Both have ice rinks and a glass vaulted ceiling that is modeled after the historic Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy.

In 1982, the mall, originally named Dallas Galleria, opened, with anchor tenants Marshall Field's, Gump's, and Saks Fifth Avenue as well as the 432-room Westin and a General Cinema Corporation multiplex theater.

On September 7, 1985, the mall was the location of WFAA-TV Channel 8's Sump'n Else bandstand program's 20th Anniversary live reunion special hosted by Ron Chapman and Ralph Baker Jr. with special appearances by "The Little Group" dancers and Kenny and the Kasuals, and was also simulcast live on KVIL.

In 2002, Hines Interests sold the mall to UBS Realty Investors LLC of Hartford, Connecticut, for $300 million.

In April 2005, UBS Realty Investors LLC acquired the Westin Galleria Hotel, which is attached to the mall, from Hines Interests for $95 million.

The previous Belk outpost is slated to become one of the first two Netflix House experiential retail locations in the U.S., the other being at the King of Prussia mall near Philadelphia[13] On November 18, 2022, Nordstrom vacated its third floor as part of a larger department reorganization.