The great expositions of the 19th century were spectacles that displayed the nation's industrial, technical, and cultural accomplishments in the decades following the Civil War. Massive galleries dedicated to art provided unprecendented opportunities for American artists to exhibit their work the hundreds of thousands of visitors. Thum exhibited work at the Southern Exposition held in Louisville from 1883-1887. It helped launch her career and she developed a lasting friendship with expo's curator Charles Kurtz, an influencer in New York. Following the exposition Thum actively exhibited her work throughout the country.
-1893, Columbia's Exposition in Chicago
-1886 and 1889, National Academy of Design in New York City
-1897, Nashville, Centennial Exposition
-1898, Trans-Mississippi International Exposition
-1905, St. Louis World's Fair
