A lamplit sanctuary amid the bustle of Brooklyn—and a refuge in uncertain times—the Rubin Museum Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room is a place to learn, reflect, and seek inspiration. The installation presents more than 100 artworks and ritual objects as they would be displayed in an elaborate household shrine, where devotees make offerings, pray, and meditate. Scroll paintings (thangkas), sculptures, furniture, and musical instruments dating from the 12th to 20th century are carefully arranged according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Chanted prayers by monks and nuns reflect the ritual practices and remind visitors that Buddhist rituals engage all the senses.
More than one million people experienced the Shrine Room when it was exhibited in its original location, the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art in Manhattan, from 2013 to 2024. To ensure New York City residents and visitors can continue to enjoy this space, it has been given a new home at the Brooklyn Museum. The immersive installation will welcome guests within the Arts of Asia galleries for six years. A virtual exploration of the Shrine Room will allow visitors worldwide to enjoy this evocative sanctuary from home.
The Rubin Museum Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room was curated by Elena Pakhoutova, Senior Curator of Himalayan Art at the Rubin Museum. Most of the objects are from the Rubin Museum’s collection. Generous support from the Rubin Museum has made possible this installation at the Brooklyn Museum.
As of March 2025, the Rubin Museum Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room is supported by Anne and Albert Chao and by generous donations from the Rubin’s Board of Trustees, individual donors, and Friends of the Rubin.
The Rubin Museum Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
About the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art
The Rubin is a global museum dedicated to presenting Himalayan art and its insights through exhibitions, participatory experiences, a dynamic digital platform, and partnerships, such as this one with the Brooklyn Museum. Inspired and informed by Himalayan art, the Rubin Museum invites people to contemplate the human experience and deepen connections with the world around them in order to expand awareness, enhance well-being, and cultivate compassion.