The predecessor of Expocentre was the Division of International and Foreign Exhibitions in the USSR, which succeeded the Department of Foreign Exhibitions under the All-Union Chamber of Commerce of the USSR.[1]
In 1959, Sokolniki Park in Moscow hosted the first national exhibition of US industrial products, opened by Nikita Khrushchev and Richard Nixon. Exhibitions for other nations such as Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, and Romania followed.[1]
In 1964, Expocentre produced its first international trade show called Stroidormash (the Road-Building Machinery Show), which put on display new road-building machinery and equipment. It had been co-organized by the National Committee for Construction, Road-Building and Utilities Engineering under the USSR Ministry of Construction. [1]
During the next decades, it hosted events for other sectors of the Soviet economy, including Khimia (chemicals), Sviaz (telecommunications), Lesdrevmash (timber), Elektro (electrical), Neftegaz (oil and gas), and Inlegmash (textile).[1]
To accommodate more trade shows, a new pavilion was opened in 1977 on the banks of the Moskva River next to Krasnaya Presnya Park. In January the following year, it held its first show, Derevoobrabotka (woodworking).[1]