Work on the building began in May 1928 and was completed in early 1931.[1] Wilfrid Lacroix designed the building in a Beaux-Arts style and Joseph-Émile Brunet sculpted the reliefs on the facade.[10] The building was opened to the public in June 1933.[3] The building features white marble, wide Victorian style steps, and carved ceilings.[11] In 2018, the museum completed renovations of the Gérard-Morisset Pavilion, which saw the brightening of its viewing spaces, as well as harmonizing the structure with the rest of the museum complex.[12]