Short answers, pulled from the story.
Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband, stood at the center of a political storm and led the effort to organize the event. Henry Cole, Francis Henry, George Wallis, and Wentworth Dilke worked alongside him to turn the idea into reality.
The grand opening took place on the 1st of May 1851 and the event ran until the 15th of October 1851. The Crystal Palace building itself was moved to Sydenham Hill in 1854 before fire destroyed it on the 30th of November 1936.
Six million people visited the Crystal Palace between May 1st and the 15th of October 1851. This number equaled roughly one-third of Britain's entire population at that time with an average daily attendance of 42,831 visitors.
The exhibition generated a surplus of £186,000 which funded the creation of three major museums including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum, and the Natural History Museum. Remaining funds established an educational trust providing grants and scholarships for industrial research that continues operating today.
Joseph Paxton designed the structure using his experience creating greenhouses for the sixth Duke of Devonshire. Structural engineer Charles Fox helped finalize plans while Isambard Kingdom Brunel served on the construction committee.