The building that houses this museum was built in the latter part of the seventeenth century and was initially the residence of Count August Carl Van Ranzow along with five other houses of the elite. The street on which the Museum is situated is today full of boutiques and Muslim trading establishments. The building was restored between the years 1977 to 1981. The Museum was made open to the public in the year 1982. The building embodies the unique architectural features of a colonial Dutch town house; it displays the legacy of the Dutch rule of Sri Lanka in the form of artefacts like furniture, ceramics, coins, arms, etc. The Museum also showcases some facets of contemporary life and culture.