The Return of the Renaissance on the Eve of the Maastricht Treaty: The European Community Pavilion at Expo 92

This article examines the European Community pavilion at Expo 92 as a strategic instrument of public communication aimed at shaping perceptions of the European institutions. Set against the backdrop of the Maastricht Treaty, the pavilion employed architectural symbolism and immersive exhibition design to present a unified vision of European identity at a charged political moment. Drawing on archival documents, oral history interviews and visual sources, this study reveals how the pavilion fused the symbolic practices of nation-building with the supranational rhetoric of the European Community. By centring its exhibition on historical narratives, especially the Renaissance and Europe’s so-called Age of Discovery, the pavilion reinforced a Eurocentric and at times imperialist worldview. The pavilion’s monumental structure embodied the Community’s aspirations for global influence, presenting European integration as not only a vital internal project but also a model for international governance. Situating the participation within broader debates on European identity and memory politics, this article demonstrates how the European Community sought to legitimise its political authority through symbolic and affective means with its presence at Expo 92.