The private guided tour at the Noguchi Museum

Why it is on the list

Noguchi opened the museum in 1985 to show his life's work as he meant it to be seen: a 1920s brick industrial building in Long Island City, with a concrete pavilion he designed with Shoji Sadao on the lot of a former service station. It was the first museum in America founded by a living artist for his own work.¹ The stone galleries on the ground floor are still as Noguchi installed them in the 1980s, running backwards from the late basalt pieces, and he chose every plant in the sculpture garden.¹ A private tour takes the collection and the current exhibition with one of the museum's educators, in English, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese or Spanish.²

Until 1 November 2026 the second-floor galleries are closed while No Ordinary Light: Akari at 75 is installed, so a tour in that window sees the ground floor and garden only.³ For an artist's own rooms in Manhattan, the Judd Foundation's guided visit to 101 Spring Street takes a guide through Donald Judd's permanently installed home and studio in SoHo, in about 75 minutes.⁴

How to get it

Write to education@noguchi.org or call +1 718 204 7088, extension 203, and ask for a private guided tour; give the number of guests, the date and time you want, and why you are coming.² Fees are quoted on enquiry.² A group takes up to 15; from 16 to 30 the museum sends two educators, subject to availability.² The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday, 11 am to 6 pm, with last entry at 5:30 pm.³ Curator-led tours and private events are reserved for Noguchi Council and corporate members; Melissa Gatz arranges them at mgatz@noguchi.org or extension 229.²

Discretion

Bags are checked at the door and large bags go to the coat check.³ Photographs are for personal use only, without tripods or flash, and no one may photograph staff or other visitors without consent.³