The hôtel-Dieu was founded in the 11th century by Count Henry the Liberal of Champagne, and held by the Augustinian order with assets such as a mill in 1174.

[2] It is part of the same foundation as the collegiate church of Saint-Étienne de Troyes and was under the same name of Domus Dei B. Stephani.

It has been under the king's authority since 1284 and has two responsibilities: to welcome pilgrims and, if it did not receive lepers, the blind, one-armed people and other cripples, foundlings because they could not be cured, and women after they had given birth until they could be raised.

Since June 29, 2013, the restored outbuildings of this hôtel-Dieu have housed a stained glass conservatory known as the Cité du Vitrail.

[4] This space closed its doors in December 2018 to allow work to develop on the entire site and open the "big" Cité du Vitrail at the end of 2022.

Housed in the former 18th-century apothecary, the museum's collection features objects from the hôtel-Dieu, the oldest of which date back to the 16th century.

This closure is linked to the renovation works on the west wing of the building, which is to house the future Cité du Vitrail (a project supported by the Aube department).