The Pontalba Buildings were built in 1849. The handsome red brick apartment houses were built by the Baroness Micaela Almonester de Pontalba. The Upper and Lower Pontalba buildings were built in 1850 by the baroness Almonaster de Pontalba. In 1921, the Pontalba family sold the Lower Pontalba building and it was given to the state museum in 1927.