From what I can make of the new home for Doctor Barnes's unbelievable collection, it serves the clients and the City of Philadelphia well. The new building is evocative of the collection of monumentally geometric museums and galleries that line the Mall in Washington, D.C., with a scale fitting for the Ben Franklin Parkway. It announces to all that the contents are now a civic resource, figuratively, if not literally, appropriated by the Philadelphia arts community as it's own. Whether it serves the Foundation and the collection as well is yet to be seen. I recently visited the collection in Merion for the first time and was blown away by the experience. The quiet intimacy of the setting and the presentation of the works gave me the feeling that I was visiting Doctor Barnes himself in his home and he and the artists were telling their story to me personally. I'm not sure that kind of experience will be possible in the new venue, but I guess I'll have to wait and see.

Having attended a presentation about the project at the Design Advocay Group, I can say that the new museum will create a new park-like setting that responds to the Parkway, will create new galleries that replicate the Barnes rooms, will provide new support spaces and ciruclation areas that are beautiful adn appropriate. I am not sure that the new public entrance, which leads you up and around to the north side (facing Whole Foods) will be satisfying, and may be awkward. Also, the big gesture of the overhanging glass box at the west end may not provide a good return on design.

Having seen a presentation about the Museum at the Design Advocacy Group, I can say that it is carefully designed and detailed, has responded to the park-liek setting along the Parkway, will house the galleries befitting the tradition of the Barnes, and will provide interesting and potentially beautiful new support and circulation spaces. I am not sure that the public entrance, which leads you up and around to the north side (facing Whole Foods) will be appropriate, and the big new glass box projecting out over the west end seems like a big gesture with little return.

My very first question about the return on design was "why is the collection moving?" There are answers on the Barnes Foundation website here: http://www.barnesfoundation.org/barnesfaq.html
It sounds unfortunate that money and politics have forced a move but I am glad to see that the Arboretum will continue on. Hopefully the result will be two great venues.
Excerpt from site:
"The design for the new building on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects with its own internal garden and landscape design by Laurie Olin, respects the distinctive nature of the Barnes Foundation, evoking the experience of the existing galleries in Merion, PA, while also providing space to focus on the Foundation's core ideals of education and connection to the landscape."