Barnes Foundation
| Type | Art museum |
|---|---|
| Address | 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway |
| Map | View on Google Maps |
| Neighborhood | Fairmount |
| Phone | (215) 278-7000 |
| Website | Official site |
| Established | 1922 |
| Founder | Albert C. Barnes |
| Collection | 4,000+ objects |
| Visitors | 300,000+/year |
| Admission | $30 adults, free for children under 18 |
| Hours | Wed-Mon 11am-5pm, closed Tuesdays |
| Transit | SEPTA Bus 38, Phlash |
| Architect | Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects (2012 building) |
The Barnes Foundation is a world-renowned art museum on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Fairmount, housing one of the finest collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist, and early Modern paintings in the world. The collection includes 181 Renoirs, 69 Cézannes, 59 Matisses, 46 Picassos, and significant works by Van Gogh, Monet, and other masters.[1]
History
Albert C. Barnes
Dr. Albert Coombs Barnes (1872-1951) was a Philadelphia chemist and businessman who made his fortune developing Argyrol, an antiseptic widely used in the early 20th century. Beginning around 1912, Barnes used his wealth to assemble one of the world's greatest private art collections, often purchasing works directly from artists and galleries in Paris.
Barnes was a contrarian and iconoclast who feuded with Philadelphia's art establishment. He famously rejected loans to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and denied entry to critics and society figures while welcoming factory workers and students.
Original Location
The Barnes Foundation was established in 1922 in Merion, Pennsylvania, a suburb just outside Philadelphia. Barnes designed the gallery spaces according to his own principles of "ensembles"—groupings of paintings, decorative arts, and metalwork arranged to highlight formal relationships rather than chronology or nationality.
Barnes died in a car accident in 1951. His will specified that the collection never be moved, altered, or loaned—provisions that would be challenged decades later.
The Move to Philadelphia
By the early 2000s, the Barnes Foundation faced severe financial difficulties. After years of legal battles, courts approved moving the collection to a new building on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Center City Philadelphia. The new facility, designed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, opened in May 2012.
The move remained controversial. Supporters argued it saved the collection and made it accessible to more people. Critics, including documentary filmmaker Don Argott (The Art of the Steal), argued it violated Barnes's wishes and represented a takeover by Philadelphia's cultural establishment.
The Collection
The Barnes collection is displayed in "ensembles" exactly as Albert Barnes arranged them, mixing paintings, furniture, metalwork, and decorative objects to create visual dialogues.
Highlights
- Pierre-Auguste Renoir — 181 works, the world's largest collection
- Paul Cézanne — 69 paintings, including The Card Players series
- Henri Matisse — 59 works, including The Dance mural commissioned for the Merion building
- Pablo Picasso — 46 works spanning multiple periods
- Amedeo Modigliani — Major portraits and nudes
- Vincent van Gogh — Including Joseph Roulin
- Henri Rousseau — Major works including The Unpleasant Surprise
- El Greco, Titian, Rubens — Old Master paintings
- African sculpture — Significant collection integrated with European paintings
The Ensembles
Unlike conventional museums that organize by artist or period, Barnes arranged works in "ensembles" based on visual relationships—color, line, light, and space. A Renoir might hang beside African metalwork and Pennsylvania German furniture. This approach, rooted in Barnes's educational philosophy, remains intact in the new building.
The Building
The 2012 building recreates the exact gallery layouts from Merion, including natural light from overhead skylights. The architecture wraps modern public spaces around the historic gallery core.
- Gallery spaces — Exact replicas of Merion rooms with original ensemble arrangements
- Light Court — Central atrium with natural light
- Classroom and auditorium — For educational programs
- Sculpture garden — Outdoor space with works from the collection
Visiting
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Hours | Wed-Mon 11am-5pm, closed Tuesdays |
| Admission | $30 adults, $5 students, free under 18 |
| Address | 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway |
| Parking | On-site parking available |
| Photography | Not permitted in galleries |
| Time needed | 2-3 hours recommended |
Advance timed tickets are recommended, especially on weekends.
Getting There
The Barnes Foundation is located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway near the Philadelphia Museum of Art:
- Walking — On the Parkway between 20th and 21st Streets
- SEPTA Bus — Routes 38, 43; Phlash Downtown Loop
- Parking — On-site garage, street parking
- Indego — Bike share stations nearby
Frequently Asked Questions
See Also
References
- ↑ "The Collection". Barnes Foundation. Retrieved December 23, 2025