PanAmerican Exposition - curator Leilani Yoshioka

Summary of PanAmerican Exposition:

On November 2nd, 1901, the lights went out at the Pan-American Exposition for the final time ("The Pan-American Exposition"). Recorded at having over 8 million visitors, the buildings were all demolished-- buried underneath the land it once stood. While the Expo was a cultural success, it barely broke even financially with a gross income of $50 million.

This was why I wanted to tell this story about the Pan-American Exposition; because there is so much of it we do not know. Buffalo is in a precarious position right now; being blamed for destroying landmarks and places of architectural wonders, Buffalo is fighting to preserve its history and past. Although the site of the Exposition is still there in the heart of the city, rows of houses lie over what was once the Midway, the Electric Tower, the Temple of Music and the Ethnology Building. No other building aside from the New York State Building, the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, survived the demolition in 1901. Markers, rusted and wearing, are the only remembrance of such a remarkable event.

About the Curator:

Leilani Yoshioka. Buffalo, NY, United States. Hello, I am a 25 year old student in my last semester at college. I can't wait to graduate! Afterward, I hope to continue my education in Museum Studies. In the meantime, I work in retail as well as a part-time job bookkeeping.