Palais Galleria: Overall exterior view

The year after she became a widow in 1876, Marie Brignole-Sale (1812-1888), the Duchess of Galliera, decided to build a museum to display her art collection to her adopted hometown of Paris. With the help of the architect Leon Ginain, the neo-Renaissance building that houses the museum today was erected, and opened six years after her death in 1888. The collection, originally intended for the entire nation of France, was then re-given to the city of Paris only, when the French Government interfered with the marriage of one of her daughters to the Prince of Portugal. Her famous paintings, sculpture and ceramics were never actually displayed in Paris before being returned to her birthplace of Genoa, Italy. The building with its arch by Gustave Eiffel, however, was donated to the city. The Mus\u00E9e Galliera is now the City of Paris Museum of Fashion, opened in 1977, renovated 1997.