Glenstone — part art gallery, part outdoor sculpture garden, part landscaping extravaganza — is an impressive place. The numbers alone are staggering: the two billionaire owners, Michael and Emily Rales, currently manage a museum portfolio valued at an estimated 4.5 billion dollars. They have acquired over 1,300 pieces and 230 acres for their collections, making the Glenstone museum in Potomac, Maryland, an incredible place to visit.

Sculpture in Forests and Fields

When you leave your car in the parking lot in the ritzy suburb of Potomac, Maryland, and walk onto the Glenstone property, you’ll feel like you’ve entered another world.

The Glenstone visit follows a large walking circle, with sculptures and galleries nestled along the way in meadows, fields, and woodlands. As you wander through, you see pieces by sculptural greats like Jeff Koons …

… Richard Serra …

… Tony Smith …

… and Andy Goldsworthy:

Most of the walkways past these sculptures take you along winding gravel paths. Once you make it to the woods, you’ll end up on the mile-long Woodland Trail, which includes a boardwalk that zigzags in seemingly random directions.

Make sure to take the side spur that leads to the purpose-built structure housing Richard Serra’s “Four Rounds: Equal Weight, Unequal Measure,” a display of four solid steel forms that weigh 82 tons each.

In addition to the sculpture garden, you’ll find two gallery spaces: a smaller building that’s just called “Gallery” and an 11-room set of minimalist boxes called the “Pavilions.”

Contemporary Art in The Pavilions

The Pavilions feature special exhibits alongside works from the permanent collection by artists including Ellsworth Kelly, Michael Heizer, Roni Horn, Robert Gober, Kara Walker, and Cy Twombly. You may not photograph any of the pieces inside the Gallery or the Pavilions, but you can take pictures of the buildings themselves …

… and the sculptures immediately outside (this one is by Felix Gonzalez-Torres):

Glenstone fascinates — you can’t help being impressed. The owners have clearly done a terrific job of collecting and showing contemporary artwork, resulting in all sorts of rave reviews (one reporter called it “the most exciting new private museum in America”). I found it vast, soothing, and compelling (though if I have a critique, the Pavilions feel a bit cold). But I truly loved both the sculptures and the nature outside.

Glenstone Tips: A few things to know before you go:

• Glenstone is free, but you do need reservations. If you don’t book in advance, here’s a pro tip: spots often open up first thing in the morning every day. Another pro tip: if you take the public bus, you don’t need reservations at all.
• Some outdoor sculptures have limited hours. Pay attention to the “Plan Your Visit Card” the staff hands you when you arrive.
• There’s good food! Make sure to stop at either the Patio (a coffee shop with lovely outdoor seating) or the Cafe. We ate at the Cafe, whose giant plate-glass window is designed to make you feel like you’re tucked into the woods. I can happily recommend the French fries and fresh lemonade.
• There’s no textual information about any of the works. The Glenstone brochure says, “we display minimal didactic wall texts and encourage you to generate your own interpretations about the works you encounter.” On the one hand, I get their point; on the other hand, it felt strange to have to approach the grey-clad Glenstone guides for information every time I wanted to learn something.
• Kids can only visit if they’re over 12 and with an adult.

Love a good art museum?

• Discover the New Britain Museum of American Art in Connecticut — the oldest collection of American art in the country.
• Visit two museums for the price of one in San Francisco: the Legion of Honor and the de Young Museum.
• If you’re headed to the Netherlands, don’t miss the Rijksmuseum and the Mauritshuis.
• For a truly wild contemporary art ride, the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Tasmania, Australia, is a must-visit.