An incredibly rich man, Albert C Barnes made his money off of inventing Argyrol. It prevented blindness in newborns if the mother had malaria. He sold his company months before the stock market crashed in 1929. After that he began collecting art for himself. The 2,500 items in the collection include major works by (among others) Rousseau, Modiggliani, Soutine, Seurat, Degas, and van Gogh. The entire collection is estimated today to be worth between $20 and $30 billion.
Last night we went with friends to the grand opening. The tickets were free and you had one hour to tour the new building and take in as much as you could. We didn't even make it half way through his collection in an hour! The next tour was coming in a 9pm so we had be get out.
We plan on going back, with out kids. You can take them, but I wouldn't. The 1st Sunday of every month is free. Check this website for more information. It's certainly something worth doing!
If you'd like to hear/read some of the story, check it our from NPR here.
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| The architects and planners did their best to mimic the Barnes residence in Lower Merion. |
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