Can a haven of contemporary art that spans more than 200 acres of rolling Potomac hills be considered a hidden gem as it approaches its 20th anniversary?

Yes.

But that’s by design.

Glenstone opened as a gallery nestled within Glen Road on Sept. 30, 2006. It was the beginning of a showcase of the private collection of founders Mitch and Emily Wei Rales. But they had a grander vision of how they wanted visitors to immerse themselves in the post-World War II marvels.

The 50,000-square-foot Pavilions opened in 2018. It underwent an 18-month renovation before reopening in March 2025. The menacing fortifications that emerge along the horizon also house the Raleses’ collection and rotating exhibits from contemporary artists.

But, if you’ve visited on multiple occasions or merely heard vague details about Glenstone, one word comes up repeatedly: experience.

“I looked up some architectural notes in the archives,” said Valentina Nahon, senior director of public engagement, “and the architect in one of the early design meetings said in a sketch note, ‘We’re not designing a building. We start with the experience.’”

Nahon is an architect by trade and came to Glenstone nearly 14 years ago as a consultant and project manager for the 2018 expansion.

“There was always a healthy tension between expansion and the experience,” Nahon told The Banner. “But what has never changed in my 14 years here is that vision of creating this one-of-a-kind museum experience has been here since my beginnings here.”

What is the Glenstone experience?

Glenstone welcomes more than 100,000 visitors annually, and some have their gripes about the experience.

Operating hours are limited to Thursdays through Sundays. Admission is free, but advance tickets that are released on the first day of every month are required for most. The museum does not allow visitors under 12. Guaranteed entry is available for some groups, including students (who are of age), military members and those who arrive by Montgomery County’s Ride On bus route 301.

Even after getting a ticket, visitors can be intimidated. Workers in barely different shades of gray are around to usher you along various winding paths. The museum prohibits photography in its indoor spaces.

Even after multiple visits over more than a decade, I still see parts of Glenstone as a slightly more imposing Apple Store.

The museum has tried to shed that reputation since well before its grand expansion.

A 2008 article in Washington City Paper recounts what used to be: “The heightened security made one so nervous, he commented that he felt like they were on an art safari, as if a lion might attack at any moment.”

Nahon has heard plenty over the years but stressed that being a different kind of museum is part of the point.

“Our hallmark experience is known for being uncrowded, contemplative and unhurried,” Nahon said. “For a first-time visitor, it’s in contrast with everything else that we’re experiencing in the world right now, right? Everywhere we go, even other museums, it’s a contrast to that.”

What’s inside?

Contrasts are a fitting description for the often magnificent art you’ll find within Glenstone.

The museum’s icy exterior can mask the joy artists present within and their beckoning for visitors to participate in the art. Two current exhibits offer a prime example of oppositions.

Alex Da Corte gleefully deploys fluffy flower swirls, buzzing neon lights and other visual markers of Americana. He crafts a love letter to childhood whimsy while revealing glimpses of the unease that lurks beneath the surface of our societal fabric.

Andrea Bowers more bluntly depicts the power of politics and direct action. One interactive piece invites you to sit in swinging chairs and gaze out a window at the often picturesque landscape. After an inundation of art that highlights the struggle to fight for justice, it was fitting on this visit to see scorched remnants of the Earth staring back. Museum workers conduct a controlled burn annually to maintain the native habitat on the property.

But Bowers’ work also magnifies the closer realities and questions surrounding Glenstone’s future.

Some employees organized and voted in June 2024 to form a union after a bruising battle with the Raleses, according to reports. These workers are still negotiating their first contract.

Daniel Oseguera, a member of the union’s bargaining committee, told The Banner that Glenstone leadership hasn’t sat down for negotiations at the bargaining table since Nov. 4. In a March 19 Instagram post the union urged Glenstone’s leadership to meet with workers, “especially while displaying ‘The Triumph of Labor’ (2016).”

The museum has responded to all requests from the union for meeting dates and continues to bargain in good faith, said a Glenstone spokesperson.

In 2025 reports surfaced that the Raleses have separated. But things remain status quo at Glenstone, where Emily Wei Rales is the director and is involved in day-to-day leadership and operations, Nahon said. Mitch Rales was spotted on this recent visit before opening hours, escorting a guest around the pavilion.

What’s next?

Glenstone would not strike you as a place that dwells on the past. Its mission looks at the now and future of how art ties communities together.

Celebrations ahead of Glenstone’s anniversary reflect that. The museum will expand its summer music series to host local musicians who will perform works inspired by upcoming America 250 events on Glenstone’s patio on Saturday evenings.

Nahon says more specific tributes to Glenstone’s 20th anniversary are in the works, including a special commission that will be announced before the fall. It’s all an effort to be more open and to reshape misconceptions about the museum’s relationship to its neighbors near and far.

“We want people to know: We want everyone to come,” Nahon said. “And when they come we want them to have this amazing experience. And that’s the why.”

Hannah Yasharoff contributed to this story.