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While the legacy of the Great Exhibition of 1851 as the starting point of world exhibitions and for the development of South Kensington's museum district is well understood, less attention has been paid to its third offshoot: the attempt to create a more permanent way of showcasing the world in a second Crystal Palace. On the basis of recent scholarship, this contribution discusses its economic and conceptual basis, and the reasons for its temporary success and ultimate decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]