The building, neo-Classical and in the Ionic order, was completed in 1868, and extended twice since. The front part of the building is the city museum, while the rear is the art gallery.
The Mappin Art Gallery has a small section given over to a rotating exhibition of the city's collection, but the majority of its galleries contain a contemporary mixture of commissions and touring exhibitions.
The building is undergoing a complete renovation, due to be completed in 2005.