[1] The Museum gained a lot more attention starting in 2011 when a new department dedicated to Design and Contemporary Decorative Arts was introduced on the ground floor of the building's east wing.

After this new department, the court and the museum entrance porch regained their original forms of the 18th century, enhanced by the contemporary work of artist Helen Mugot “Nowise”.

It was classified as a historical monument in 1963[3] The hotel was converted to a museum in 1866 by the magistrate and historian Francisque Mandet, after whom it was named.

It comprises antiques, including polychrome ceramics, small bronzes, jewels, Hellenistic marbles (Aphrodite, Artemis) and an extremely rare funeral portrait of Fayoum.

[citation needed] Ettore Sottsass, Andrea Branzi, Jean Nouvel, Goudji, Gae Aulenti and Olivier Gagnère are among the artists and designers whose works are housed in the museum.