Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia, PA

Albert C Barnes is the founder of the Barnes Foundation. He made his fortune through the development of Argyrol, which is an antiseptic made from silver, and it was used in combating gonorrhea. The antiseptic was also used in healing inflammations of the nose, ear, throat, and eye. Before the stock market crash of 1929 took place, Barnes sold his business.

Barnes Foundation currently deals in ownership of 4,000 objects that include more than 900 paintings estimated to be worth $25 billion. All these works are primarily from the Modernist, Impressionists, and Post-Impressionist professionals. In addition, however, the collections include other paintings by famous American and European artists, not to forget the African art and antique from Egypt, China, and Greece.

The Barnes Foundation is also where you will locate the Merion Arboretum, the Barnes Foundation’s original campus. The twelve-acre nursery is always open for public tours where the natives and tourists get to see the various plant collections assembled by Barnes’s wife. These plants are used for teaching purposes, and they include lilacs, clethra, stewartia, magnolia, hostas, hardy ferns, roses, and medicinal plants, to mention but a few.

There is also a horticultural library and herbarium that is used by those students who take horticulture. It could help if you knew that there are classes offered to the public, mainly dealing with horticultural topics. This museum is a hidden gem in Philly that is near the Rocky statue. The museum’s fee is worth the pay because there is quite an incredible collection of art. You will surely need to make multiple visits to this museum because of its attractive nature.