Monday, July 11, 2011

Virtual Barnes Tour

The New York Times has posted a virtual tour of the Barnes, "to convey at least a little of the flavor of the home Barnes built for his art."  And they sum up the controversy thusly:

"Critics of the move argue that it will destroy the character of one of the last truly personal visions for what an art museum can be, putting the collection in a more conventional setting and surrounding it with the accoutrements of every other museum, like a cafe, a bookstore, an auditorium. But some supporters point out that the plan for the new building in some ways maintains the layout of the original. They add that the Barnes, like all great art collections, should not be preserved in amber, and will continue to live only if it is allowed to change."