The exhibition was in line with the founding values of the Institute, which were to extend the spread of knowledge among the people of Derby.

Derby Museum and Art Gallery, which is next door to what was the Mechanics Institute building, now holds many of the objects from the exhibition.

The exhibition was organised to pay for a lecture hall which had just been added in 1837 to the Derby Mechanic's institute premises in the Wardwick.

The exhibition attracted over 96,000 people and Derby's institute as a result was placed on a good financial basis.

[3] The exhibition is the subject matter of Interior of the Mechanics' Institute, a hand coloured lithograph print from a drawing by Samuel Rayner.