The Barnes Foundation is an educational art and horticultural institution founded in 1922 by Albert Barnes, a wealthy chemist and art collector. The museum, which houses one of the finest collections of nineteenth and twentieth-century French paintings in the world, has moved from its original premises in Merion, in Philadelphia's suburbs, to the new location on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
The new building covers 92,569.63 sq. ft. on two floors and the exhibition space has been designed to replicate the original galleries in Merion. The new building also contains classrooms, a 465 sq metre changing exhibition space, a 150-seat auditorium, a cafe and a gift shop.
The entrance to the building incorporates 16 large insulating glass units consisting of 10 mm Pilkington Energy Advantage™ low-e glass over two 10 mm heat strengthened, laminated lights of Pilkington Optiwhite™ low-iron glass.