To honor the 40th Anniversary of the 1982 World’s Fair, the East Tennessee Historical Society will host a VIP preview and reception of a new, one-of-a-kind exhibition, “You Should’ve Been There!,” in the Rogers-Claussen Feature Gallery that will officially open March 19. The exhibition’s theme is not only a nod to the international exposition’s marketing catchphrase, “You Have Got to Be There! The 1982 World’s Fair!,” but also an acknowledgement that four decades removed, there is a generation of East Tennesseans who were not alive to experience the historic event.

Organized by the East Tennessee Historical Society and the Knox County Public Library, “You Should’ve Been There!” traces the fair’s development from conception to the pivotal moment when The Wall Street Journal referred to Knoxville as a “scruffy little city” and questioned its ability to host an international event. More than 11,000,000 visitors from around the world were informed and entertained in the various pavilions, exhibitions and attractions put on by 22 countries and some 50 private organizations.