Jeff Koons, Split-Rocker, 2000, © Jeff Koons
Glenstone?
Located in Potomac, Maryland, Glenstone, a private museum, has welcomed visitors on a limited basis since 2006. Following a multi-month closure to complete significant additions to the grounds and galleries, Glenstone re-opened last fall.
A visit had long been on my must-do list, but the timing hadn’t been right.
Earlier this month I finally had an opportunity to experience Glenstone on a picture-perfect, though D.C.-steamy, Saturday afternoon. Over a four-hour period, my expectations were repeatedly exceeded; I left Glenstone eager to return.
Post World War II art collectors Emily and Mitch Rales created Glenstone as “a place that seamlessly integrates art, architecture, and landscape into a serene and contemplative environment.”
That they have succeeded is undeniable based on my recent experience.
From start to finish and with every encounter – from the gentleman along the entrance drive to the staff at the Arrival Hall and those throughout the Pavilions and at the Goldsworthy houses – the experience was superb, inspired, and inspiring. Photography is permitted outside, but not inside the galleries.
Tony Smith, Smug, 1973/2005, © Estate of Tony Smith/ Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
I’ll let my photos “do the talking” and leave blog readers with the following thoughts:
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- If your travels take you to the Washington, D.C. area, make time for a Glenstone visit.
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- If you’ve always intended to visit a museum in your own hometown or nearby, but never seem to find the time, don’t delay; treat yourself to a cultural experience.
- If you’ve not yet visited the Woodson Art Museum or haven’t visited recently, now is a perfect time to do so. The summer focus on “botanicals” includes multiple exhibitions on view through Sunday, August 25, and gardens abloom. Birds in Art, the Woodson’s flagship exhibition, launches its all-new 44th edition on Saturday, September 7, and remains on view through Sunday, December 1.
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Add the Woodson Art Museum to your must-visit list, too.
Andy Goldsworthy, Clay Houses (Holes), 2007, © Andy Goldsworthy, Courtesy Galerie Lelong & Co.
Richard Serra, Sylvester, 2001, © 2018 Richard Serra / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
Michael Heizer, Compression Line, 1968/2016, © 2018 Michael Heizer
Exterior view of the Pavilions
Exterior view of the Pavilions
