It was founded in 1939 by the French scholar on Maghrebi art Lucien Golvin, in a palace located in the heart of the ancient city of Sfax.

[1] The house was built by Andalusian Muslim refugees fleeing from the Spanish persecutions in the 17th century.

Since then the house was bought by Farhat al-Jalouli, a military commander from Sfax and a wealthy gun dealer.

The courtyard is located opposite from the entrance door, with its two compartments serving as storage area of supplies.

[1]In the hallways, scenes from the traditional daily life of the 18th-century Sfax were reconstructed in both urban and rural characters.