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December 2023 by Alasdair Masson
We had a lovely time at the Barnes Foundation, which has a beautifully designed building that holds a variety of post-impressionist and early modern art. They had a Marie Laurencin exhibit that was very provoking, and the main exhibits were delicately curated. I would certainly recommend to anyone looking to visit an art museum in Philadelphia.
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November 2023 by Georgios Boudalis
Don't miss it if you love art and museums. I loved the new building encapsulating the original arrangement of the collectors house. Sui generis way pf displaying art, I think unique in that respect.
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October 2023 by H B
I can’t believe I waited so long before going to the Barnes foundation. The number of pieces they have is absolutely astounding and it’s such an intimate way to enjoy some of your favorite impressionists. But as you may, or may not know, their collection is definitely not limited to impressionist art. I went on a free museum day but I would 100% go back and pay full ticket price to experience it again. Expect to spend some serious time here. It also is one of the best museum gift shops I’ve ever been in.
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October 2023 by Anthony H.
This place surprised me. If not for friends and family, I generally travel according to museums and food.This has to be one of my favorite museums in the States.Anyone who loves art has to visit this place.
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September 2023 by Jack Pitcher
My favorite museum experience by far. The Barnes is unique because it lets you, the visitor and viewer interact with the art as you please. It is up to your own personal perspective, creating a evocative experience. Unlike a traditional museum there are no plaques or descriptions of the art. The only signage is a tiny, almost microscopic plaque of the artist’s name at the bottom of the frame. The Barnes is an immersive treasure trove of Impressionist art that forces you to think outside the box. Must see if you are in Philly.
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August 2023 by Heather Zulim
The Impressionism and post-impressionisms lovers dream! This museum was amazing, not only was the collection incredible, but how it was curated was really enjoyable. It felt like I was just walking around somebody’s house. A house that’s filled with billions of dollars worth of art. It really humanized things, and it was special to see different pieces together in one space, highlighting the differences and similarities amongst artists and movements.I truly loved this experience and would absolutely come back to visit again.
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August 2023 by Verena Aibel
Superb collection of Renoir paintings! Sweet museum, well laid out, mostly in one floor. Galleries are a bit tiny and chock full of art and objects. Wonderful restaurant. Great gift shop! Need to be technically savvy since artwork information is accessible only by using a QR code and an app. If you don’t add your email address, you’ll lose the snapshot info when you zoom in on a painting. Other than that, photography is clearly ok, as seen by the manual photos I took and shared the old fashioned way.
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July 2023 by Juliana
The most pretentious museum I’ve ever been to. It’s obviously a huge scheme for the Barnes family to avoid taxes by investing all their money in art and a non-profit organization (which I’m sure turns a hefty profit). Also, Mr Barnes has a very particular taste in art…many, many female nudes. An excessive, distasteful amount of female nudes. It’s a nice building. I’m glad I went on the free day but I wouldn’t want to pay for this.
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July 2023 by Erik & Tony Larson-Pinizzotto
What a wonderful place this is. I went with my husband, sister and two nieces. It is a big museum with beautiful works of art. I think my favorite thing about it is that different artists and different eras are displayed right next to each other, just as Barnes had displayed his collection in his original home. We went because my sister had visited his home in the 80s when he had collected unknown artist over the years. Those "unknown" artists became quite well known; Lipschitz, Cézanne, Renoir, Modigliani, Miro, Van Gogh, Seurat, and many more. There was a lot of controversy surrounding the opening of The Barnes Foundation 6 years ago because Barnes always wanted the art only displayed in his home. But the powers that be thought it better if they moved his colleciton from Marion to Philly. More people could see it and the art is a little less densely displayed. Also the cafe (not the fine dining place inside) was delicious and had even a vegan option for me.My only complaint with this place is that many of the docents (not all) and the employees were a little curt with us, bordering on rude. The ones that WERE nice, though, were delightful.Overall I recommend- It's a good all-afternoon place to go.
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June 2023 by P Loo
This was on my bucket list of art museums to visit, and it did not disappoint. It not only exists as a showcase for beautiful and amazing art, but Albert Barnes’ belief that art is for the enjoyment and edification of everyone. As you go through each room and view the paintings amongst the furnishings, metalworks and other art objects, you can’t help but marvel at the care and effort that Dr. Barnes took to purchase and place each piece. What was he trying to highlight with each arrangement? What was he trying to teach? In addition, there are more Renoir and Cezanne paintings here than anywhere else in the world, and that includes France. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
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May 2023 by Saysha Reyes
If you are a fan of Renoir or Cezanne, this museum is a must. Personally, I felt like seeing that many pieces by Renoir in one place was like eating a box of French pastries by myself. I needed to stand in front of a Goya or spare Picasso just as a palate cleanser. Fortunately there are other artists represented here!Initially, I thought the way the artwork was displayed was off-putting. But the website/app (using the QR code before entering) was a phenomenal addition. You can use your camera to "look" at any piece, and up pops the name, artist, and a blurb about the work. And then, at the end of the tour, they will actually email you pictures of the art you were interested in. It was a lot of fun until my phone died, so be sure to bring a backup battery!
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May 2023 by Mark Nichols
It is a truly beautiful place. It is a close drive from my house but it feels like an oasis. I went on two separate occasions l. Once for the first floor and just recently for the second floor. It can get overwhelming. 20 pictures to a room each one more beautiful than the last. My husband discovered that he LOVED Renoir and seeing those works through someone else's eyes has made me really take in thbackstop.The way everything is displayed is so awesome. Everything feels contextual like it was hanging on someone's wall in their home. I also adore the gift shop. First time I bought a scarf that was on a deep discount. Adorable tschoch as well. I can't wait to go back. I also discovered Chäim Soutine there. Wow! What an amazing artist with an incredibly moving backstory.
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April 2023 by Lisa P.
Don't get me wrong, the artwork is fabulous. Artists like Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh all in one place. the sheer amount of works by history greats in one place is amazing BUT they are crammed on walls with names printed so small they can't always be seen. there is no rhyme nor reason to placement that I could identify. They have an app you can point at each painting to tell you about them but they are grouped so tightly and so high on the wall it could take a half dozen tries to get the correct painting. The app didn't work on one person's phone in our group so he had to follow someone to get info. it was truly the most frustrating art museum I have ever been in. I feel like they "cheaped out" by not having clear info by the paintings where they could easily be read. They are assuming we're all experts and need no information. It should have been a relaxing, awe inspiring experience but was really frustrating. If I was alone without a phone or the app didn't work, it would have been a horrible experience. protect those paintings, educate your patrons, including those who choose not to have a phone...or whose phones your app don't work on.
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February 2023 by Anne C.
So I went to the Barnes this past weekend and I hated it. I really viscerally hated it - for some of the same reasons Scott P. talks about in his review.The architecture of the atrium is gorgeous - modern with some MCM touches like the mosaic on the entry and irregular rectangles on the walls. It's a lovely space.The collection is extraordinary - hundreds of paintings by Impressionist masters, Renoir and Cezanne, some extraordinary pieces by Modigliani, a few Van Gogh paintings, and so much more.Three things just killed it for me, though. I love to sit and contemplate a piece of art, to gaze at the subtleties inherent in the artwork, look at the piece from all angles - and (1) these masterpieces of Impressionist art are stacked vertically, one on top of the other, and so close to each other - it's like Impressionist Tetris. I know we're supposed to be experiencing the pieces the way Barnes saw the art, but I want to experience my own interpretation, and I want the art to be able to breathe. Several of my design classes have emphasized null space, or white space - there isn't any at the Barnes. The art is packed like the museum ran out of walls.(2) Color and lighting. The paintings are on caramel brown wallpaper and it makes it very hard to see the art. It's like being in a brown caramel swirled ice cream shake, a Blizzard of visual chaos, masterpieces and gilt frames and then wrought metal bits adding up to too much, everywhere, all at once. And the lighting is "protect the paintings" dim (it was also a cloudy day when I was there) so it's really hard to pull colors and dimensionality and life out of the paintings. Everything blended together.(3) Technology abuse. (a) Don't bother buying your ticket at the gate - get it online. Because the person at the gate just walks you through the online process. (b) After I'd waited in line to go through the online buying process (sigh) I had to scan the QR three times to get into the gallery, and then twice to get out. This is is a UI designed by a non-computer person. Imagine if you were someone who had a difficult time with mobile tech and then you're asked to pull up the QR code again and again? Some of my beloved art-loving relatives would have been in tears. My phone refused to keep the code up when I flipped the phone and it was really annoying. (c) The only way to get data on the art is through the online app. Scott P summarizes this excellently. I DO NOT WANT TO EXPERIENCE AN ART MUSEUM VIA STARING AT MY MOBILE. I am absolutely convinced that the only way to appropriately experience this museum is with a guide and a tour. And it wouldn't hurt to make sure you're in alignment with Barnes' art ideology.
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February 2023 by Scott P.
A classic Philly Museum that has only been located downtown for 11 years due to a fascinating backstory. Came here yesterday and somehow it was my first time here, but won't be my last. Tickets are pricey at $25 (for reference, you'll pay the same amount down the street at the Philadelphia Museum of Art for a space and collection ten times the size of the Barnes). But they do offer steep discounts like free first Sundays, $5 tickets for college students, Philly teachers are free every Sunday, and kids 12 and under are always free. But the collection is truly stunning. The world's largest holding of Renoir (179) and Cézanne (69) paintings as well as plenty by Picasso, Matisse, Van Gogh, Monet and Seurat. They're all packed into a space designed to mimic the collection's former layout in the nearby suburb of Lower Merion. That's unfortunately part of the problem. Dr. Barnes was a private collector and had his own eccentric views on how the paintings should be displayed. Most museums will give paintings space to breathe, so to speak, but here they are all jammed together, some positioned ten or twenty feet up the wall, without a single informational sign posted anywhere. For that you'll need a cell phone. Your digital ticket links to their website where you can scan any painting in the collection to read additional information. Unfortunately it's incredibly buggy. It often took up to 20 seconds for the scan to work. Sometimes information from an adjacent painting popped up instead. And if you don't hold your phone at exactly the right distance and angle, it won't work at all. And because it was so crowded, it was often difficult to get close enough to scan the paintings I wanted to. Overall, I came to the Barnes to learn a little about art and escape screens and technology for an afternoon, so I was a little dismayed to have to stare at my phone so much for two hours. But overall still a wonderful experience that I don't regret, and can definitely recommend to others.
