Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the Rubin Museum located?
What are the directions to the museum?
What is the admission price?
Is the Rubin Museum accessible? Are there wheelchairs available in the museum?
Does the museum offer guided tours and what time are they?
Does the museum offer tours for groups and how do I go about scheduling one?
When is the café open?
When is the gift shop open?
Am I allowed to take photographs or film inside the galleries?
How do I become a member of the Rubin Museum?
Does the museum have any job openings?
Does the museum offer any internships?
How do I find out more about Shelley and Donald Rubin?
Will you help me research something related to Himalayan art?
How do I arrange to see a work of art in your collection that is not on view?
How can I find out what works of art are in the RMA collection?
Can you provide me with a list of works presently on view in the galleries?
How can I find a reproduction of a work of art in the RMA collection?
How do I request a photograph of a work in the collection for reproduction?
How do I get permission to reprint text from an RMA publication?
Does RMA have a library?
How do I sell or donate art to RMA?
Can the museum give me an appraisal for a work I have?
Can you give me advice about repairing and framing artwork I own?
Can I submit contemporary materials for consideration for exhibition?
What are the directions to the museum?
By Subway:
- A, C and E to 14th St. (8th Avenue)
- 1 to 18th St. (7th Avenue)
- 1, 2, 3 to 14th St. (7th Avenue)
- F and V to 14th St. (6th Avenue)
- L to 14th St. (6th Avenue)
- N, R, Q, W, 4, 5 and 6 to 14th St. Union Square
By Bus:
- B20 to corner of 7th Avenue and 17th St.
Is the Rubin Museum accessible? Are there wheelchairs available in the museum?
RMA has a limited number of wheelchairs for use by visitors to the museum. Please request a wheelchair at the admissions desk or at the coat check, or reserve one by calling the admissions desk at 212.620.5000 x375 on the day of your visit.
All public areas at RMA are accessible by elevators that connect all seven public floors.
A wheelchair lift is available to transport visitors from the entrance lobby to the first gallery level. This lift is sized to accommodate most wheelchairs. For oversize wheelchairs, there is an alternative entrance with ramped access to the first gallery level.
There are several ADA-compliant restrooms within RMA.
Does the museum offer guided tours and what time are they?
Every day the RMA Guides present one-hour tours that focus on Himalayan artistic and cultural traditions. Topics include "Female Emanations in Himalayan Art," "The Beauty of Wrath," "Eyes in Himalayan Art," "Religious Evolutions: Hinduism and Buddhism of the Himalayan Region," "Movement in Himalayan Art," and "Imagining Mandalas."
Weekdays at 3 p.m.; weekends at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Does the museum offer tours for groups and how do I go about scheduling one?
RMA offers both general tours and reserved private tours for school, college, senior, and general-interest groups. Also, we now offer Verbal Imaging and Touch tours to partially sighted and blind visitors. One guide is assigned to every 15 people. Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance. Group menus and box lunches are available from Café@RMA. Call 212.620.5000 x345 or email reservations@rmanyc.org to schedule a visit.
How do I become a member of the Rubin Museum?
Please see Become a Member, or visit the admissions desk.
Will you help me research something related to Himalayan art?
The Curatorial Department is unable to address general inquiries regarding personal art objects due to the volume of correspondence that they receive. The Rubin Museum is affiliated with the Himalayan Art Resource, Treasury of Lives, and Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center. We encourage you to explore the extensive material published on both websites.
- Himalayan Art Resource (HAR)
An online gallery with more than 20,000 images of art from the Himalayas, including most of the RMA collection.
- The Treasury of Lives
A collection of biographies of all known masters of the Buddhist and Bon traditions in Tibet. - Tibetan Buddhist Resource Center (TBRC)
Bibliographic and research services for Tibetan Buddhist texts.
How do I arrange to see a work of art in your collection that is not on view?
We will do our best to accommodate inquiries from graduate students, scholars, and individual researchers who would like to study a work of art from the collection that is not on view. Interested parties should fill out a request form and email or mail it to the attention of Tracey Friedman, Curatorial Assistant. You will be contacted with details about arranging your visit as soon as possible. Please allow at least two weeks for a response to your request.
Email: tfriedman@rmanyc.org
Mail: Tracey Friedman, Rubin Museum of Art, 140 West 17th Street, New York, NY 10011
How can I find out what works of art are in the RMA collection?
At this time, Himalayan Art Resource is the best and most comprehensive source of information on the collection. We hope to have the collection in a searchable database on this website in the future. RMA has published a number of exhibition catalogs that feature many works from the permanent collection. They are available at the Shop @ RMA.
Can you provide me with a list of works presently on view in the galleries?
The Exhibitions section provides an overview of what you can expect to see at any given time.
Does RMA have a library?
At this time, RMA has a limited library for staff use only.
The library is interested in sharing RMA catalogues and developing a comprehensive collection of exhibition catalogues related to art of the Himalayas and contemporary Asian Art mounted by other institutions. Institutions wishing to participate in our Catalogue Exchange Program are invited to contact the library by telephone at 212.620.5000 x 266 or by email at: library@rmanyc.org.
How do I sell or donate art to the RMA?
RMA is developing a comprehensive collection of Himalayan art and we welcome your interest in contributing to its strength. For RMA to consider your work for acquisition, please mail or email high-quality color or black-and-white photographs, accompanied by a written, detailed description of the art and how it was obtained. Please indicate your intention to offer the work as a gift or for sale. It is also helpful to include a brief statement regarding why RMA would be the right home for your art. If you mail photographs, please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope for their safe return.
Please direct all correspondence to:
Curatorial Department
Rubin Museum of Art
140 West 17th Street
New York, NY 10011
Or: info@rmanyc.org (please indicate “Attention: Curatorial” in the subject heading)
If it is determined that the items offered would be appropriate additions to the museum's collection, a representative from the curatorial department will contact you about our accession policy.
Can the museum give me an appraisal for a work I have?
If you wish to know the value of your object, you will need to consult a trained professional art appraiser to help you with your questions. Unfortunately, the museum's curators and other staff cannot provide information on the monetary value of your objects.
- The American Society of Appraisers will assist by referring you to the appropriate specialist.
800.272.8258; www.appraisalfoundation.org - Christie's
212.636.2000; www.christies.com - Sotheby's
541.312.5682; www.sothebys.com - Art Dealers Association of America will provide you with a list of local galleries relevant to your field of interest.
212.940.8590; www.artdealers.org
You may also find the following reference publications of use: Annual Art Sales Index, Gordon’s Print Price Annual, Leonard’s Annual Price Index of Art Auctions, and Mayer’s International Auction Records.
Can you give me advice about repairing and framing artwork I own?
Caring for art requires special attention, and we are therefore hesitant to offer advice. We suggest that you contact the American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works. Their website has information on selecting a conservator and a general introduction to the care of various materials. They also have a free referral service of conservators throughout the United States.
- American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works
202.452.9545; http://aic.stanford.edu
Framing shops near to RMA:
- Sullivan Street Frames, 61 Sullivan Street, 212.965.0348
- Chelsea Frames, 197 9th Avenue, 212.807.8957
Can I submit contemporary materials for consideration for exhibition?
No, the Rubin Museum presents traditional works of art. A floor dedicated to contemporary works will be opening soon. However, works will be selected by the curator's discretion. We will not consider submitted material for display.
