The exhibition took place during a period of half-mourning requested by Edward VII[1] but was still popular and made more than £35000 profit.

[3] [4] It marked the opening of the city's Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and also commemorated the fiftieth anniversary of the first world's fair held in the UK, doubling that attendance with 11.5 million visits.

[5] Countries with close ties to Glasgow exhibited including Japan, Canada and Russia.

The Russian exhibition was the largest, a 'Russian village' of 4 pavilions reported to have cost the Tsar of Russia £30,000[1] and included several brightly coloured buildings designed by Fyodor Schechtel.

Entertainments included a switchback railway, a water chute, an Indian theatre and soap sculptures.