New York is not short on incredible museums to visit. There’s practically one for every interest one might have. And while the Met and the Gugg might satiate your need for historical architecture and classic collections, or MOMA and Whitney with their contemporary ones, no other museum really has the kind of serenity and ambience that the Noguchi offers.

One does not need to be a fan of sculpture to truly appreciate his art. Taken as a whole, the museum provides plenty to look at and interact with in a matter of speaking. The space itself acts as another presence among the art. And on this particular day with the rains coming down, the art transformed into something new. Which is part of its charm being in a partially open air building. Seeing the sculptures glisten as they became slick with moisture made them seem almost alive.

It’s fascinating to see the amount of work Noguchi created and the variety of it. From granite blocks, basalt mounds or Italian marble, all were subject to his transformations in unique and interesting ways. Useless Architecture as he called it or barely functional furniture, much of what is on display, is a reminder to the audience of the desire to be outdoors. It really does give you a sense of being outside among nature even when you’re inside a studio.

It’s not a large museum, but one you can truly get lost in for a while. Multiple rooms and a second floor create multiple paths to explore. And there’s even a smaller corner gallery area that includes works of art by others, curated by the organization.

I don’t normally rant about a museum gift shop, but the one at the Noguchi features some more relevant and tasteful souvenirs at good prices. Unfortunately none of his lamps were available for purchase at the time of visit due to supply chain issues. But here’s hoping in the near future that will change.

It’s recommended to purchase tickets in advance but you can also visit on First Fridays for free entry as I did.

Overall, if you’re looking for a museum jaunt but prefer to stay away from the crowds or just prefer to leave Manhattan altogether, I highly recommend heading over to Queens for this one.