Man and His World - Terre Des Hommes

Although Expo 67 was only intended to last one season, strong attendance numbers led to the decision to continue operating past the original closing date. Expo closed on schedule on October 29, but instead of demolition crews showing up to take down the colorful pavilions, the grounds were mothballed for the winter. In 1968 the former world's fair re-opened as "Man and His World". Not all of the original countries or exhibiting companies decided to return, but to the thrill of those who had enjoyed Expo or hadn't been able to see it yet, most were there again. As the years went on some exhibitors remained in the same place, but others left and newcomers were added to the mix. In some cases countries ended up losing their original pavilions and later took over someone else's, which made a visit confusing at times. I went to college nearby, starting in 1969, and it was quite a surprise to first see the buildings off in the distance as we approached the site, then to see how things had changed. A visit the next season would usually mean even more juggling of tenants.

"Man and His World" continued as a summer festival in various forms until 1984, when the former Expo 67 site finally closed the gates for good. By then a number of the pavilions had been removed and many others were in disrepair, which is not surprising when one remembers that they were only intended to last six months and had not been designed with Montreal's harsh winters in mind. The entire Ile-Notre Dame section had been closed in 1972 and it provided an eerie backdrop for those crossing the site on the Minirail. I have quite a few pictures of the deserted streets and buildings, most of which still looked okay from the outside. Other than occasional use such as serving as a ruined alien city in television's "Battlestar Galactica" (click here for some scenes from that episode), the pavilions on Ile-Notre Dame continued to crumble in silence until they were eventually razed.

Finally, after a 17 year run, the rest of the site, other than the La Ronde amusement area, was closed to the public and the days of Expo 67 ended. The once busy islands stood empty for several years, with the grounds becoming more and more dilapidated. Happily, though, the city finally stepped up and rejuvenated the property. Almost all of the buildings were removed, but when the work was done, a beautiful park filled the former world's fair site.

Despite its long run there's a relative lack of information on "Man and His World" and how it changed over the years. Here's a look at how many of the original pavilions were re-used for the later seasons. The gray boxes are used to show a pavilion was either closed permanently or had been removed from the site.

Expo 67 Man and His World

1967

April 27 to
October 29

1968

May 17 to
October 14

1969

June 12 to September 7

1970

June 12 to September 7

1971

June 11 to September 6

1972

July 20 to
September 4

1973

June 21 to September 3

1974

June 20 to September 2

1975

June 19 to
September 1

1976

June 17 to
September 6

1977

June 23 to September 5

1978

June 22 to September 4

1979

June 21 to September 3

 1980

June 19 to September 1

Africa Place Africa Place Africa Place  Place Continentale Place du Soleil                  
Air Canada Flight Communications Leonardo da Vinci Pavilion Administration Flight Pakistan Pakistan Pakistan Pakistan Vienna, Austria Vienna, Austria Austria Austria
Alcan Alcan Alcan Alcan Alcan Alcan Alcan Alcan Alcan Alcan Alcan Alcan Alcan Alcan
Algeria Algeria Algeria Algeria                    
Arab Nations Arab Nations Arab Nations Arab Nations Pakistan                  
Atlantic Provinces Maritime Canada Maritime Canada Canada Theatre Concessionary                 demolished
Australia The Camera as Witness Art Today Canadian Painters Music of the World                  
Austria Austria Austria Austria Vienna Gloriosa Austrian Tyrol Austrian Tyrol Mexico Mexico Vintage Automobiles Promenade Promenade Promenade Rail Peru
Belgium Belgium Belgium Belgium - Luxemburg Belgium Belgium Montreal Museum of Fine Art Montreal Museum of Fine Art Greece Greece Greece Italy Province of Belgium Italy
Brewers Children's Theatre Puppet Theatre Puppet Theatre Puppet Theatre Children's Theatre Not used this season? Puppet Theatre Puppet Theatre Puppet Theatre Puppet Theatre Puppet Theatre Peru Bulgaria
Burma Burma Burma Burma Burma                  
Canada Canada Canada Canada Canada                 (Portion in place; use unknown)
Canada Post Post Office   Offices Services Not listed Not listed Public Safety Public Safety          
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Banking services Banking services Banking services Banking services Gardens Pavilion Banking services Banking services Banking services Banking services   Bulgaria   Canada Post
Canadian International Bank Banking services Banking services Banking services                    
Canadian National Time and Motion Not used this season? USSR Inforama                  
Canadian Pacific - Cominco Five Plus One
We Are Young
Multiple Man
Czechoslovakia
Labyrinth III
Czechoslovakia
Labyrinth III
Czechoslovakia                  
Canadian Pulp & Paper Police Pavilion Interpol Illusions Illusions                  
Ceylon Ceylon Ceylon Ceylon Ceylon                  
China China China China China China China China China Mexico   China China China
Christian Christian Christian (Ethnic Mosaic) Christian Marc Chagall                 (Horticultural information center)
Cuba Treasure Island Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria                  
Cybernetics Pavilion Not in use Administration Administration Administration Administration Not in use Not in use Not in use Canada Post Stamp Collectors' Center Forum of Arts    
Czechoslovakia The pavilion was removed and the area used as "Bandshell B". Bandshell B Bandshell B Public Safety                  
DuPont Auditorium Sainte-Helen Auditorium Sainte-Helen Auditorium Sainte-Helen National Film Board National Film Board Quebec Handicraft Quebec Exploration: Untamed World ?? Exploration: The Angry Giants Exploration: Cinema and Handicrafts Children of the World Auditorium Sainte-Helen
Economic Progress Ireland Ireland (or Latin America?) Portuguese Film Festival Eskimo                  
Ethiopia Ethiopia Garden Garden Garden                  
European Communities Cinemathique Canadienne Humor Hungary Sciences of the Earth                  
France France France France Palais des Arts                 (Exhibition center)
Germany Germany Germany Children
(or Aerospace?)
Children                  
Great Britain Montreal - Music Belfry
Cars of Yesteryear
Labatt Cinema
Montreal - Music Belfry
Cars of Yesteryear
Labatt Cinema
Music Belfry - Science Fiction Belles of Yesteryear                 (Storage)
Greece The Stage in Miniature Woman Woman                   demolished
Guyana & Barbados Guyana & Barbados Caribbean Calypso  Malaysia Concessionary                  
Gyrotron Gyrotron Gyrotron Gyrotron Gyrotron Gyrotron Gyrotron Gyrotron Gyrotron          
Habitat Habitat was still in place but no longer considered part of Man and His World.                        
Haiti Haiti Haiti Haiti Concessionary                  
Hospitality                          
India India Not used this season Not used this season India                  
Indians of Canada Indians of Canada Indians of Canada Kwakiutl North American Indians                 (Children's center)
International Nickel Plaza International Nickel Plaza International Nickel Plaza International Nickel Plaza International Nickel Plaza International Nickel Plaza International Nickel Plaza International Nickel Plaza International Nickel Plaza International Nickel Plaza International Nickel Plaza International Nickel Plaza International Nickel Plaza  
International Scout Center Scout Center Scout Center Terrace Terrace Scout Center Old Quebec Place Village of Yesteryear Village of Yesteryear Village of Yesteryear Village of Yesteryear Village of Yesteryear Village of Yesteryear Village of Yesteryear
Iran Iran Iran Iran Iran Iran Iran Iran Iran Iran Iran Iran Children's Pavilion Egypt
Israel Israel Israel Humour Humour                 demolished
Italy Italy Italy Italy Opera                  
Jamaica Jamaica Jamaica Jamaica Concessionary                 (Sidewalk cafe)
Japan Japan Japan Mosaic ? Liason Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Japan India/Radio Canada
Judaism Judaism Judaism Music of the World                    
Kaleidoscope Kaleidoscope The Magic Circus Circus of Life Kaleidoscope Kaleidoscope                
Kindergarten Kindergarten ?? ?? "Sciences par plaisir" Engraving   Morocco Morocco Morocco   Portugal   Portugal
Kodak Kodak The Collector Photo - 70 History Through Stamps                  
Korea Korea Korea Korea Collector's Corner Canada Post Canada Post Canada Post Colombia Colombia Colombia Cuba Cuba Cuba
Labyrinth                   Canada World Youth      
Man and His Health                          
Man the Explorer Man the Explorer Man the Explorer Man the Explorer: Chimo - Strange, Strange World - Resources - Cryogenics Strange, Strange World - Sermons From Science (part of the facility was closed for rebuilding for the 1972 season) Strange, Strange World - Inforama - The Wonderful World of Rocks - Sermons From Science - Electroform - Humour - Weapons Strange, Strange World - Women -
Montreal Junior Chamber - Weapons
Strange, Strange World - Arms - Montreal - Sermons From Science - Humour - Press Bureau Strange, Strange World - Our Vanishing Wildlife - Arms - Olympic Models - Christian Direction - Exploration - Humour - Press Bureau -Weapons Strange, Strange World - Our Vanishing Wildlife - Children's Cinema - Exploration - International Arms - Humour - Press Bureau - Teleglobe Canada - International Arms Strange, Strange World  - Weapons - Humour - Our Vanishing Wildlife - Children's Cinema - Exploration Strange, Strange World  - Humour - Our Vanishing Wildlife - International Pavilion of Fish and Game - National Film Board - Radio Canada Strange, Strange World -Humour - The First People - National Film Board - Hunting and Wildlife Strange, Strange World - Hunting and Wildlife - The First People - Naska Lines
Man the Producer Man the Producer Man the Producer Space
USSR
Space                 demolished
Man the Provider Man the Provider Small World Hobbies Man and His Leisure                  
Mauritius Mauritius Mauritius Mauritius Mauritius                  
Mexico Mexico Mexico Mexico   Only the entrance gateway was still in place by 1972.                
Monaco Monaco Underwater World Musical Robot                    
Morocco Morocco Morocco Morocco Morocco                  
Netherlands Netherlands Photos 69 Spectrafonia Spectrafonia USA France France France France France France Bulgaria - India Humour
OECD Architecture Igloo Mormons Mormons ??                
Ontario The Face of Winter The Face of Winter Horizons Life in the Olden Days ??                
Place des Nations Place des Nations Place des Nations Place des Nations Place des Nations Place des Nations Place des Nations Place des Nations Place des Nations Place des Nations Place des Nations Place des Nations
Polymer Polymer Polymer Polymer Polymer Unused this season Unused this season Unused this season Unused this season Unused this season Unused this season Unused this season UNICEF UNICEF
Quebec Quebec Quebec Quebec Quebec                 (Animation center)
Scandinavia Mirror for Man Spain Face of Spain Ethnic Mosaic USSR USSR USSR USSR USSR 20 Nations - 20 Cultures - Teleglobe Canada 20 Nations - 20 Cultures Radio-Canada - CBC Mexico
Sermons From Science Sermons From Science Sermons From Science Sermons From Science Sermons From Science                  
State of Maine Ferrovia Locorama Probabilities Inventor's World Electricity Japan India India India India India Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia
State of New York Electricity - Man's Servant LSD-Pot LSD-Pot Unused Yugoslavia Yugoslavia Yugoslavia Yugoslavia Austria Expo 67 + 10 Venezuela Venezuela Romania
State of Vermont Poland Canadiana Canadiana Press Office Poland Mexico Haiti Haiti Haiti Haiti Haiti Haiti Haiti
Steel Man and Weapons Man and Weapons Man and Weapons Man and Weapons                  
Switzerland Humour Soviet Union Liaison USSR Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland Switzerland Quebec Quebec Italy Quebec
Telephone Canada 1967 Canada 1967  United States Montreal 329 Canada 67 Film - Road and Track Canada 67 Film Cinema 360 Cinema 360 Cinema 360 Cinema 360 Cinema 360 - UNESCO Cinema 360 - UNESCO Cinema 360 - UNESCO
Thailand Thailand Thailand Thailand Treasures of the Deep                  
Trinidad & Tobago and Grenada Trinidad & Tobago and Grenada Trinidad & Tobago and Grenada Caribbean Concessionary                 demolished
Tunisia Tunisia Tunisia Tunisia Mexico                  
United Nations Education Through Stamps Indian Art Potlatch Graphica                 (Refreshments)
United States The USA turned over the large geodesic dome used for Expo 67 to the city of Montreal, which reopened it as Biosphere. Man and His Environment (Biosphere) Man and His Environment (Biosphere) United States Man and His Environment (Biosphere) Man and His Environment (Biosphere) Biosphere Biosphere Biosphere Biosphere (in ruined state due to fire) Biosphere (in ruined state due to fire) Biosphere (in ruined state due to fire) Biosphere (under restoration)
USSR The original USSR pavilion was dismantled at the end of Expo 67 as originally planned and was shipped to Moscow. It was reassembled there and is still in use today as an exhibit center.

A heliport was added to this site for 1968.

                       
Venezuela Venezuela Cinema Germany Young at Heart                  
Visitors Aid Center From Youth With Love From Youth With Love Ecology ?? France Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria Portugal Opera
Western Provinces Western Canada Mormon Quebec Quebec Legends                  
Yugoslavia The pavilion was removed and the area turned into an open plaza called the Terrace and Greek Tavern. Terrace and Greek Tavern L'An 2000 Plaza. Garden                  
Present - new facility       Happy Workers             Stamp Collectors' Center (located next to Bulgaria) - Kiosque International (former Expo Services E)    
Present but locations unconfirmed               Canada Post     CBC Television
Ethnic (former Philately)
   

Please note that this list is incomplete and is based on ongoing research. All corrections and additions are welcomed.

Here are some of the brochures, maps and other pieces of information I have been able to collect on "Man and His World," listed in chronological order:

1968
1969
1970
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1980
1982
1990

Return to the main Expo '67 page.