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USA Pavilion

“We can find happiness in protecting the world around us not only because we cherish it for its awesome beauty, power and mystery, but because we cherish our fellow humans, those who live today and those who will live tomorrow.” — Jacques-Yves Cousteau

The USA Pavilion at Expo 2012 is a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of State and a team led by explorer, environmentalist, and social entrepreneur Philippe Cousteau Jr. and his business partner Andrew Snowhite. The USA Pavilion’s central themes and design are inspired by the legacy of Cousteau’s grandfather Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his father Philippe Sr. as well as the diplomatic mission of the U.S. Department of State. The Pavilion was designed with two main goals in mind:
• Engage and empower visitors from around the world to protect and preserve the ocean and the amazing resources that connect and sustain us all;
• Demonstrate the United States’ commitment to strengthening U.S.-South Korea relations and engagement in the Asia-Pacific region; and deepen U.S. ties with the people of the Republic of Korea and from around the world.

Combining dazzling multi-media displays and unique people-to-people diplomacy, The USA Pavilion uses the power of storytelling to bring to life the core values of innovation, partnership, and hope that has defined the American spirit for millions of visitors.

The USA Pavilion’s unifying themes of Diversity, Wonder, and Solutions tie in to the overall Expo theme of “The Living Ocean and Coast,” and explore the vital connection between the health and well-being of cultures and communities and the future of one of our most important resources: the ocean. From the frozen coastlines of Alaska to the black-sand beaches of Hawaii to the coral reefs of the Florida Keys, the USA Pavilion at Expo 2012 invites visitors to discover the dynamic people, places, and experiences that define America’s relationship to its distinctive coastal and ocean environments.

The design for the 1,237-square-meter USA Pavilion incorporates striking imagery and multi-dimensional elements to create a cross-cultural experience. The USA Pavilion includes the following design and programming features:
• Forty American Student Ambassadors from universities and colleges around the United States showcase the USA Pavilion, greeting and assisting guests in Korean and English, and providing a face to the strong people-to-people ties already shared between the United States and Korea. One of the USA Pavilion’s most popular features, the Student Ambassadors come from 31 universities and colleges from 19 states and the District of Columbia, and represent a broad range of backgrounds and experiences.
• A large screen composed entirely of water amazes guests as they enter the USA Pavilion. The fluid and shifting surface is the perfect canvas to begin a unique journey that takes guests from the shorelines of America to the frontiers of deep ocean research. Each new image reveals that Americans’ energy, optimism, and cooperation contribute to meeting the challenges the future holds. Messages from the President of the United States Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Philippe Cousteau, Jr. engage and inspire visitors in the future of our ocean and all of us who depend on its diverse resources.
• A main-show attraction of stunning images, music, and film is projected across a 21.7-meter-wide screen. Created around the concept of “This is My Ocean,” individual voices and stories unfold during the presentation to convey the diverse beauty of the American coastline and the many personal and profound types of connections Americans enjoy with the vast ocean.

The presentation culminates with a call to action for guests and organizations worldwide to work together for a brighter future for the ocean and all who depend on its resources. The final messages of the presentation are the statements “Everything we do makes a difference” and the question “What difference will we make?” Using state-of-the-art, high-definition projection, the large-format main show features contributions from many of the United States’ most prominent nature-film producers as well as stunning motion graphics and sound design from award-winning Hollywood production companies.

• A post-show area features dynamic displays from corporate sponsors, a photo opportunity, and a retail area where guests can purchase souvenirs of their visit.
• Mobile technologies and social media enhance and expand the USA Pavilion experience. For guests with smart phones, QR codes placed throughout the USA Pavilion give instant access to 167 web-based pages including the Amazing Ocean App, a new mobile application from the U.S. Department of State and the Smithsonian Institution that allows you to explore photos, videos, and rich ocean-themed content from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and Smithsonian Ocean Portal. Visitors waiting in line to enter the USA Pavilion have the opportunity to scan QR codes with their phones that link to content about the United States' coastal waters and ecosystems. Additional QR codes are located in the post-show area. Facebook, Twitter, and other social media interaction will make it possible for people everywhere to experience the USA Pavilion through updates, virtual events, and behind-the-scenes content. The Facebook page is www.facebook.com/USAPavilion2012 and the Twitter handle is @usapavilion2012.
• World-class Partners – Building on a commitment to collaboration and sustainability, the USA Pavilion has partnered with leading nonprofit organizations, institutions, and associations who lend their expertise and content to the pavilion experience. USA Pavilion partners include the following organizations: American Chamber of Commerce, Korea Economic Institute, Monterey Bay Aquarium, National Marine Sanctuaries-NOAA, Ocean Conservancy, One World One Ocean, U.S. Green Building Council, University of Virginia, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

Reaching the milestone of 300,000 guests within the first month of opening its doors, the USA Pavilion has become one of the most popular Expo destinations for visitors from around the world. Hundreds of international and Korean journalists have toured and covered the USA Pavilion experience. Perhaps most telling is the response from visitors and Expo 2012 staff alike. When USA Pavilion team members are seen on the Expo 2012 grounds in their recognizable USA jackets and shirts, they are often greeted with the phrase "This is my ocean!" from the USA Pavilion main show experience.