[a] Nowadays, the exposition's sole physical remnant is the Théâtre du Rond-Point des Champs-Élysées, designed by architect Gabriel Davioud, which originally housed the Panorama National.

[2] It followed London's Great Exhibition of 1851 and attempted to surpass that fair's Crystal Palace with its own Palais de l'Industrie.

[3] However, Gustave Courbet, having had several of his paintings rejected, exhibited in a temporary Pavillon du Réalisme adjacent to the official show.

[1] For the exposition, Napoleon III requested a classification system for France's best Bordeaux wines which were to be on display for visitors from around the world.

The exposition featured the first ever lawn mower, Moore's washing machine, the first non-industrial sewing machine, one of the first oil-powered vehicles, Samuel Colt’s revolver, and Edouard Loysel de Santais’ hydrostatic percolator which could produce 50,000 cups of coffee in a day.