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Map of the world, presented as a board game. Illustrated around the edges with scenes depicting different activities around the world, including the Crystal Palace and the opening of the Great Exhibition 1851. Vignettes on map show lifestyles of people in different parts of the world. Relief shown by hachures.

The Great Exhibition which opened in 1851 was conceived as a showcase for the culture and productions of Britain and her colonies. The Exhibition was held in Hyde Park in London in the specially constructed Crystal Palace. Designed by Sir Joseph Paxton in only 10 days, the Palace was a huge iron goliath with over a million feet of glass.

The Exhibition itself spawned a variety of souvenirs. Smith Evans, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, published maps of world shipping routes; it would have been an easy task for him to design an exciting game of world travel which highlighted the achievements of the Empire.

The Crystal Palace game features an attractive border of vignettes of the countries to be visited, from the polar regions, to India and Africa. The map itself is also dotted with scenes including the discovery of gold in Australia, the death of Captain Cook, and the marooning of Alexander Selkirk on the Island of Juan Fernandez, a story which inspired the writing of Robinson Crusoe . At the top left hand corner of the game is a representation of the Crystal Palace itself and on the right a scene of the opening of the Great Exhibition by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

The Great Exhibition of 1851 was held in Hyde Park in London in the specially constructed Crystal Palace. The Crystal Palace was originally designed by Sir Joseph Paxton in only 10 days and was a huge iron goliath with over a million feet of glass.

Beaver, Patrick The Crystal Palace: a portrait of Victorian enterprise Chichester, Sussex: Phillimore, 1986

Goodfellow, Caroline A collector's guide to games and puzzles London: Apple Press, c1991

Opie, Iona The treasures of childhood: books, toys and games from the Opie collection London: Pavilion, 1989

Shefrin, Jill Ingenious contrivances: table games and puzzles for children Toronto: Friends of the Osborne & Lillian H. Smith Collections: Toronto Public Library, 1996

Whitfield, Peter The image of the world: 20 centuries of world maps London: British Library, c1994

Princeton University: Cotsen Children's Librarysee: Research Collection: Research at the CCL. Shefrin, Jill 'Make it a pleasure and not a task': Educational games for children in Georgian England.