The Noguchi Museum

The Noguchi Museum in Long Island City, Queens is a uniquely serene and inspiring art destination dedicated to the work and vision of Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi (1904–1988).

Unlike big blockbuster museums in Manhattan, The Noguchi Museum offers a meditative, intimate experience focused on sculpture, design, and space. It was founded by Noguchi himself in 1985, making it the first museum in the U.S. established, designed, and installed by a living artist to showcase his own work — a rare and remarkable achievement.

Inside the museum’s galleries, you’ll find a large collection of Noguchi’s sculptures, drawings, architectural models, stage and furniture designs, and other objects that reflect his wide-ranging creative mind. Works are often displayed with minimal barriers or labels, encouraging visitors to engage directly and reflectively with the art.

One of the highlights is the serene outdoor sculpture garden, a space Noguchi personally developed with his art and careful plantings. The garden blends large abstract stone works with subtle landscape elements, creating a contemplative environment that feels peaceful and sculptural at the same time — especially striking amid the urban surroundings.

The museum complex itself combines a repurposed 1920s industrial building with a concrete pavilion and indoor-outdoor spaces that Noguchi designed with his aesthetic in mind — another reason visitors often find this place so special and distinctive.