NEW YORK, NY.- The Rubin Museum of Art announced its reopening to the public on September 12, with exclusive member preview days on September 10 and 11.

The Rubin will return to its regular Museum hours, open five days a week: Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Friday from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM, with free admission from 6:00 to 10:00 PM. Visitors will encounter the new installation, The Lotus Effect, comprising folded lotuses submitted by the public as symbols of gratitude and compassion. The shop will also reopen, while Café Serai will remain temporarily closed. Timed entry tickets are now available for visits through September 26.

The Rubin hopes to be an oasis during this difficult time. “We know that the art and ideas from our collection serve as a source of comfort for many during these uncertain times and that the Rubin provides a space for contemplation, calm, and connection to ourselves and others, which is very much needed right now,” says Executive Director Jorrit Britschgi. “We’ve certainly all learned how to truly embrace impermanence for the last few months. After being closed for almost 180 days, having an actual reopening date is like finally seeing light at the end of the tunnel. We have planned to make this transition as smooth and safe for all as possible, and I look forward to welcoming visitors through our doors. While things may feel a bit different, the chance to experience art in an intimate environment will undoubtedly be rewarding.”




All visitors to the Museum and shop will enter through the Museum’s main entrance. The Museum’s café entrance will now be exit only. To assist with new traffic patterns and procedures, added signage will help guide the experience. Certain amenities will be temporarily unavailable, including coat check, water fountains, food service, and interactive artworks and touchscreens.

When the Rubin reopens, visitors will be greeted by The Lotus Effect, a participatory installation led by artist Uttam Grandhi, featuring folded origami lotuses submitted by the public during the Museum’s temporary closure. In Tibetan Buddhism, the lotus is a sacred symbol associated with awakening, transformation, and compassion, and The Lotus Effect serves as a community-built symbol of gratitude for the people and things that help us get through difficult moments. In the galleries, visitors will find Shahidul Alam: Truth to Power, which has been extended through January 4, 2021; Measure Your Existence, extended through January 25, 2021; Shrine Room Projects: Shiva Ahmadi / Genesis Breyer P-Orridge / Tsherin Sherpa, extended through June 7, 2021; Charged with Buddha’s Blessings: Relics from an Ancient Stupa, extended through May 31, 2021; Treasures from the Zhiguan Museum, extended through November 9, 2020; and the permanent collection installations Masterworks of Himalayan Art and Gateway to Himalayan Art. The Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room will also be open for visitors to experience, with a limited capacity of 2 people at a time for 10-minute allotments.

“The Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room has been at the heart of the Rubin for many years and we look forward to welcoming visitors back to this meaningful space in a new way. Amidst all the changes in our world, visitors will have the opportunity to slow down and find some stillness,” says Chief Experience Officer Jamie Lawyer. “I am also thrilled to see The Lotus Effect installation come to life in the Museum. It's been heartening to see our visitors' expressions of gratitude and interconnectedness during this time apart.”

All onsite programs will remain on hold including group visits and tours. Visitors are encouraged to download the free Museum audio guide app, The Rubin, and listen to curators, guides, and other experts highlight selected works from current exhibitions. The Rubin will also continue to provide online programming including Mindfulness Meditation Online, Virtual Family Sundays (starting September 6), Himalayan Heritage (starting September 10), a free program for healthcare providers (on October 3), and more. This year’s annual Block Party will be hosted virtually on September 20.