In 1862 the Duke of Leinster, Lord Talbot de Malahide and Benjamin Guinness created a Dublin Exhibition Palace and Winter Garden company to establish a Dublin exposition. Work on the building started in 1863, designed by architect Alfred G. Jones. 

The exhibition was opened by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) on May 8th or 9th 1865 and it attracted over 900,000 visitors over the following months until it closed on November 10th 1865. 

Belleek went on to win their first Gold Medal at this exhibition.