arranged to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Exhibition's opening and members of the public were invited to attend alongside researchers and experts, and to discuss the exhibition and its history. Subsequently an expert was invited to give a lecture on the subject at the Royal Institute of Architects in Scotland and hence increased the exhibition's standing. Post-cards and tie-pins helped increase revenue and as a result of the project the exhibition managed to target new audiences, increase visitor numbers and increase its revenue. The British Empire Exhibition has been successfully preserved.