A Pennsylvania judge let the Barnes Foundation move Albert Barnes's art to Philadelphia in 2004, against his indenture

Albert Barnes chartered the Barnes Foundation on 4 December 1922 as a school and opened its gallery in Merion on 19 March 1925. His indenture of trust limited public entry to two days a week, banned loans, color reproductions and tours, and required the paintings to stay "in exactly the places they are." Lincoln University controlled four of five board seats^†. In 1992 president Richard Glanton broke the terms to raise $15 million for repairs: 83 Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings toured from 1993 to 1995. By 1998 Glanton and board member Niara Sudarkasa were suing each other, and a Deloitte audit later criticized Glanton's expenses. On 24 September 2002 the foundation asked the Orphans' Court to let it move to Philadelphia and enlarge the board to 15. The Pew Charitable Trusts, the Lenfest Foundation and the Annenberg Foundation agreed to help raise $150 million. On 15 December 2004 Judge Stanley Ott ruled it could move^†. The new building on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway opened on 19 May 2012. Glanton died in 2026.