The artist Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) wanted this garden museum to be a place for artistic expression and research, and saw it as an extension of his New York museum. Isamu Noguchi was a polymorphous creator and made numerous statues, including bronzes, which are exhibited both inside his studio and in the surrounding grounds, and many skilfully worked monoliths, some of which are unfinished. The artist is buried here, surrounded by his creations.