As you enter the gates of Glenstone, a privately owned contemporary art museum in Potomac, Maryland, you can’t help but wonder, “What kind of place is this?” How many museums have you visited that are located on 300 acres of pastoral hillsides?
Looming in the distance is Jeff Koons’ Split-Rocker, a half-horse, half-dinosaur head, completely covered with flowers. Encircling the sculpture are fields of wildflowers, forests, and stream beds, and beyond that, two galleries rise above the grassy bluffs, bidding you to come and discover the surprises within.
Glenstone opened its doors in 2006 with its original building called the Gallery, which housed rotating exhibits by groundbreaking artists. Flash forward to 2018, when Glenstone expanded, debuting a woodland trail, a café, an outdoor patio, and most notably the Pavilions, a group of zinc, granite, and stainless steel structures with a stunning water court.
Inside the Pavilions are 11 rooms dedicated to single works of art, including traveling pieces and art from Glenstone’s permanent collection. One can see the water court from nearly every window, and in the summer, it’s filled with cattails, rushes, and water lilies. On a sunny day, the water shimmers and reflects off the ceiling, like in a swimming pool.
Visiting the museum includes a rare opportunity to speak to experts positioned in each room. Dressed in gray uniforms, the guides oversee the well-being of the art, offer knowledgeable insights, and chat with guests about their impressions.
“Glenstone is dedicated to the seamless integration of art, architecture, and nature into a serene and contemplative environment,” says Kevin McDonald, digital content coordinator for the museum. “I like to think we provide an experience that you can’t really get anywhere else. It’s not crowded, and there’s lots of room for the work to breathe.”
You can breathe, too, as you wander the grounds landscaped with native plants and punctuated with outdoor sculptures. Step inside Andy Goldsworthy’s Clay Houses and admire Richard Serra’s Contour 290. PWP Landscape Architecture has constructed zig-zagging walkways across the property, where rustling leaves and rippling brooks conjure a calming forest melody.
To enhance your visit, wear a hat and comfortable shoes to walk the trails and allow for a leisurely pace in the galleries. (Glenstone also provides transportation carts.)
Three hours should be enough time to appreciate all Glenstone has to offer, but chances are you’ll want to return.
What to See
Virginia artist Cy Twombly’s collection of five sculptures; Robert Gober’s multisensory room; and an exhibit by abstractionist Ellsworth Kelly celebrating the artist’s centennial, opening May 4.
Good To Know
Admission and parking are free, but reservations are required. No pets or children under 12 (except for infants under 1 year). Open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Café and Patio are open from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Photos are prohibited inside the galleries. A guided nature walk meets daily at 1 p.m.
Feature image courtesy Glenstone Museum
This story originally ran in our May issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
