Attracting a Diverse Audience

Challenge

The Foundation was moving its celebrated private art collection from its suburban Philadelphia estate location to a new downtown building, which was to be designed to imaginatively replicate many of the spaces from the original estate. We were asked to develop the new museum store and its business plan.

In this 1,100-square-foot retail location, the interior design needed to present merchandise that would speak more effectively to the uniqueness of The Barnes as an innovative educational organization with a mission to transform lives through the arts and horticulture. Our goal was to exceed the expectations of The Barnes’ diverse audience, giving visitors an uncommon shopping experience.

SOLUTION

We decided to focus on groupings of products that would highlight a period, an artist, an artisan, or a palette. To enhance the value and meaning of the items for purchase, we augmented their significance by utilizing highly disciplined visual presentations with engaging product information.

The configuration, versatility, and materials of the fixtures and finishes we chose are meant to last the test of time and to match the character of the architecture of the new construction.