Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:300 N Latches Ln
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Tel:
(610) 667-0290
Visit the Barnes Foundation, where each wall is literally filled from floor to ceiling with recognizable masterpieces. The Barnes Foundation has three elements: the art museum, with astounding volume of works of art; the Arboretum, a collection of rare, mature plants including crabapples, magnolias and 200 varieties of lilac; Ker-Feal, an 18th-century farmhouse in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, made up with the furnishings of the period (Ker-Feal is not open to the public at this time).
Home to one of the world's finest collections of French Impressionist, Post-Impressionist and early Modern paintings, the Barnes Foundation boasts 181 paintings by Renoir, 46 Picassos, and some signature Monets, just to name a few. The collection also includes examples of American painting and works on paper, including pieces by Charles Demuth, William Glackens and Maurice and Charles Prendergast. Additionally, the museum features African sculpture, Asian paintings and prints, medieval manuscripts and sculptures, American and European decorative arts and metalwork. The list goes on and on. With so much to see, it is a good idea to take advantage of the museum's docent-led gallery tours so as not to miss any highlights.
No food is allowed in the museum and there are no dining facilities on the premises, but there are a number of places to eat along City Line Avenue and in Merion. Alternatively, Manayunk shopping district just a 10 to 15-minute cab ride from the museum has a variety of restaurants.
The Barnes Foundation, in association with the Radnor Hotel, the Ritz-Carlton, the Park Hyatt, the Rittenhouse 1715, and the Westin Philadelphia, offers a weekend get-away package. The package includes: luxury accommodations, guaranteed admission to The Barnes Foundation, 10% discount on Barnes Foundation gift shop merchandise, a Barnes Souvenir Gift Bag (valued at $35), and free parking at the Barnes Foundation.
The Barnes Foundation is located off of Exit 339 on I-76 West (Schuylkill Expressway), and is approximately a mile away from the Marion Station stop on the SEPTA train.