The Manica Lunga – in English “long sleeve” – gets its name from the unusual dimensions of the structure. The building was built in the mid-17th century to house the painting collection of Prince Carlo Emanuele I. Seriously compromised after transformations carried out beginning in the 19th century, the architecture has been restored to its original image by Andrea Bruno, who reinstated the windows, eliminated interior partitions and added a new roof and elements necessary for the structure to be used as a new wing of the Museum.
The Manica Lunga contains the Conference Hall, the Communication Department, the Library and the Video Library, the Bookshop and the Museum Café.