About the Museum
The full name of the Tibet House is the "Tibet House US Cultural Center of His Holiness the Dalai Lama" and was organized at the behest of the Dalai Lama with help from a variety of New Yorkers with a passionate interest in the unique culture, history and religious philosophies of the Tibetan region. The house is best known for its twice-daily guided meditations, but also hosts a unique gallery space and a program designed to repatriate examples of Tibetan and Himalayan art that collectors over the centuries have taken from the region.
What You Will See
The collection at the Tibet House is unique among New York Institutions. Comprised of a variety of ritual artifacts, bronze statues, paintings, and even folk art, the collection is not considered permanent, but rather a preparation for repatriation. Donations and acquisions of a wide variety of objects have been made to the Tibet House in hopes of one day returning them to Tibet when the region is culturally free to preserve and display them. In the meantime, stop by to explore this unique set of artifacts and the history and purpose behind them.
Why You Should Go
While the collection at the Tibet House is not as varied, detailed, or historic as other museums in the city, there is a palpable passion in the curation and presentation. These are not works collected professionals for study by academics. These are artifacts and relics preserved by exiled Tibetans and their allies as part of a broader effort to protect the unique culture and history of the controversial region.
