After the Italian conquest of Libya in 1911, the castle was initially used as residence for the Italian governor-general. In 1919 it was converted into a museum, the first in Libya's history. In 1922-23 it was correspondingly refurbished along designs by architect Armando Brasini, who took a creative approach to its renovation. Brasini modified the Saint George Bastion to a more medieval appearance, created a new (albeit ancient-looking) entrance portal, and built the castle's iconic arches above the eastern (Saint James) bastion, originally facing the sea and now on the Saraya Lake. Brasini's initial plan was to have even more arches built, including a second level above the ones that were constructed.