It was listed by the municipality in 1979 and, after extensive renovations in 2003, it began to lend some of its rooms for art exhibitions, also having the offices and technical reserve of the Artistic Collection of the City Hall of Porto Alegre there.

Once elected by the Republican Party in 1897, intendant José Montaury committed himself to the construction of a permanent headquarters for the local Executive power.

In the square in front of it the building lies the Talavera de La Reina Fountain, donated by the Spanish colony in honor of the centenary of the Ragamuffin War.

[3][4][5] It is the first building of a clearly positivist character in Porto Alegre, and whose general layout, in the shape of an H, left profound influences on the official architecture of the period.

[6] The building reflects the prevailing taste for monumentality at the time, and follows an eclectic style derived from neoclassical patterns, and influenced by positivist guidelines, as can be seen from the allegorical statuary on the facade.

It is also ornated with shed windows with eardrums, parapets, balustrades, base simulating rustic stone, and large marble lions on the front side stairs.