In the midst of many life changes this past summer (I got a new job, we bought a home), Charles and I somehow managed to keep up with our monthly dates… For the most part.
June and July – we went on official dates. August – we went and saw Crazy Rich Asians which was soooooo good! September – was a bust as we prepped for our move and here we are in October with no date planned this month…
In the meantime, I thought I’d share some photos from our art date at Glenstone Museum in June. Enjoy. :)
^^ Those dusty specks are raindrops. So glad we didn’t cancel our trip because of the overcast weather and rain.
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^^Not my best photo but too good not to share.
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Located in Potomac, Maryland (not too far away from this sunflower field we visited last summer), Glenstone is a privately owned museum that has a very public vision in its stewardship. With a focus on seamlessly integrating “art, architecture and landscape into a serene and contemplative environment”, Glenstone is one of the few arts institutions I’ve visited that actually does a great job in providing an “ideal art experience”.
For me, as an arts manager, the “ideal art experience” can be defined as one where the viewer and work of art are able to interact with each other without any kind of distraction.
Glenstone provides this experience by:
1) Having a max capacity of how many people can visit the museum during any given timeframe. This was a big deal for me because I’ve had so many museum experiences where it was super crowded and I felt like I couldn’t really enjoy myself and take my time with seeing the art. Admission is FREE however, you have to reserve tickets in advance online. The entrance is gated which means you can’t just roll up on the museum unexpected. As a result, Charles and I experienced moments where we felt like we had the museum and grounds completely to ourselves which was pretty mindblowing.
2) You must check your bags and phones at the door of the indoor art galleries which forces visitors to actually see and interact with the art on display.
3) There are docents everywhere (who also aren’t on their phones or reading a book and don’t look like security art guards) who are very informed (I believe they’re required to read up on the artists and their work that is presented) and can talk to you about the art you see. Charles and I legit had a 5-minute conversation with each docent we saw about the different artworks/installations we saw which was super refreshing and engaging.
In addition to these three points, the overall aesthetic of the grounds and galleries was simple in design and open in space creating a calm environment. Post-trip, we both felt like we had gone through some kind of therapeutic experience through art.
Summed up, it was one of the most bougie, FREE art experiences I’ve ever had. Something that I definitely plan to experience again soon now that they just opened up a new art space on their grounds.
It really is one of Maryland’s best kept artistic secrets considering I had no idea it even existed until a few months ago. While “accessible” in its free admission, logistically speaking, you will need a car to get there. I recommend grabbing a few friends and carpooling together for an experience best shared communally.
Glenstone Museum – Website HERE
xo, Setarra
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