The UK has a long and rich history of hosting exhibitions and trade shows. The shows gained significance during the Industrial Revolution, as industries expanded rapidly and began to seek platforms to showcase and buy goods.
One of the most famous exhibitions in history, The Great Exhibition of 1851, took place in London’s Hyde Park. The event was driven by Prince Albert and Queen Victoria, attracting over 6 million guests. This exhibition was the beginning of the UK’s longstanding position in the world of exhibitions.
Currently, there are 41 exhibition venues in the UK, however, three stand out among the rest: The NEC Birmingham, Olympia London and ExCeL London.
In this blog, we will delve into the rich history of Olympia, and the exciting future of this great exhibition venue.
About The Venue
Olympia, located on Hammersmith Road, next to Kensington (Olympia) Station, first opened its doors on December 26th, 1886. The venue has since become established as London’s architectural, cultural and business events landmark, welcoming more than 1.6 million visitors to over 220 events each year.
The Building & Architecture
Olympia boasts classic Victorian architecture, featuring an iron barrel structure and glass ceiling, much like those seen on Kings Cross Station and the original Crystal Palace of Hyde Park! The structure was designed by Henry Edward Coe, an early pupil of the famous English Gothic Architect, Gilbert Scott. This hall is most renowned for its great size and of course, the glass-barrel ceiling which spans 170ft.
Exhibition centres built of a similar era, such as the Manchester Central Convention Complex, built in 1875, and the Business Design Centre, built in 1861, offer a similar design style.
Olympia London | First Exhibitions
Paris Hippodrome Circus
Olympia has a rich 130-year history in exhibitions, with the inaugural event, Paris Hippodrome taking place in 1886/7! The circus company featured 400 performers, 300 horses and six ‘funny’ elephants, making a fantastic kick-off for the historic venue.
First Great Horse Show
In 1888, Olympia hosted the First Great Horse Show, which went on to be titled The London International Horse Show. The event was said to have been thought of by Reginald Gardiner Heaton, a horse breeder from Chatteris in Cambridgeshire. The event was the beginning of a long and successful series and one of the UK’s largest equestrian competitions, broadcast across the BBC each year. Olympia, London went on to host this show until 2021, when it was moved to ExCeL London.
The Ideal Home Show
In 1908, Olympia hosted its first business show, The Ideal Home Show! The show was founded by Lord Northcliffe, the owner of the Daily Mail as a marketing tool for the paper! The large-scale event showcased the latest designs and inventions for the ideal home. This show was monumental for Olympia, requiring 3000 men to build. A poignant yet terrible moment in Olympia’s history occurred in 1976 at this exhibition when a provisional Irish Republican bomb detonated in a litter bin. Nonetheless, the exhibition continued to have success and still runs to this day.
Olympia London Through WWI and WWII
Olympia London has served many different purposes throughout historic UK events like WWI, WWII, and the COVID-19 pandemic. In WWI Olympia was converted into a Royal Army Clothing Depot, containing uniforms and other items of clothing for the British Army. Likewise, in WWII when Addison Road Station closed and exhibitions were put on hold, Olympia served as a billeting location for soldiers throughout the war. Finally, in 2019, when the famous exhibition centre was forced to close its doors to exhibitions once again, Olympia transformed into one of the largest food distribution centres in the capital.
Famous Events at Olympia, London
Alongside the fantastic exhibitions noted earlier, Olympia has also been the venue for several other notable exhibitions such as:
- BBC Good Food Show
- Toy Fair
- Vivien Westwood catwalk for London Fashion Week
- World Championship Wrestling Debut 1991
- National Wedding Show
- RuPaul’s DragCon UK
- Spirit of Christmas
The Future of Olympia, London
Olympia, London is now looking towards a reimagined cultural landmark as Olympia Events, a destination for culture, creativity and entertainment. The 133-year-old landmark is now undergoing a £1bn project to transform Olympia into a world-leading cultural hub. YOO Capital and Deutsche Finance International, who own the historic exhibition centre, submitted plans in 2023 to turn the site into a destination with leading hotels and restaurants, as well as performance venues, opening a new chapter for Olympia.
As part of this great transformation, the team has a grand plan for sustainability, that exceeds “green initiatives” and creates actual positive impact. In the last decade, this movement has been growing with many of the exhibitors from the venue choosing modular exhibition stands from leading contractors like Quadrant2Design, in hopes of reducing environmental impact or working towards Net Zero.
Summing Up
Olympia’s great history, and journey from the Paris Hippodrome circus, to becoming a vital centre of exhibitions and trade shows illustrates its longstanding importance and pivotal role in events and shows.
As Olympia embarks on a new chapter driven by a £1bn transformation project, it is poised to redefine itself as a leading cultural hub prompting creativity and entertainment in London, promising many more diverse experiences for years to come.
