Beginning in 1955, the DGEMN Direção-Geral de Edificios e Monumentos Nacionais (Directorate-General for Buildings and National Monuments) began work to conserve and rehabilitate the building, along with the Delegação nas Obras de Edifícios de Cadeias das Guardas Republicana e Fiscal e das Alfândegas (Republican Guard Delegation for Jailhouses, Fiscal Guards and Customshouses).

[1] This included the substitution of the ceiling and pavement, in addition to repair to the spaces within the building in 1956.

Its collection comprises machines and objects from pre-cinema era, original posters in canvas, photographs and diverse documents related to cinema in Portugal.

[1][2] The main exhibition identifies the evolution of cinema, with a major part of the collection contributed by film critic Jean-Loup Passek.

[1] The rectangular building is covered in tile, and the facades plastered and painted in white, encircled by embrasure, terminated in cornices and simple frames.