The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, was an international exhibition which took place within the newly constructed Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London, from 1st May to 15th October 1851. It was the first in a series of World's Fairs, exhibitions of culture and industry that became popular in the 19th century. The Great Exhibition was organised by Henry Cole and by Prince Albert, husband of the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom, Queen Victoria.

The exhibition is significant in firearm history as Samuel Colt exhibited a large display of several hundred examples of his newly invented revolver. The exhibition really introduced this revolver to the British market and led to Colt opening a London factory and supplying revolvers to the British War Department.

The catalogue link below enables a download of the full catalogue of the Great Exhibition. 

The table below shows a summary of the firearm and military exhibitors and includes a brief description of their exhibit and the page number in the official catalogue.