Getting Cultured at the Barnes

Spent the day with my little man enjoying one of Philadelphia’s newest and probably most contravertial art institutions, the Barnes Foundation.
How is it that it took me 3 years since its move from Merion to the Ben Franklin Parkway to visit this magnificent museum?
If you haven’t been, we highly recommend it. 

Dr. Barnes was as diverse as his collection of French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings.  What’s cool is that the 12,000 Sq foot gallery preserves the scale, proportion and configuration of the Barnes’ original Merion location. The priceless works are symmetrically arranged according to size, and often paired with artifacts and furniture organized around themes and formal elements.

The two-story building, designed by architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien has been described as a “gallery in a garden, a garden in a gallery” and is a piece of art in its own right. 

It’s a fitting home for the Barnes Collection which features 181 Renoirs, 69 Cézannes and 59 Matisses, along with works by Manet, Degas, Seurat, Prendergrast, Titian and Picasso…some of whom Barnes knew personally.
In addition to Barnes private collection, the exhibit Strength and Splendor: Wrought Iron from the Musée Le Secq des Tournelles, Rouen and Ellen Harvey: Metal Painting is on display through January 4, 2016.
Catch it and the permanent Barnes collection before it’s too late.

Good To Know Before You Go
Tickets must be purchased in advance and you may find some dates and times sold out.  I did when I tried to book a few months back.
Go here to check availability and buy your tickets.

First Friday!
Unwind at the Barnes every first Friday of the month from 6–9 p.m. Relax with cocktails, live music, inspiring talks and after-hours access to the world-famous collection and special exhibitions.

Free First Sundays
On the first Sunday of every month, visitors to the Barnes can enjoy free admission, family entertainment and informative seminars from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Free tickets are can be obtained on-site starting at 9 a.m. for 10 a.m. and later. Advance reservations are not available and tickets are available on a first come-first served basis. The offer is limited to tickets for two adults and two children.

I hope that you enjoy the visit as much as we did!

Alya