The Rubin Museum of Art at a Glance

Since its opening in October 2004, the Rubin Museum of Art has been recognized as the premier museum of Himalayan art in the Western world. Founded in 1999 as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit trust, the Rubin Museum is governed by an independent Board of Directors, which, with its professional staff, seeks to present and preserve a collection that reflects the vitality, complexity, and historical significance of Himalayan art as well as to further both the popular appreciation of and scholarly commitment to it. The museum's unique collection, serene atmosphere, extensive public programming, and educational resources have made it a destination for the diverse communities that live in or travel to New York City.

With 25,000 square feet of gallery space radiating from the museum's signature six-level spiral staircase - in addition to public spaces, an education studio, an intimate theater, a shop and a café - the Rubin Museum draws over 150,000 visitors a year. The museum maintains an active online presence with its website, social media sites, and through its associated ExploreArt website, which offers in-depth explanations of Himalayan art as well as provocative comparisons with Western art.

 

Collection

The museum's collection of over 2,000 works of art includes some of the finest examples of Himalayan paintings, sculpture, textiles, ritual objects, and prints spanning a period from the second century to the twentieth century. The geographic scope represented in museum's collection encompasses the countries and cultures that touch upon the 1,800 mile arc of the Himalayan mountain range that extends from Afghanistan in the northwest to Myanmar (Burma) in the southeast and includes Tibet, Nepal, Mongolia, and Bhutan. The larger Himalayan cultural sphere, determined by significant cultural exchange over millennia, includes Iran, India, China, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia.

 

Exhibitions

On view at any one time are numerous changing exhibitions drawn from the permanent collection and important loans from around the world, with diverse themes ranging from female Buddhas to divine madness to textiles to comparisons of Western and Himalayan cosmologies. The museum also serves as a venue for traveling exhibitions, bringing to New York such critically acclaimed exhibitions as Tibet: Treasures from the Roof of the World; I See No Stranger: Early Sikh Art and Devotion; The Missing Peace: Artists Consider the Dalai Lama; and The Dragon's Gift: The Sacred Arts of Bhutan.

 

Programs

In addition to programs dedicated to the exploration of the fundamentals of Himalayan arts and cultures, the Rubin Museum's programming serves as a catalyst for cross-cultural exploration. Hundreds of lectures, discussions, film screenings and musical performances throughout the year often bring together seemingly unconnected themes to exemplify the universality of Himalayan ideas. For example, Harlem in the Himalayas, presented with the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, features renowned jazz artists who are asked to play at least one piece inspired by a work of art in the museum during their performance. Children and families are invited to have fun and discover the Himalayas together during weekly education and family programs, which range from yoga to storytelling to turban tying demonstrations.

 

Education

The museum's dedication to thoughtful and quality educational offerings is paramount to the museum's core values as it is as much an educational institution as a cultural one. To that end, an array of on- and off-site education programs for people of all ages are available for people of all ages. At least one interactive ExploreArt station can be found in each exhibition, featuring such resources as magnifying glasses to illuminate minute details in paintings, grid paper on which visitors can try their hand at Tibetan drawing techniques, or video footage of sacred masked dances of Bhutan. Each station approaches Himalayan art from a different perspective, acknowledging and catering to the scope of individual learning methods and ensuring that each visitor has a meaningful experience. Rubin Museum educators also bring the Himalayas into classrooms with a wide range of school programs for children of all ages and backgrounds.

 

Accessibility

The museum offers a comprehensive access program in order to meet the needs of individuals with special needs, language challenges, and at-risk and underserved segments of the population. American Sign Language interpreted tours for hearing impaired visitors, and Visual Imagery/Touch Tours for visually impaired visitors are offered. The museum is wheel chair-accessible and assistive listening devices and wheelchairs are available.

  

Affiliations

In collaboration with two affiliated organizations - the Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center (www.tbrc.org) and Himalayan Art Resources (www.himalayanart.org) - the Rubin Museum continues to design a program to advance the study of Himalayan arts and present varied aspects of its exhibitions. These partnerships support the museum's efforts in bridging the gap between scholarship and overall information accessible to the general public.

 

Funding

Educational and family programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and by a grant from the Altman Foundation. Educational programs also receive support from JPMorgan Chase. Public school programs made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency. Senior programming is supported in part by a grant from the Lily Auchincloss Foundation, Inc. Musical performances at RMA are funded by The Carlo and Micól Schejola Foundation. RMA is also supported by other generous corporate and foundation donors, and a growing roster of corporate and individual members.

 

Visit

Admission to the Rubin Museum of Art is $10 for adults; $7 for seniors, middle- and high-school students, and artists (with ID); $2 for college students (with ID); $7 for neighbors (zip codes 10011 & 10001 with ID); free for seniors the first Monday of every month; free for children under 12 and for museum members; free to Cool Culture members. Gallery admission is free to all on Fridays between 6 pm and 10 pm.

Open Monday 11 am to 5 pm, Wednesday 11 am to 7 pm, Thursday 11 am to 5 pm, Friday 11 am to 10 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm; closed on Tuesday. To reach the museum by subway, visitors may take the A, C or E to 14th Street; the 1 to 18th Street; 1, 2, 3 to 14th Street; F and V to 14th Street; N, R, Q, W, 4, 5 and 6 to 14th or the L to 6th Avenue. By bus, visitors may take the B20 to the corner of 7th Avenue and 17th Street.