Barnes Foundation

In 1922, Philadelphia art collector Albert C. Barnes established the Barnes Foundation with the goal of educating and sharing great works of art with a diverse group of people. During his lifetime, Barnes collected a stunning breadth of work, including impressionist, post-impressionist, modern paintings, African masks, Native American jewelry, Greek antiquities, and decorative metalwork. Mr. Barnes established the Foundation to serve as an educational institution, with a focus on offering free arts education through engagement with his own collection. Today, The Barnes reaches 11,000 schoolchildren in Philadelphia each year and presents exhibitions, hosts courses for adult learners, and operates programs for families and community members both on-site at the organization's building in Philadelphia and in surrounding neighborhoods. Like its namesake, the Barnes' values the belief that art is a powerful and transformative medium that should be accessible to all.