The United Kingdom has been a member of the BIE since 1930 although it left the organisation between 1944 and 1949. The UK was home to the first ever World Expo – the Great Exhibition of London in 1851. It also hosted a World Expo in 1862 in London as well as a Horticultural Expo, in Liverpool in 1984. As an active participant in World and Specialised Expos, the UK received a gold award for its pavilions at World Expo 2015 Milan and at World Expo 2010 Shanghai.