What were the Barbican muses?

Learn about the 1991 addition to Silk Street

Barbican Foyer (1982) by Peter BloomfieldBarbican Centre

Rethinking the Barbican

In 1991, a redesign of the Barbican took place, designed by Pentagram. It aimed to soften and obscure a Brutalist architectural style which had fallen out of favour with the management.

Silk Street Entrance with Muses Sculptures (1994)Barbican Centre

The most famous interventions were the sculptures put above the Silk Street entrance, representing the Muses.

Silk Street Entrance with Muses Sculptures (1994)Barbican Centre

Here is a drawing laying out the vision for the new sculptures.

The muses look like they are welcoming visitors to the Barbican.

Silk Street Entrance Muses Sculptures (1994)Barbican Centre

They stand out against the dark concrete of the Barbican.

Statue of a Muse (about A.D. 200) by UnknownThe J. Paul Getty Museum

In the cultures of Ancient Greece, the nine Muses were thought to inspire the arts.

Silk Street Entrance with Muses Sculptures (1994)Barbican Centre

And they were an apt symbol to welcome visitors to the Barbican. The word museum comes from the Greek, mouseion, which means 'seat of the Muses'.

Barbican Brass Bannister with Owl Detail by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

Other 1991 additions

The redesign also added features such as this Owl bannister ending.

Barbican Brass Bannister with Owl Detail by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

It was designed to be added on to the clean lines of the original brass railings.

Photograph of Installed Directional Signs at Barbican Hall by Ken Briggs & AssociatesBarbican Centre

You can see the original style of the bannisters in this photo from 1982.

Barbican Brass Bannister with Owl Detail by Photography by Max ColsonBarbican Centre

Like many of Pentagram’s suggestions, this was removed four years later, when the management changed. It was mounted on board for safekeeping by Barbican staff.

Silk Street Entrance with Muses Sculptures (1994)Barbican Centre

The muses were also short-lived additions to the Barbican and were removed by 1995.

Tap to explore

This is what the Barbican's Silk Street entrance looks like today.

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The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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