World's Columbian Exposition. 19th-century artwork of the Electricity Building erected as a wood and plaster facade for the 1893 World's Columbian exposition. Held in Chicago, USA, from May to October of that year, this was a celebration of American culture and society, commemorating Columbus' voyages to the Americas 400 years earlier. More than 27 million visited the exposition. The Electricity Building, designed by Henry Van Brunt and Frank Maynard Howe, showcased electrical inventions from companies such as General Electric and Westinghouse. The statue is of Benjamin Franklin. Most of these temporary buildings were destroyed in a fire in 1894.