My husband’s two sisters were in town last week and since they’ve both visited DC multiple times, we were in the hunt for some off the beaten path sites. Glenstone, a free private contemporary art museum set on 230 acres in Potomac, Maryland, fit the bill.
The campus consists of multiple minimalist stone buildings set into rolling hills, with both forested areas and fields. Paved and dirt paths wind between the gallery and a set of connected pavilions and are dotted with outdoor installations and water features.
It’s a quiet and contemplative place, even though many of the art works are provocative. The last time I was there was in full summer and it definitely had a different feel on a coolish gray day in spring. Photography is forbidden in the interior spaces so my pictures don’t fully capture the experience.
The collection features works by all the big names (Arbus, Basquiat, Calder, Goldsworthy, Koons, and Serra to name a few), plus some you’d have to be a real connoisseur to know. The pieces are both representational and conceptual with all mediums represented. (I’m still trying to figure out how that apparent pile of clothes on the floor was created out of aluminum.) There’s little explanatory signage and while there are staff in all the galleries, there are no curator-led visits of the interiors so you’re pretty much on your own when it comes to experiencing and appreciating the art. (There are some guided visits of the various outdoor paths with installations.)
The site designers paid as much attention to the landscape as to the collection, focusing both on sustainability (e.g. composting, water management, recycling) and environmental education. The five paths all conform to the state of Maryland’s standards for next generation science and school visits are so popular that none are available for the rest of the 2024-2025 academic year.
Glenstone was created and financed by Mitchell and Emily Wei Railes, local billionaires who made a fortune in junk bonds, real estate, and manufacturing, a good chunk of which they apparently sunk into modern art. I could digress into a commentary on extractive capitalism but I will spare you that — at least the Rales were willing to share some of their profits with the public which is more than I can say about many others of their ilk.
Glenstone is located at 12100 Glen Road in Potomac and is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission is free with advance reservations and no children under 12 allowed; those between 12 and 17 must be accompanied by an adult.
While it’s technically reachable on public transportation (that is, if you take the Ride On bus #301 from the Rockville Metro station the bonus being that if you arrive by bus, you’re guaranteed admission), you’re better off going by car if you have one, although it’s still a 30 minute drive from Upper Northwest.
Was there last week! Always a lovely experience!
I have a relative who works at Glenstone
I have mixed feelings about Glenstone
The workers uniforms are horrible and universally hated.
Some if the art is very nice
I saw a show by an artist whose sculpture was extremely expensive to make and that excess I found very distasteful