Petit Palais was built in 1317. It is located in the northern part of the square, in front of the residence of the Papal States, and is so named because of its modest size and value compared to the Palace of the Popes.

The story of his appearance vague: according to one version - it was built for a nephew of Pope John XXII, Arnaud de Via, on the other - it was built by Cardinal Bérengère F. Elder. After his death, the palace and grounds were bought by Cardinal Arnaud de Via. In 1335 Via De died and the palace belonged to no one until the arrival of Pope Benedict XII, who bought it again and turned into the official residence of the Archbishop of Avignon.

The building was severely damaged in the period from 1396 by 1411. Because it was considered a stronghold of the Avignon popes fortified. After the end of hostilities, the palace gradually fell into disrepair. In the second half of the XV century, Bishop Alain de Kotivi and his successor Giuliano della Rovere (who would later become Pope Julius II) decided to restore the building and in 1503 gave him almost primordial form. Della Rovere arrived in Avignon in 1474, as he was appointed by his uncle, Pope Sixtus IV, the bishop of Avignon. He added onto the southern and western facades in Italian Renaissance style and in 1487 erected a tower (later, in 1767 it was destroyed).

During the French Revolution, the palace became the property of the state, in the XIX century it was a Catholic school and later a vocational school. Only at the end of the XX century on the territory of the palace has been a museum.

Since 1958, it houses the Museum of the Middle Ages. In 1976 there was opened an art gallery of works of masters of the Renaissance. The 19 rooms of the museum, in particular, the work of Sandro Botticelli, Taddeo Gaddi, Taddeo di Bartolo, Lorenzo Monaco, including here is the famous "Madonna" Botticelli.