This article tells the story of the author's invitation to teach at the Barnes Foundation, and her transformative experience as a teacher in this extraordinary place. The author comes to realize that the Barnes is the physical realization of a philosophical dream, and progresses to an understanding of how Albert C. Barnes collected and assembled works of art to be moved around for the imperative of teaching, a small evolving universe of art and ideas. At the Barnes, the theory that art is for everyone comes to life. Here the belief that art can be appreciated and made sense of by all of us is tested, and made possible. The author proposes that above all, the Barnes is a place for teaching, where freedom to see, think, appreciate, and understand works of art is at the core. (Contains 13 notes.)