[3][5][6] Following the 1873-1874 cholera outbreak, brought to the Americas by migrant ships, the Argentinian government sought ideas for how to stop foreign illnesses from entering the country.

[1][7] He made an effort to avoid calling the new construction the Immigrant Asylum due to the word's connotations with beggars and poverty.

"[1] It served the practical purpose of being easy to clean and disinfect, with its white tiled walls and large corridors, in part modeled after hospitals.

[8][3] Some critics argued it lacked "comforts or hygiene... that made... those who arrived lose all hope of prosperity," while others saw it as a way to welcome immigrants while allowing them to maintain their dignity.

[3][8] The hotel was "conceived as a citadel, compris[ing of] a series of buildings or pavilions arranged around a central plaza" and included, in order of construction, the disembarkation hall, the employment office, the administration block, the hospital, and the accommodation facilities.

Medical checks were carried out on board by a doctor, and immigrants over the age of 60 and/or with physical or mental health problems, particularly those with communicable diseases, were not permitted to enter Argentina.

By 1913, the office added apprenticeships in agricultural machinery for both men and women; courses about Argentine society, customs, and language; and interpretation services.

The building is four stories tall; the dining room, which had large windows overlooking the gardens, and kitchens on the ground level.

"[1][8] Argentina's open border policy tightened during World War I, the most stringent prohibiting entry from the "insane, convicts and beggars.

[14][7][3][6] The Immigration Museum is free to enter and its permanent exhibits include "Italians and Spaniards in Argentina" and "For All the Men of the World.