The Barnes Foundation

• Industry: Museum / Ticketing
• Kiosk Models: Merchant Max
• Zamok Subscription: Basic

Background

The Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia—home to one of the world’s most celebrated collections of impressionist, post-impressionist, and modern art—sought to improve its admissions process through self-service technology. The goal was to make ticket purchasing faster, more accessible, and more convenient for visitors while reducing strain on staff at the admissions counter.

Business Challenge

• High visitor volumes often led to long wait times at the ticket desk

• Staff time was tied up with routine transactions

• The museum needed a secure, user-friendly way to integrate with its existing ticketing platform

Solutions Delivered

The Barnes Foundation partnered with Advanced Kiosks to deploy its first Merchant Max kiosk equipped with Zamok Kiosk Management Software, EMV card reader, and receipt printer. The rollout was completed smoothly thanks to close collaboration between Barnes’ in-house engineering team and Advanced Kiosks’ implementation specialists. Proactive follow-ups ensured continued reliability and ease of use.

Outcome

The new ticketing kiosks have streamlined admissions and provided visitors with a modern, self-guided experience. By enabling secure payments and instant ticket printing, the kiosks free up staff to focus on education and engagement. Comparable deployments in cultural institutions report 30–40% shorter wait times and higher visitor satisfaction, underscoring the impact of self-service technology in the museum environment. The project serves as a model for museums and cultural institutions nationwide seeking to enhance visitor flow and modernize the guest experience through self-service innovation.