In this guided tour of the Noguchi Museumvisitors are presented with a perspective of our relationship to space and place, as expressedby Noguchi in his sculptures, stage sets, gardens and plazas, as well as the museum building and sculpture garden which form the setting. The wide variety of materials and techniques employed by the artist are explored through visual and tactile demonstrations. Throughout the tour visitors are given background and historical information, emphasizing the life's work of this extraordinary individual and the broad range of his imagination. The museum is not entirely wheelchair accessible, however plans are underway to complete compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. At present, wheelchairs may reach over 2/3 of the collection, including the entire first floor, the garden and the video room. Access to the 2nd floor is by staircase. The entrance to the museum is level to the sidewalk and free of obstructions. The restrooms do not meet ADA accessibility requirements, however most wheelchairs will fit inside with some minor assistance.

A wheelchair may be reserved in advance for visitor use. The video room is equipped with an infrared assistive listening system. FM assistive listening devices are available for use during guided tours. The museum staff is always available and happy to assist visitors with special needs.

In this guided tour of the Noguchi Museum, students are presented with a perspective of humanity's relationship to sculpture and space, as expressed by Noguchi in his sculptures, stage sets, gardens and plazas, as well as the museum building and garden which form the setting. The wide variety of materials and techniques employed by this internationally-renowned artist are demonstrated as students discover the fundamentals of three-dimensional thinking and design. Noguchi's expression of his bi-cultural heritage is explored, with visual examples of his desire to balance the influences of his American and Japanese background. Throughout the tour, students experience a wide range of possibilities for visual expression as they view the life's work of one artist and the broad scope of his imagination.

Pre-visit materials, slides and videotapes are available for classroom use.

The Noguchi Museumoffers guided tours to school groups on Wednesdays through Fridays, April through October. Tours are open to grades K-12 and are presented appropriately for the group's grade level.Tours last approximately 1 hour and explore the entire museum and garden, and includes drawing and writing activities.

Reservations are required for all school groups. Please plan to schedule your visit at least one month weeks in advance, as time slots are limited.For information and reservations call (718) 545-8842, extension 203.

Fees: Guided tours are free of charge for NYC public schools. Private schools and schools outside New York City pay a $35.00 group fee plus $1.00 per person. Teachers and chaperons pay the same fee as students.

Group size: A class may be 10 to 30 students. We require at least one adult chaperon for every 10 students. The museum depends on accompanying adults to actively participate in the visit, especially in the case of large groups.

Lunch: There are no facilities for eating at the museum. However, there is a nice public park across the street suitable for picnic lunches in fair weather. Also, groups may picnic in nearby Socrates Sculpture Park.

Preparation: Prior to your visit, the museum will send you a teacher package containing confirmation of your reservation and pre-visit materials.We strongly urge you to review these materials with your class. Slides and videotapes are available for classroom use.

This basic tour can be altered to focus on particular topics in school curricula. Possible themes are: Architecture, Nature, Sculpture Techniques and Materials, Japanese Culture & Aesthetics, and Abstraction vs. Representation. A special movement exercise tour entitled "You Are The Sculpture" is available for children grades K-2, and a writing workshop entitled "The Language of Stone" is available for grades 4-9. (See below) If you are interested in focusing on a particular theme, or connecting the tour to specific curricula, please discuss this when you make your reservation by calling (718) 545-8842, extension 203.

April through October

Reservations are required.

1 hour

Class Size: 30 (or one class)

Reservation Lead Time: one month

Fee: Free for NYC public school groups, $5.00 per student for other groups

Movement exercises provide an interactive museum activity for young children as they tour the museum's collection of sculptures, models and stage sets designed by sculptor Isamu Noguchi. It is a fun way to introduce children to basic three-dimensional concepts such as space, mass, weight and balance while exploring the museum's 13 galleries and outdoor sculpture garden. Children will be led in a series of movement exercises, mimicking the shapes and forms of the sculptures that they see on display.

Pre-visit materials are available for classroom use.

April through October

Reservations are required.

1 1/2 hours

Class Size: 30 (or one class)

Reservation Lead Time: one month

Fee: free for NYC public school groups, $5.00 per student for other groups.

In Japanese culture, there is a belief that all elements of nature have a life force or spirit. Not only people, animals and plants but inanimate natural elements such as water, fire, clouds and stones have a living spirit.This belief expresses the respect for nature inherent in Japanese culture.These are also ideas that the American-Japanese artist Isamu Noguchi incorporated into his sculpture. Noguchi once said that when all the museum visitors left for the day, the sculptures, alone in the galleries, would have a secret conversation, as if the living spirits of the stones could speak to one another.

After a guided tour, students will have an opportunity to choose the particular sculpture that means something special to them, that "speaks"to them. Focusing on this one sculpture, students will write poetry or prose in the sculpture's voice. How does this sculpture feel? What is its mood? What is it thinking about? What are it dreams and ambitions? Is it strong,proud, clever, mysterious or lonely? What language does this stone speak?

This project requires quiet and concentration, and students will be encouraged to work on their own. Those who wish may also draw their sculpture. After 30 minutes, students will be encouraged to share their writings with the group.

Pre-visit materials are available for classroom use.