Meet us for a visit to the world-class Glenstone Museum in nearby Potomac on Saturday, May 4th at 11:45 am for a noon entry time. Glenstone, with thousands of sq. ft. of gallery space on 300 natively landscaped acres, is the largest private contemporary art gallery in the U.S. Glenstone features a series of indoor and outdoor spaces that showcase post-World War II artworks that will challenge visitors to think deeply while also providing a global perspective on seminal art from the past 70 years. The museum is open until 5:00 pm for you to tour as you like, it features:
The Serra Gallery, a 4,000 sq. ft. custom building housing the Richard Serra piece titled, “Four Rounds: Equal Weight, Unequal Measure”.
The Pavilions, housing 13 gallery spaces totaling 50,000 sq. Ft., are now closed for the remainder of the year for renovations.
The Gallery, a 9,000 sq. Ft. Exhibit space, begins a new exhibit, Iconoclasts: Selections from Glenstone’s Collection featuring works from 50 artists: Diane Arbus, Ruth Asawa, John Baldessari, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Lee Bontecou, Alberto Burri, Alexander Calder, Vija Celmins, John Chamberlain, Lygia Clark, Willem de Kooning, Marcel Duchamp, Katharina Fritsch, Alberto Giacometti, Robert Gober, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Arshile Gorky, Philip Guston, David Hammons, Eva Hesse, Miyoko Ito, Jasper Johns, Donald Judd, On Kawara, Yves Klein, Franz Kline, Hilma af Klint, Lee Krasner, Yayoi Kusama, Brice Marden, Henri Matisse, Marisa Merz, Bruce Nauman, Hélio Oiticica, Claes Oldenburg, Nam June Paik, Jackson Pollock, Martin Puryear, Robert Rauschenberg, Man Ray, Mira Schendel, Richard Serra, Kazuo Shiraga, Lorna Simpson, Ming Smith, Atsuko Tanaka, Mildred Thompson, Bill Traylor, Anne Truitt, Cy Twombly, and Jack Whitten. If you want to see this exhibit, you will need to arrive at the Galley building by 12:30 pm to enjoy the show, which operates on a timed entry model, up to 30 minutes after your assigned arrival time.
If you would rather explore the outstanding landscape surrounding the galleries, you might have time to attend two outdoor opportunities:
From noon to 1:00 pm, and again from 4:00 – 5:00 pm, the outdoor sound sculpture, FOREST (for a thousand years…), 2012 by Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller, will broadcast a 28-minute loop, including rustles and calls of wildlife on a wooded Canadian island, the clamor of historical re-enactors on a European battlefield and the voices of a choir singing the work Nunc dimittis by the contemporary composer Arvo Pärt. It contains loud passages including sounds of explosions and recordings from historical battle reenactments which may be heard throughout the site. More than thirty carefully calibrated speakers on the ground and in the trees create an immersive “dome” of sound. Visitors reach the work by passing along a secluded path to a small clearing, where stumps carved from Glenstone trees serve as rustic seats. Cardiff & Miller on your map.
At 1:00 pm a member of the Glenstone Grounds maintenance team will lead a guided Nature Walk through the landscape to discuss the grounds, flora and fauna, and sustainability at Glenstone. This guided walk meets at the overlook to Michael Heizer’s Compression Line, 1968/2016, in front of the Pavilions Galleries. The walk is about one hour and includes about a half mile of walking in sunshine and light rain – in the event of more inclement weather or lightning the walk is cancelled. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended. Heizer on your map. On the path adjacent to the Pavilion galleries.
There is much to see on the meticulously landscaped grounds which host 13 large-scale sculptures. The pieces by Richard Serra, Andy Goldsworthy, Tony Smith, Ellsworth Kelly, Michael Heizer, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Janet Cardiff & George Bures Miller, Charles Ray, Robert Gober, and Jeff Koons are spread out across meadows, woodlands, and three ponds on several paths and rugged trails.
You’ll want to know the following about some of Glenstone’s outdoor sculptures:
- Split-Rocker, 2000 is in bloom annually from May to October.
- Four Rounds: Equal Weight, Unequal Measure, 2017 is open daily from 11 am to 4 pm, weather permitting.
- Clay Houses (Boulder-Room-Holes), 2007 is open daily from 11 am to 4 pm, weather permitting.
- “Untitled,” 1992–1995 is covered from fall until spring, and covers are removed once the possibility of freezing weather has passed.
- FOREST (for a thousand years…),2012, is activated seasonally from May through October. We welcome visitors to experience the immersive soundscape playing on a 28-minute loop daily from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm, weather permitting. This upcoming season, the work can be heard from May 2, 2024, through October 27, 2024.
There are no amenities along these trails, and the walk may be strenuous. Dress appropriately and be prepared to walk outdoor trails to the main gallery. Some mobility accommodation may be available if requested in advance. Contact us at info@poolesvilleseniors.org if you need us to request accommodation.
Participants will provide their own transportation and meet at 11:45 am at the Glenstone Arrival Hall 12100 Glen Road Potomac, Maryland 20854 to assemble for our noon ticket time. Please be punctual. Admission is free. Visitors must be over 12 years of age and minors over 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Indoor photography is not permitted. No outside food or drink is permitted. This is a non-smoking venue. The museum remains open in the rain until there is lightning. Please stay on marked trails and paths. Trails close at 5 pm.