15 Types of Exhibitions That You Can Take Online to Wow Your Audience

Virtual exhibits are great for building brand awareness, preparing for product releases, and getting leads. They’re also different from their trade show counterparts. While trade shows aim to generate sales, exhibitions want to generate brand hype, draw attention to the displays, and put exhibitors on the map for their target audiences. 

So, keeping this in mind, what are some of the kinds of professional exhibitions that you can take online? 

We’ve compiled a list of a few examples of exhibitions that truly shine in the virtual world. 

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15 Different Types of Exhibitions to Consider

Whether you’re planning an in-person, virtual, or hybrid event, understanding the different types of exhibitions can help you choose the right format to engage your audience, showcase value, and meet your event goals.

1. Art Exhibitions 

Whether you’re featuring a single artist or a collection of them, art displays work great in virtual environments. They’re a visual treat and attract art connoisseurs from around the world. But the high volume at these events can often be a nuisance to the overall experience. Most visitors would like to explore the pieces, speak with the artists, and truly soak in the experience. All of this is possible only in a virtual environment. 

The following formats represent different types of art exhibitions, such as solo exhibitions, group shows, retrospective exhibits, and thematic displays—each offering a unique way to engage audiences and showcase artistic expression.

The collaboration between Art & Object and vFairs demonstrated the power of virtual exhibitions to democratize access to art. With no physical limitations, the fair welcomed global participation, eliminated venue and travel costs, and gave artists a modern way to connect with collectors, curators, and fans.

Our platform offered immersive gallery environments, mobile access, multilingual support, and interactive features like video tours and 1:1 chats. For the artists, this meant higher engagement. For attendees, it meant a richer, more personalized art-viewing experience.

Other art exhibition examples include virtual galleries, student thesis showcases, and curated digital tours that highlight paintings, sculptures, and multimedia installations.

2. Thesis Displays

Undergraduate and postgraduate thesis displays are often open to the public. Most students put a lot of effort into their projects and can’t wait to show them to the world. These exhibitions also attract a high attendance, as industry experts, employers, researchers, and students’ families and friends all make an appearance and engage with the exhibiting students. 

The thesis works great in an online environment. Some students also face stage fright or anxiety while engaging with strangers. A virtual exhibition provides them with a calm and relaxed environment to engage with visitors. From their respective homes, they can easily man their respective virtual booths and engage with incoming visitors. 

Bates College presented its Art & Visual Culture students’ thesis display in an online environment. The Annual Senior Thesis Exhibition featured works that had been selected by the Bates College Museum of Art to be displayed at the museum.

3. Technology Fairs

The boom in technology has been felt across the world, with interest in the field rapidly growing in every demographic. CEOs, entrepreneurs, inventors, and tech enthusiasts fly across the world to attend these and stay up-to-date with the ever-evolving world of tech. 

But imagine how convenient this would be if the exhibition attendees didn’t have to make that long journey for an exhibition? Technology fairs can be held online to showcase new inventions and improvements in the field of tech. A product exhibition can host booths with new products and companies while also arranging speaker sessions with industry experts and exhibitors, and networking with other like-minded individuals. 

Samsung’s flagship event, eXperience 2024, demonstrated the power of hybrid tech exhibitions. Hosted on the vFairs platform, the event featured a multi-day agenda packed with executive keynotes, product showcases, deep-dive technical sessions, and hands-on training, all accessible to global audiences.

Attendees joined from across the world to view executive keynotes, attend specialized product training, and engage in deep-dive sessions on retail technology, marketing, and IT infrastructure. What made the event shine virtually was its interactive virtual booths, tailored session tracks, and the ability to download resources, watch product demonstrations, and engage with Samsung experts in real time.

4. Healthcare and Patient Fairs

Healthcare exhibitions usually cover breakthroughs, programs, technology, and providers. These fairs attract large crowds and raise awareness for the options available to businesses and the general public. 

Taking these fairs online helps healthcare facilities, research institutions, businesses, and professionals from around the world extend their reach. They’re also easier for patients to attend, who might find it hard to travel to the venue. 

And not having to make time for commuting or flying for conferences is also great when you’re a busy healthcare provider. 

Take the example of the 26th European Veterinary Society for Small Animal Reproduction (EVSSAR) Congress, which embraced a hybrid format powered by vFairs. 

This premier veterinary event brings together 270 delegates from 43 countries, and features over 90 scientific posters and 67 oral presentations, plus dedicated training sessions for veterinary nurses, marking a milestone in inclusivity and digital innovation 

While the Congress primarily takes place on-site, attendees also got remote access via vFairs, offering full participation for speakers, poster sessions, and networking modules.

5. Business-to-Business Fairs

While businesses often use trade show exhibits to sell their products and services to their consumers, B2B exhibitions are great for building brand awareness, networking with other businesses, making new connections, and placing your business on your consumers’ radar. It also helps bring together businesses in the same industry for a productive exchange of ideas and breakthroughs. 

6. Museum Exhibitions

Museum exhibits are known for their immersive storytelling, historical depth, and cultural significance, and virtual platforms make them even more accessible. From ancient artifacts to contemporary culture, digital exhibitions allow curators to showcase collections through 360° visuals, embedded audio guides, and video storytelling.

Visitors can browse at their own pace, revisit exhibits, or even interact with curators through live Q&A sessions. These experiences eliminate geographic and mobility barriers, bringing culture to everyone.

Take the example of vFairs’ museum-style exhibitions, where organizers build interactive halls resembling real museums. Language translation, downloadable content, and guided video tours help enhance accessibility and learning, ideal for schools, global audiences, or traveling exhibitions.

7. University Open House Exhibitions

Prospective students and their families often rely on campus visits to help with their decision-making process, but these can be costly or geographically restrictive. A virtual open house offers a powerful alternative, where schools can replicate the campus experience with interactive booths for each department, downloadable brochures, and live 1:1 sessions with advisors and current students.

Cornell University used vFairs to host its Virtual Resource Fair, which provided students with intuitive navigation, video vaults, and real-time chat support to answer their questions. It was a hit with both international and local students who couldn’t make it in person.

8. Environmental and Sustainability Exhibitions

These exhibitions focus on climate education, environmental technology, and sustainable practices. They bring together NGOs, corporations, researchers, and the public to share ideas and drive awareness.

Online formats work exceptionally well here; organizers can host virtual booths for climate startups, live panels with scientists, carbon footprint calculators, and gamified quizzes on sustainability.

The UN World Data Forum 2024, held in a hybrid format and powered by vFairs, showcased how virtual exhibitions can elevate global knowledge-sharing and policy engagement. Attendees logged in to access keynote addresses, lightning talks, and workshops on diverse topics, ranging from migration dashboards and climate adaptation tools to AI-powered data-sharing frameworks. 

The digital venue included e‑poster halls, interactive dashboards, and thematic tracks on data for equity, open governance, and sustainable development 

9. Design and Creative Showcases

From final-year student portfolios to global creative agencies unveiling new campaigns, design showcases thrive in highly visual, interactive environments. These events celebrate originality and require a format that allows participants to express both function and aesthetics.

With vFairs, design exhibitions come to life through rich media formats. Each participant or studio can create a digital booth housing high-resolution visuals, concept explanations, animated mockups, project timelines, and designer intros. The flexibility to embed Behance links, Vimeo reels, or even host virtual fashion runways means that creativity isn’t confined to static slides.

Networking plays a critical role in design exhibitions. vFairs supports live portfolio reviews, video calls with recruiters or investors, group critiques, and even peer voting. 

10. Science and STEM Fairs

Science fairs often face two major challenges: space constraints and logistical hurdles for participation. These events draw a wide mix of school students, researchers, judges, and sponsors and the logistics can become overwhelming.

The Women in AI Summit & Awards North America 2025, brought together leading women in AI from across Canada, the U.S., and Mexico for a full-day Summit followed by an Awards Ceremony and networking reception in Toronto on June 6, 2025.

Featuring keynote addresses, executive fireside chats, leadership workshops, and sessions on ethics, entrepreneurship, and AI governance, this hybrid event unified global participation under one digital roof. Attendees could choose from individual, discounted bundle, or exhibitor ticket packages reflecting the event’s inclusive and accessible design.

11. Public Health Awareness Exhibitions

Public health education has never been more critical. Whether the focus is on mental wellness, vaccination awareness, chronic disease prevention, or women’s health, timely and reliable access to information saves lives.

The ACS National Breast Cancer Roundtable (NBCRT) Member Engagement Day, accessible, was held on May 8, 2025, as a hybrid conference for the American Cancer Society Network. Branded under the theme “Rooted Together, Growing for Change”, this virtual event unified professionals, advocates, and community members around breast cancer care equity, early detection, clinical trials, and survivorship initiatives. 

The platform featured a live-stream opening session led by Dr. Melissa Thomas, followed by breakout roundtables, virtual expo booths, and interactive programming, delivering a deeply engaging, mission-focused experience online.

12. Nonprofit Impact Exhibitions

Nonprofits work tirelessly to create impact, but showing that impact clearly and emotionally can be challenging, especially when stakeholders are scattered across regions. Virtual exhibitions offer a powerful solution to this.

With vFairs, nonprofit organizations can build storytelling booths that showcase impact through videos, infographics, photo stories, and donor testimonials. A map of operations, annual reports, and campaign highlight reels offer transparency. Some nonprofits also use booths to host live testimonials from field workers or beneficiaries.

The Global Peace Leadership Conference Africa 2024, held in Nairobi from June 25–27, 2024, adopted a hybrid format with virtual participation supported by vFairs. Over 500 delegates from 25+ countries gathered, in-person, to engage with sustainability, ethical leadership, and peacebuilding themes; vFairs enabled additional global participation by offering a dedicated online registration portal featuring options for in-person or virtual attendance.

Remote attendees could explore vFairs-powered virtual booths, engage in live-streamed plenary sessions, and participate in themed track discussions covering family unity, environmental stewardship, youth leadership, and Ubuntu-inspired community values

13. Innovation & Startup Showcases

Startup showcases are the lifeblood of innovation ecosystems. They connect emerging ventures with investors, advisors, media, and potential customers. But venue limitations and travel costs can hinder participation, especially for early-stage startups.

vFairs offers a digital launchpad where each startup has its own fully branded booth. From investor pitch videos and product demos to live chat with founders, these showcases are ideal for maximum exposure. Organizers can host pitch competitions, fireside chats with VCs, mentorship sessions, and matchmaking tools to pair startups with the right stakeholders.

Real-time data on which booths received the most views, where leads came from, and how many downloads each pitch deck received helps organizers measure ROI and decide which ventures to support further.

14. Book & Literature Exhibitions

Whether you’re running a university press fair or an international literary festival, virtual exhibitions provide an ideal venue to promote reading culture. Authors, publishers, and bookstores can present their work in custom booths with downloadable previews, interactive reading lists, embedded trailers, and purchase links.

Authors can use both features to sell signed copies, host book clubs, or run workshops on writing. In an industry where visibility and community make all the difference, these digital fairs open up entirely new marketing frontiers.

The Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD) 2025, celebrating its 10th anniversary with the theme “A Decade of Change”, combined virtual access for author panels and writing workshops with in‑person experiences in Brampton, Canada. 

The virtual portion ran from April 27–30, hosted via vFairs, and in-person events followed from May 1–4. Virtual attendees could access live literary programming, including author readings, industry roundtables, writing sprints, meet‑and‑greets, trivia, and spoken‑word performances. All live sessions were later available on demand until June 30.

15. Local Government and Civic Exhibitions

Civic exhibitions are essential for public engagement, community awareness, and local governance transparency. Virtual formats allow local councils, planning departments, and government bodies to communicate large-scale projects, regulations, and public welfare programs in a more structured and accessible way.

The Discover Abu Dhabi Virtual Roadshow, held from October 4 to 7, 2021, leveraged the vFairs platform to connect tourism professionals in Abu Dhabi with travel trade buyers worldwide. 

Over 60 Abu Dhabi stakeholders, including hotels, destination management companies, attractions, Etihad Airways, and Expo 2020 Dubai partners, showcased destination offerings through virtual product presentations, downloadable content, and one-on-one meeting slots. 

The event also featured interactive elements like live Q&A sessions and a raffle draw to foster engagement, free to join and accessible via browser without downloads.

Conclusion

While these are merely examples of what you can do with virtual exhibitions, the possibilities are endless. Virtual exhibition platforms of today are extremely sophisticated and offer a host of features that enrich the exhibition experience for both attendees and exhibitors.