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Expo 67: Pavilions of the superpowers

Broadcast Date: May 8, 1967

Two of the biggest Expo 67 pavilions are those of the superpowers: the United States and the Soviet Union. Standing like glowering sentries across the channel from each other, these architectural wonders vie for top spot on Expo visitors' itineraries. The giant ski slope of the USSR pavilion celebrates the theme "Everything in the Name of Man, for the Benefit of Man." The 75-metre geodesic bubble of the U.S. pavilion is a celebration of "Creative America."
More on Expo 67

Expo 67: Pavilions of the superpowers

• The 20-storey American pavilion was the busiest at Expo, with more than five million visitors. Its six inner floors were dedicated to "the positive use of creative energy" in the United States. The building was designed by architect and philosopher Buckminster Fuller, who dedicated it to his wife Anne as they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at Expo.

• In 1976 the acrylic skin of the dome caught fire and burned away. The pavilion was abandoned until June 6, 1995 (World Environment Day) when it reopened as Biosphere, a multimedia museum dedicated to the preservation of the St. Lawrence River ecosystem.

• 1967 was the 50th anniversary of the Soviet state. Its pavilion had large glass and aluminum walls supporting a huge curved roof. The focus was on "Earth, Sea, and Sky." The interior exhibits, dominated by a giant bust of Lenin, celebrated domestic technological progress and the success of their space program.

Expo 67: Pavilions of the superpowers

Medium: Television

Program: CBC Television News

Broadcast Date: May 8, 1967

Reporter: Terry Hargreaves

Duration: 2:00

Last updated:
March 20, 2008