The project was initiated by Jean Hamon, who had made his fortune in property development, and his gift to the Conseil général of Hauts-de-Seine of nearly 200 paintings and sculptures with a total value of 7.5 million Euros, stored at Hamon's castle at Bullion (Yvelines).
A mixed syndicate, with Charles Pasqua and André Santini (UDF deputy mayor of Issy-les-Moulineaux) as co-presidents, was created in 2000.
In 2003, a judge in Versailles was surprised to see the département invest (without control over the funds) 800,000 Euros for the storage and conservation of the works.
The foundation collapsed and its construction permit was cancelled after an appeal launched by ecologists and local residents.
Since mid-2003 several investigations into embezzlement of public funds were put in place by judge Nathalie Andreassian, particularly into politicians and civil servants of the Conseil général des Hauts-de-Seine.