First manufacturing, handicraft and agricultural expositions were organized in the early to mid-19th century. In 1829 the history of such expositions started in Saint Petersburg in a space especially organized for it. The second one was organized in Moscow in the Assembly of the Nobility, and then in the provinces of the Russian Empire.

However, in the course of time such events expanded, there were more manufacturers of different production and more consumers as well participating in them. The construction of special spaces for exhibitions of such scale was required. For this reason, temporary pavilions for Polytechnic exposition were constructed in Moscow next to the Kremlin in 1872.

The next All-Russia Industrial and Art exhibition organized in Moscow in 1882 was of even larger scale. The buildings looked like a united architectural ensemble, which created a sense of a small town. The main building was round in shape made up of pavilions united radially between each other. Elongated galleries sided with the main part, a few private retail spaces were built there as well. The exhibition was one of the most successful projects of its time.

Such events influenced the provincial towns of the Russian Empire. Between 1881 and 1883 there were two significant agricultural exhibitions in Tambov Governorate. They were organized in Tambov and Kozlov.
In 1890, thanks to the activity of prince Serge Volkonsky (1860-1937) and the head of the Association of Farmers, the agricultural exhibition was opened in Borisoglebsk. The event was organized in the local building and had different branches of manufacturing from farming to industry featured there.

The organizers of the exhibition did everything possible to bring in merchants from other governorates. As a result, representatives from Ryazan, Orlov, Boronezh and many other districts visited the exhibition.
The exhibition was on everyone’s lips, it was visited by many noble citizens of the city, the Rokossovsky couple, princess Elizabeth Volkonskaya (1838-1897). World Illustration magazine issued in Saint Petersburg published an article describing the programme of featured expositions in details, the importance of the event was underlined. An author of the article wrote: “Without any doubt, the first place belongs to the showcase of the Brothers Aseyev Cloth Manufacture and the pyramid of a famous soap factory of a business house Brothers Kaverin & Sons, who showed quite beautifully their soap exhibit items decorated with the Emperor”s bust.”