Glenstone Museum
Glenstone Museum is a private museum focusing on contemporary art, architecture, and nature
Forty minutes outside of DC in Potomac, Maryland, one of the top art collecting couples in the world built a private museum to showcase their collection. After an expansion in 2018, the Glenstone Museum now allows many more visitors to experience their integration of art, architecture, and nature.
The landscape and outdoor space at the Glenstone Museum is just as important to its founders’ vision as the art inside the galleries. Every plant, hill, stream, and path on Glenstone’s 300 acres feels intentionally placed to create a specific experience for visitors. Outdoor sculptures are clustered throughout the grounds. At times the path itself, like the forest boardwalk, can feel like art. I recommend getting a timed ticket for early in the day and exploring the outdoor space first. You can then cool off or warm up inside the galleries, depending on the time of year. Wear comfortable shoes as you will likely be walking several miles while exploring the grounds. My favorite piece is Split Rocker. Half dinosaur, half rocking horse, it becomes a living work of art covered in annuals that must be precisely replanted every year.
Architecture is the second focus of the Glenstone Museum. The buildings were all designed to complement the natural landscape. The Pavilions is the newest gallery space. It appears to be several different buildings from the outside, but after entering, visitors will see that it is really separate rooms connected by a central passage that overlooks the “water court,” a large artificial pond with seasonal plants. The gallery space is lit almost entirely with natural light using cleverly placed windows and skylights. The space is thoughtfully designed to not only enhance the art it houses, but to become another work of art in the museum’s collection.
The art in the Glenstone Museum’s collection includes pieces by post-World War II artists who have been exhibited in another gallery for at least 15 years. The new Pavilions space greatly expands the amount of art from Glenstone’s collection that can be displayed at one time. Some of the rooms house changing exhibits, while others are dedicated to the piece or artist it was built to display. The original Gallery building hosts changing exhibitions that feel more experimental in nature – live silk-screening of t-shirts with strange sayings, a cart where two strangers shared the same air tank, and the opportunity for museum visitors to eat soup (real soup! pumpkin on the day of my visit) at a table with strangers.
Visitors to the Glenstone museum are limited to around 400 at a time. This can make it hard to get tickets, but the lack of other people helps promote the immersive and contemplative experience Glenstone is striving for. Photography is not allowed inside the galleries, and visitors are asked to place all bags and coats in lockers at the entrance to the Pavilions. Signage throughout the galleries is limited, encouraging visitors to observe and form their own interpretations. Staff are dressed entirely in grey, wait for you to approach them, and will often enigmatically answer your question with a question. Some visitors will find this “slow art” approach refreshing, while others might view it as controlling or begin to wonder if they’ve accidentally stumbled into a cult.
A visit to the Glenstone Museum can be a bit surreal. At times, it can feel creepy or dystopian, while at others, it is inspiring and breathtaking. Perhaps because of this dichotomy, the friends I visited Glenstone with are still talking about it six months after our visit. Few other adventures have have accomplished this. While I won’t be a frequent visitor, I definitely recommend checking it out at least once.
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Address
12100 Glen Rd, Potomac, MD
Metro Station
- Rockville (RD)
Directions
To get to the Glenstone Museum using public transportation, take the Montgomery County Ride On bus route 301 from the Rockville metro station to the Glenstone Museum stop. The bus takes about 40 minutes. Depending where you are coming from the in the DC area, it may be easier to drive to the museum.
Accessibility
The grounds, buildings, and cafes are easily wheelchair accessible. The path up to the Split Rocker installation is steep, but paved. Don’t attempt the trail up the hill through the meadow; instead, follow the paved path toward the Pavilions and hang a left. The walk down into the Woodland Trail is paved and continues into the woods via a boardwalk, but midway through you have to follow a rocky lane to continue. There are also steps to navigate at the far end of the trail near the Gallery, so it is probably better for wheelchair users to skip that part of the property.
Cost
Free with timed ticket
Timed tickets are released on Glenstone’s website on the first of each month for dates three months in advance (for example, September tickets are released on July 1). Visitors arriving by public transportation do not need tickets.
Hours
Thursday to Sunday from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Timed tickets are available every half hour from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Length of Adventure
3-5 hours
