“Something new!” The Presentation of Didactic Objects for Teaching Natural Sciences at School during the World Exhibitions of the 19th Century

The gradual introduction of universal science education in Europe and the rest of the world during the 19th century was a sign of unprecedented educational reform and represented a lucrative new market for a large number of companies. They then developed educational objects and presented them at the World Exhibitions held from the middle of the 19th century onwards. The purpose of this article is to study the modalities and significance of the successive exhibitions of three types of objects didactics dedicated more specifically to the teaching of natural sciences: wall charts, clastic models and school museums.