The Palais Galliera was built by Paul-René-Léon Ginain at the request of Marie Brignole-Sale, Duchess of Galliera, to house her rich art collection. The desire to showcase paintings, sculptures and objets d'art to a large audience was the motivation behind this highly educated woman's request. Construction of the Palace began in May 1879 and was completed in February 1894.

The Palais Galliera is a perfect example of late 19th century construction combining architectural traditions and technical innovations: underneath the stonework, a metal structure created by Gustave Eiffel's company supports the building. In 2013, the Palais Galliera underwent a major renovation of the exhibition rooms on the ground floor and the offices on the upper floors. At this time, W-Architectures' aim was to carry out the renovation and to bring the site up to standard (energy and accessibility wise).