Glenstone Museum Will Reopen Grounds, Outdoor Dining on Thursday, March 4

Glenstone Museum will reopen its grounds on visitor days (Thursday – Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.) beginning Thursday, March 4, following a voluntary closure in November 2020 to support the community’s efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. The Patio will offer outdoor dining, and the Arrival Hall will be open in a limited capacity for access to restrooms and a water bottle refill station, as well as the Bookstore. The Pavilions and Gallery will remain closed until further notice.

“We know that time in nature can help us process, heal, and reset,” said Emily Wei Rales, director and co-founder of Glenstone. “We welcome the community to return to Glenstone to explore the grounds and outdoor sculptures, while continuing to keep themselves and their neighbors safe.”

The safety and wellbeing of visitors and associates are the museum’s top priorities, and Glenstone’s visitor experience has been adjusted to accommodate additional COVID-19 precautionary measures, including:

• Scheduling all visits in advance; to help manage capacity, walk-ups, including Ride On Bus passengers who do not have a scheduled visit, will not be permitted

• Limiting group sizes to no more than five people

• Offering arrival times 15 minutes apart to prevent too many people from arriving at the same time

• Requiring visitors and staff to wear masks that cover the nose and mouth and fit snugly under the chin at all times, with the exception of when seated for food service at the Patio (masks are still required when away from the dining table) Please note: gaiters and masks with exhalation valves are not permitted.

• Reminding all people on site – visitors and staff – to stay at least six feet apart

• Opening the Arrival Hall in a limited capacity for access to restrooms, a water bottle refill station, and the Bookstore

• Keeping the Pavilions and Gallery closed•

• Offering outdoor-only dining at the Patio

A full list of guidelines is available here.

Tickets will be released at 10 a.m. on Monday, February 15 for visits in March and April. May visits will be released on April 1 at 10 a.m., and the museum will continue to release visits one month in advance until further notice.

Walk-ups will not be accepted and the program with the Montgomery County RideOn Bus that guarantees entry to passengers remains temporarily suspended. However, the RideOn bus will resume its stop at the museum on March 4 for passengers with scheduled visits.

The Patio will be open for outdoor dining with tables spaced at least six feet apart. All menu items will be individually packaged in compostable containers and must be ordered using the Revel app on mobile phones.

Although the Café remains closed, Glenstone will continue to prepare weekly meals to donate to local community organizations including the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless, Fresh Start Recovery Center, Community Food Rescue, (a program of Manna Food Center), Reach of Washington County, The Freedom Center, and CCI Health & Wellness Services, as well as neighbors in Tobytown. The program has donated more than 2,100 meals to date.

Details on the museum’s operating status and current offerings will continue to be updated on the website. Please check https://www.glenstone.org/ for the latest information.

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: glenstonestag.wpengine.com. Same-day visits can be scheduled online.

Media Contact:

Media inquiries: press@glenstone.org

General inquiries: info@glenstone.org

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