Ensemble view, Room 1, west wall, Philadelphia. Image © 2026 The Barnes Foundation
Free; registration required.
About the Talk
“Building the Barnes Ensembles: Main Gallery”
On-Site & Online Talk | Member Appreciation Days
Did you know that Georges Seurat’s Models has not always hung above Paul Cézanne’s The Card Players on the west wall of the Main Gallery? The collection we encounter today shows how Dr. Albert C. Barnes left it at the time of his death in 1951. During his lifetime, however, he rearranged his collection as he constantly added new paintings, West African sculptures, Native American pottery and jewelry, and Pennsylvania German decorative arts.
In this exclusive talk, Amanda McKnight, director of archives, library, and special collections, will give an unprecedented look at the Main Gallery through the years, starting in 1925. Presenting new research and seldom-seen archival resources, including historical photographs and notes to staff written by Dr. Barnes himself, this talk will detail a rarely discussed aspect of the foundation’s history.
Online registrants will be emailed a link for the program the day prior.
Go Further
Members-Only Online Tour: Matisse, Dr. Barnes, and The Dance
Members are invited to attend this exclusive tour about Matisse at the Barnes.
Member Previews: Freedom Dreams
As a member, see our latest exhibition before the public opening.
Member Introduction: Sky Hopinka: Red Metal Dust
Learn more about the new installation of artwork in the Annenberg Court with a docent-led discussion.