Take a Class
Study art history and art appreciation at the Barnes, a leader in art education for nearly 100 years. We offer a full array of online and on-site classes, with new courses curated monthly. Barnes members receive a 10% discount. Online classes make great gifts.
The Barnes Arboretum at Saint Joseph’s University
Visitors are invited to explore the grounds and learn about our rare plants and breathtaking blooms.
Research Notes:
July 2021
New theories and recent discoveries from the Barnes Foundation's curators, scholars, conservators, and archivists.
Art Education at the Barnes
Learn about art and the Barnes collection from home with online courses.
Art Education Classes
Study art history and art appreciation at the Barnes with a full array of online and on-site classes.
The Barnes-de Mazia Certificate Program
This special track offers an immersion in the Barnes method and an introduction to other interpretive approaches.
Members-Only Online Talks
Members can learn more about favorite works or artists in the collection, discover archival treasures, and see conservation practices behind the scenes.
Give the Gift of a Barnes Class
Give the gift of lifelong learning with online art history classes taught by Barnes experts.
Highlights Tour
This one-hour tour is perfect for first-time visitors. Explore highlights of the collection and learn the history of the Barnes.
Private Collection Tours
Explore highlights of the collection and learn the history of the Barnes. This tour is a private one-hour experience for you and up to four guests.
Private Virtual Tours
Visit the Barnes without leaving home! Book a custom online tour for your friends, family, or colleagues
Horticulture Certificate Program
Our three-year certificate program covers horticultural science, methods, and design.
September Spotlight Tour: Van Gogh and the Avant-Garde
Take a closer look at the work of Van Gogh and his radical contemporaries.
Demuth, Hartley, Sexuality, and American Modernism
Barnes director Thom Collins teaches this special course exploring the work of two major American modernists against the backdrop of gay and lesbian history.
Online Curatorial Preview: Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel
Members are invited to an in-depth virtual preview of Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel ahead of its world premiere.
Online Curatorial Preview: Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel
Members-Only Online Tour: The Barnes Collection
A free virtual tour of the collection for members. See details of favorite artworks like never before.
Member Previews: Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel
As a member, see our latest exhibition before the public opening.
Members-Only Art Team Morning
Each month, members of our Art Team present their ongoing research on the collection to members.
Lecture: Nancy Ireson on Suzanne Valadon
Curator Nancy Ireson provides a lively introduction to our fall exhibition, Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel.
Special Exhibition Tour: Suzanne Valadon
Trace the fascinating career of the groundbreaking artist in this docent-led tour of Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel.
Private Exhibition Tour: Suzanne Valadon
Tour our newest exhibition and learn about Valadon’s extraordinary life. This tour is a private one-hour experience for you and up to four guests.
October Spotlight Tour: Wicked Paris: The Lure of Montmartre
Learn about the revolutionary artists drawn to the bohemian neighborhood at the turn of the 20th century.
First Friday!
Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra
Tonight, Black Pearl brings a diverse mix of classical music styles. Plus, see an opening performance by a student from the Curtis Institute of Music.
PECO Free First Sunday Family Day: Wellness
Free access to the collection and Suzanne Valadon exhibition, plus family activities on-site! Join us for art, games, and stories that teach about health and wellness.
Facing Change: Health
In our Facing Change series, artists, scholars, and community activists explore issues related to race in America.
The Decisions Artists Make
Explore how the creative choices made by artists communicate their vision and affect the viewer’s experience.
No Apologies: Suzanne Valadon
Suzanne Valadon is the subject of our fall exhibition. Learn more about the life and work of this radical French painter and get special access to the show.
Members-Only Online Tour: Suzanne Valadon
A free online tour of Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel for members.
Online Class: Mexican Muralism
Examine the origins and development of the Mexican muralist movement in the 20th century, with a focus on Rivera, Orozco, and Siqueiros.
Members-Only Tour: Suzanne Valadon
Members are invited to exclusive docent-led tours of Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel, on-site in the Roberts Gallery.
Online Class: Painting with Pissarro: The Journey into Modernism
Explore Pissarro’s practice, his relationships with other artists, and his influence on the evolution of modern art in the late 19th century.
Online Class: History of Modern Design
This course traces major moments in the history of modern design, including material innovations and the ideas behind Bauhaus, art deco, postmodernism, and other movements.
Online Class: The Nude in France: From the Ideal to the Real
From the playful boudoir scenes of the rococo to the provocative working-class models of the avant-garde, this course explores the critical transformation of the nude over the 19th century.
In Focus Gallery Talk: Rousseau’s The Past and the Present, or Philosophical Thought
Hear the story behind the painting from Jalen Chang, a PhD candidate in the history of art at the University of Pennsylvania. Free with admission; Room 19
Members-Only Online Tour: Wicked Paris
Learn about the revolutionary artists drawn to bohemian Montmartre at the turn of the 20th century in this virtual collection tour.
Members-Only Tour: Suzanne Valadon
Members are invited to exclusive docent-led tours of Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel, on-site in the Roberts Gallery.
2021 Barnes Art Ball
Join us for a celebration of art, community, and philanthropy. Enjoy creative encounters and see the new exhibition Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel.
Online Member Orientation
New members are invited to join us online to learn more about the perks of membership at the Barnes.
Lecture: Aruna D’Souza on Linda Nochlin’s Essay
Learn how the art world has changed in the 50 years since the groundbreaking essay “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?” was published.
Members-Only Online Tour: Suzanne Valadon
A free online tour of Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel for members.
Members-Only Tour: Suzanne Valadon
Members are invited to exclusive docent-led tours of Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel, on-site in the Roberts Gallery.
November Spotlight Tour: Valadon’s Artistic Circle
This tour focuses on artists in the Barnes collection—Degas, Renoir, Modigliani, and more—who were part of Suzanne Valadon’s remarkable life.
Another Jasper Johns
Learn about the life and work of one of the most influential American artists of the 20th century. Just in time for the major Johns retrospective at the PMA this fall.
Members-Only Tour: Suzanne Valadon
Members are invited to exclusive docent-led tours of Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel, on-site in the Roberts Gallery.
First Friday!
Unison feat. Joanna Pascale
Jazz group Unison shakes up the classic Philly sound with inventive instrumentation. Tonight, they're joined by singer Joanna Pascale.
PECO Free First Sunday Family Day: Wings
Free access to the collection and Suzanne Valadon exhibition, plus family activities on-site! Join us for artful games and storytime, plus a performance by Native Nations Dance Theater.
In Focus Gallery Talk: Valadon’s Marie Coca and Her Daughter Gilberte
Hear the story behind the painting from Jalen Chang, a PhD candidate in the history of art at the University of Pennsylvania. Free with admission; Roberts Gallery
Poems and Paintings
Discover analogies between the visual and the textual. Learn about the various strategies used by painters and writers to create imagery.
Decoding Barnes’s Ensembles
Get a better understanding of why Dr. Albert Barnes arranged his collection in such an unconventional way.
Members-Only Online Tour: Suzanne Valadon
A free online tour of Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel for members.
Online Class: Posers: A History of the Artist’s Model in European Painting
This course explores the behind-the-scenes realities of the artist’s model across time, focusing especially on the class and gender dynamics of the 19th-century studio.
Online Class: Cézanne in the Barnes Foundation: Learn from the Authors
A special course team-taught by the authors of our much-anticipated new catalogue about the Cézannes in the Barnes collection. The book—and the class—are the culmination of years of research.
Online Class: Artistic Exchange along the Silk Road
Along with goods, ancient trade routes led to an exchange of art and ideas. This course explores the visual cultures of empires that rose and fell along this storied network.
Member Orientation
New members are invited to join us on-site to learn more about the perks of membership at the Barnes.
Artist Bash: Vagina Chorus
Join us for a one-of-a-kind performance that combines technology, theater, and physical therapy–inspired choreography.
Lecture: Carl Walsh on Ancient Egypt
This talk spotlights our collection of Egyptian objects and explores the ways in which museums can engage audiences with ancient Egypt more ethically and equitably.
Members-Only Online Tour: Valadon’s Artistic Circle
This virtual collection tour focuses on artists in the Barnes collection who were part of Suzanne Valadon’s remarkable life.
Members-Only Online Tour: The Barnes Collection
A free virtual tour of the collection for members. See details of favorite artworks like never before.
Members-Only Tour: Suzanne Valadon
Members are invited to exclusive docent-led tours of Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel, on-site in the Roberts Gallery.
Online Talk: Cézanne in the Barnes Foundation: A Conversation with the Editors
The editors of our newest collection catalogue discuss the project and the significance of the Barnes’s Cézannes in the artist’s career.
December Spotlight Tour: Valadon’s Artistic Circle
This tour focuses on artists in the Barnes collection—Degas, Renoir, Modigliani, and more—who were part of Suzanne Valadon’s remarkable life.
Members-Only Tour: Suzanne Valadon
Members are invited to exclusive docent-led tours of Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel, on-site in the Roberts Gallery.
First Friday! Yolanda Wisher & the Afroeaters
Led by poet and vocalist Yolanda Wisher, the Philly jazz band performs music from its debut album.
PECO Free First Sunday Family Day: Faces
Free access to the collection and Suzanne Valadon exhibition, plus family activities on-site! This month we have fun games, storytime, and dance performances.
Online Class: Monet and Modernism
This course explores Monet’s work and contributions to modernism in the 20th century and beyond.
Online Member Orientation
New members are invited to join us online to learn more about the perks of membership at the Barnes.
Lecture: Caetlin Benson-Allott on the Female Gaze
Join a film and media expert for a look at how contemporary filmmakers, critics, and scholars are redefining the female gaze in the 21st century.
In Focus Gallery Talk: Madame Cézanne with Green Hat
Hear the story behind the painting from Jalen Chang, a PhD candidate at the University of Pennsylvania. Free with admission; Main Gallery
Members-Only Online Tour: Valadon’s Artistic Circle
This virtual collection tour focuses on artists in the Barnes collection who were part of Suzanne Valadon’s remarkable life.
Members-Only Online Tour: Suzanne Valadon
A free online tour of Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel for members.
Members-Only Tour: Suzanne Valadon
Members are invited to exclusive docent-led tours of Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel, on-site in the Roberts Gallery.