Schwarz donated the building on 27 July 1939 to the Portuguese government with the condition that it should be turned into a museum; in return Samuel Schwarz and his wife were granted Portuguese citizenship that protected them during the Second World War.
Ia menyumbangkan bangunan ini kepada pemerintah Portugal pada tanggal 27 Juli 1939 dengan syarat agar bangunan ini dijadikan museum; sebagai gantinya, Samuel Schwartz dan istrinya mendapat kewarganegaraan Portugal.