Russian involvement in World Expos dates back to the very first, the Great Exhibition of London in 1851. The Soviet Union was a member of the BIE between 1935 and 1947, and re-joined in 1959. The Russian Federation carried on this membership. Russia is an active participant in Specialised and World Expos, and its participation has been rewarded on multiple occasions including the past two World Expos; Expo 2010 Shanghai (Theme Development) and Expo 2015 Milan (Interior and Exhibition Design).