This article offers a retrospective of the Shanghai World Expo 2010, placing it within an historical framework and hence comparing it to the other major World Expos from 1851 on. The study analyzes various national contributions through an architectural lens with regard to their relationship with the Chinese mega-event and finds that the single images generated by each national pavilion contribute to the construction of the general picture of the 2010 Expo, resulting in an enhancement of Shanghai's international reputation on the global stage.