By Kelsey Durham
The Noguchi Museum in Long Island City opened its doors to its neighbors last weekend as it hosted a Community Day for art lovers of all ages to come enjoy everything the facility has to offer.
The museum’s third Community Day of the year, following ones in April and June, was held Sunday, offering free admission to all visitors for the day along with a slew of programs for them to take in.
Founded in 1985 by Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi, the museum showcases different galleries of sculptures and provides an atmosphere to encourage others to create their own works of art. The museum recently decided to hold Community Days more frequently to reach more potential visitors.
“We want to increase the accessibility for anyone who wants to come to the museum,” said Amy Boyle, the museum’s education manager. “People can come experience the museum in a number of different ways.”
Sunday’s event featured an open studio program aimed at families, where visitors could come and make their own art throughout the museum while exploring the galleries. Museum staff also gave public tours of the galleries throughout the day and hosted a group discussion later in the afternoon that centered on a piece of art chosen by a museum employee.
Boyle said the Noguchi Museum also introduced a new activity to its Community Day this month that allowed visitors to sketch something they saw somewhere in the museum or create their own sketch inspired by something in the galleries. She said the activity was popular throughout the day, and sketches turned in by visitors before leaving the museum were hung on a board at the entrance to the galleries.
“The purpose is for people who want to try out sketching to just give it a try,” Boyle said. “It’s just all about skill.”
The museum is currently in the process of creating its newest project, a garden wall that was worked into the Community Day Sunday. To get visitors involved in the soon-to-be newest project, the museum gave away ivy cuttings to Sunday’s patrons as a way for the gallery to say thank you to those who came out to support the museum.
Boyle said the Community Day has grown in popularity since first being implemented, and she said it has helped the people of Queens, and all over the city, to learn more about the museum and what it has to offer right in their own backyard.
“We want people who have never been here before to feel welcome and to know they can come in anytime,” she said. “We’ve gotten a great response and we hope that continues.”
Reach reporter Kelsey Durham at 718-260-4573 or by e-mail at kdurham@cnglocal.com.
