Imperial spectacle: inside Britain’s 1924 ’Empire Exhibition’

A century ago, in 1924, the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley opened its doors, receiving as many as 27 million visits over two years. It was a grand declaration of an empire at its territorial height. But behind the spectacle was a superpower grappling with its position on the world stage, seeking to recalibrate its own sense of influence and importance. Speaking to Elinor Evans, Matthew Parker takes listeners inside the exhibition, which featured huge sporting events and battle reenactments, glamorous pavilions showcasing new technology and science – and even a replica of Tutankhamun’s tomb.

To listen to Matthew Parker discussing events that occurred across the British empire on one specific day in 1923, click here: https://link.chtbl.com/lsjrz1z8

The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.

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