How to Visit the Barnes Foundation

The Barnes Foundation in Merion, Pennsylvania (a western suburb of Philadelphia) is one of the world’s leading private collections of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and early Modern paintings, including works by Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse, Picasso and Modigliani as well as African sculpture. Dr. Albert Barnes, the founder, designed his museum in 1922 along innovative principles that are still taught at the Foundation’s school today. A visit to the Barnes Foundation is an encounter with the best of the human spirit. The house is surrounded by a twelve-acre arboretum.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. The Foundation is open to the public on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from September to June and on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the same hours in July and August. Reservations must be made at least 30 to 45 days in advance and are available online. Parking is available for an extra charge.

2. The richness of the collection and Dr. Barnes’ unerring eye for synchronicities between paintings, furniture and art objects create an exceptional aesthetic experience. In contrast to other museums, where paintings are hung individually, at the Barnes entire walls of paintings and objects can be seen as forming a unified artistic statement. A tour with a docent or with an audio guide helps visitors to understand Barnes’ vision.

3. The collection has 181 fine examples of work by Renoir, to name just one of the many Impressionist artists whose paintings Barnes acquired. The colors and shapes in the paintings are paired with furniture, other paintings and household items. After a trip to the Barnes, a visitor can’t help but see the world differently.

4. The arboretum features many plants that are not native to Pennsylvania. As with the museum collection, the plantings are designed to incorporate aesthetic and horticultural principles. There is a library, a greenhouse and an herbarium with 10,000 specimens. Tours of the garden are available.

Tips & Warnings

• There are two floors in the museum, each with numerous rooms of artworks. Some visitors will enjoy seeing both floors in detail while others will prefer to focus on one floor per visit.
• There are many other works of art in the collection besides the ones described here.
• To get there, take the SEPTA R5 Paoli train from 30th Street Station in Philadelphia to Merion Station. The Barnes is a short walk from the station on Latchs Lane.
• There is no restaurant at the museum, but there are several nearby in Merion, Bala Cynwyd and neighboring Philadelphia.