About Dennis Barrie
Born 1947. Dennis Barrie is an American curator.
Dennis Barrie (born 1947) is an American museum director responsible for the curation of American pop culture. He was the Director of the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center from 1983–1992. In 1990 Barrie and the gallery were indicted on obscenity charges stemming from exhibiting sadomasochistic photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe as part of an exhibit entitled The Perfect Moment. This was the first criminal trial of an art museum over the contents of an exhibition. At trial, a Cincinnati jury acquitted Barrie and the Center. The controversy was later chronicled in a TV movie titled Dirty Pictures.
Barrie went on to become a co-creator of Cleveland's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, where he served as an executive director from 1993–1998.
From 1998 to 2005 Barrie served as president of the Malrite Company where he oversaw the opening of the International Spy Museum, in Washington DC.
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Important facts
People in Dennis Barrie's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Dennis Barrie's
Frequently asked questions
Who is Dennis Barrie?
American museum director
When was Dennis Barrie born?
Dennis Barrie was born in 1947.
What is Dennis Barrie's occupation?
Dennis Barrie is a curator.
What nationality is Dennis Barrie?
Dennis Barrie is American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Dennis Barrie. https://biography.guide/dennis-barrie/
MLA: "Dennis Barrie." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/dennis-barrie/.
Chicago: "Dennis Barrie." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/dennis-barrie/.
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