Glenstone Museum to Reopen Its Gallery on April 8, on a Limited Capacity Basis, with the International Traveling Exhibition “Faith Ringgold”

April 5, 2021
A gravel path cuts through an expanse of meadow. A number of visitors are moving toward the grey concrete buildings in the distance. Trees amass further in the landscape.

Phased Reopening Will Continue with a Reopening of the Pavilions on May 6

POTOMAC, MD – Glenstone Museum today announced that it will reopen its indoor spaces in phases, beginning on April 8 with its presentation in the Gallery of a major international traveling exhibition of the works of Faith Ringgold. The Pavilions will reopen on May 6. These phased reopenings follow a full closure on November 25, 2020 to support the community’s efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The museum has been operating as an outdoor-only experience since March 4. Scheduled visits will continue to be required while the museum operates in a limited capacity. Visits can be scheduled on the website, www.glenstone.org, and admission is always free. Visits for May and June will be released on April 1 at 10 a.m.

“As much as it meant to us to resume welcoming visitors to our open-air paths and installations of outdoor sculpture, we have longed to connect the public again with the full experience of art, architecture, and nature that we are known for,” said Emily Wei Rales, director and co-founder of Glenstone. “We are grateful that we can soon begin a phased reopening of our indoor spaces, with due precautions in place in accordance with public health and government guidelines. We have been eager to resume our exhibition programming, which includes the extraordinary work of Faith Ringgold and exciting new installations in the Pavilions.”

When it opens on April 8, the Gallery will host the first traveling exhibition that Glenstone has presented: Faith Ringgold, a monographic survey that will include more than 70 works by the artist. The exhibition was organized by the Serpentine in London in 2019 and was installed at the Bildmuseet in Umeå, Sweden, last August.

On May 6, visitors can once again visit the Pavilions, now featuring a large-scale hanging neon work by Glenn Ligon, Warm Broad Glow II, 2011, in the Passage. The Pavilions also includes three monumental chalkboard drawings by Tacita Dean installed just before the museum closed in November.

The safety and wellbeing of Glenstone’s visitors and associates are always top priorities for the museum. As when the indoor spaces reopened in summer 2020, the museum has added COVID-19 specific safety measures, including:

• Setting indoor capacity limits that meet Montgomery County guidelines

• Displaying mask and social distancing reminder signage throughout the site

• Installing hand sanitizing stations at each point of entry, bathroom, elevator, and outside of rooms

• Disabling water fountains

• Increasing bag size permitted in the art space (now limited to 14” x 14”) to minimize use of lockers

• Keeping the indoor dining services and the Environmental Center closed

A full list of safety measures is available here.

About Glenstone

Glenstone, a museum of modern and contemporary art, is integrated into nearly 300 acres of gently rolling pasture and unspoiled woodland in Montgomery County, Maryland, less than 15 miles from the heart of Washington, DC. Established by the not-for-profit Glenstone Foundation, the museum opened in 2006 and provides a contemplative, intimate setting for experiencing iconic works of art and architecture within a natural environment. The museum includes its original building, the Gallery, as well as additional structures opened in its 2018 expansion: the Arrival Hall (LEED platinum), the Pavilions, and the Café (both LEED gold).

Glenstone is open Thursdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors are also invited to explore the grounds or participate in self-guided sculpture tours. Admission to Glenstone is free and visits can be scheduled online at: www.glenstone.org.

Media inquiries only: [email protected]

General inquiries: [email protected]

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