The building has a number of distinctive characteristics, which suggests that it was constructed circa 1890. John Sharples, a prominent architectural designer of that period, is said to have been involved in the planning and construction of the building. The building was acquired by the colony of British Guiana, on March 2, 1942 for $14 000.00.

The first registered owner of the building was Anne McAllister nee Foglemark. Her sister, Caroline Louisa Clarke nee Foglemark, inherited the property on April 22, 1865. In 1891, Duncan McRae Hutson purchased the property for $3 000.00. He was an eminent lawyer, and a contemporary of Patrick Dargan with a fondness for horses. After the death of Mr. Hutson and his wife Janet Hutson, Mr. Albert McLean Ogle sold the property to the colony of British Guiana.

Under the ownership of the government, the building housed the teacher’s training college and later the Attorney General’s Chambers. Since 1980, the building has housed the Museum.

The building is basically a square plan, with the body house three storeys high. The entire building is of a timber frame construction, with columns braced at external corners. This building has one tower, located at the northwestern corner. This tower is clad with white lap-edged boarding and is accentuated with a few latticework panels at the first floor level and one latticework window to the north.

Like many of the buildings, which were constructed in the late 19th century the utilitarian, Demerara Window, is a prominent feature. In addition, a number of windows have been employed throughout the building. These include the double hung sash windows, glass and timber louvres and casement windows. Ornate trim is found mainly on the first floor galleries where architraves are decorated and sills are moulded.

Other noteworthy features of the building include a turned finial at the apex of the tower’s roof and several cornices. The cornice, an imitation of classical mouldings, hides the joint between the external walls and the eaves. These are located below the main roof and the tower roof. The eaves of the main roof were meshed to allow ventilation and to exclude bats and birds. Other decorative features include the moulded skirting to the doors, walls and the exposed beams and fretwork panels above the doorways.