named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Garden of SAMADHI
Meditative garden space with statues of Shakyamuni Buddha and Tibetan prayer flags, designed to enhance spiritual and cultural experience
Off-Site and Online Exhibits
Initiative to expand access to the museum’s collection through traveling exhibitions and digital platforms
Permanent Collection Exhibits
Main exhibition space in a two-story fieldstone building resembling a Tibetan chanting hall, displaying statues, paintings, and ritual objects from the 12th to 20th century
activities · 5 groups
What they do
-
Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Make collections accessible through exhibitions and digital platformsShares its collection through off-site exhibits and online platforms, including items featured on the Himalayan Art Resources website and loans to institutions such as the Rubin Museum, in addition to on-site exhibitions.
-
-
Specialized Research Library Access 1 activity
- Manage and expand a research library on Tibetan cultureMaintains a research and reference library originally comprising over 2,000 books on Tibetan art and culture, including rare early travel accounts and out-of-print journals. The collection is actively expanded with new publications on contemporary Tibetan art and culture and includes records of visits by the Dalai Lama and other prominent figures. Provides an accessible database and search tools for users to retrieve bibliographic information.
-
-
Spiritual Development & Meditation Programs 1 activity
- Offer educational and cultural programmingProvides ongoing programs including classes in yoga, tai chi, and guided meditation, as well as retreats, lectures, student workshops, and cultural events. Hosts special exhibitions such as "Synergies," a multi-sensory contemporary exhibition featuring paintings, sculptures, installations, and mixed-media artworks.
-
-
Free Public Access Nature Sites 1 activity
- Provide public access and visitor servicesOffers regular public visiting hours Wednesday through Sunday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM, with extended hours on select evenings for special programming. Provides visitor access information including directions by car and public transit, parking guidance, stroller-friendly tours, and on-site amenities such as a meditative garden with seasonal plantings, prayer flags, and seating nooks.
-
-
Uncategorized 2 activities
- Accept donations of Tibetan and Himalayan artifactsReceives and integrates donated artifacts into its collection, including masks, ritual objects, jewelry, rugs, saddle blankets, and Zan Pars from individuals and estates, enhancing the museum’s holdings of Tibetan, Nepalese, and northern Chinese cultural materials.
- Operate a museum dedicated to Tibetan artOperates the first museum in the world devoted solely to Tibetan art, founded in 1945, featuring a permanent collection of several thousand pieces of Tibetan, Mongolian, and northern Chinese art from the fifteenth century onward. The museum is housed in a Himalayan-style architectural complex on Staten Island, the oldest such example in the United States, listed on the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$202K
Contributions & grants$132K65%
Program service revenue$47K24%
Investment income$610%
Other revenue$22K
expenses
Total expenses$199K
Program expenses72%
Admin / overhead23%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$70K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$103K
Cash$35K
Investments$14K
Liabilities$176K
Net assets$-73K
Liquid reserves3.0 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +26.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NICO SIMONI | EXEC DIR | 40 | $50K |
board members · 9
- BEVERLY-GARCIA ANDERSON — PRESIDENT
- CHARLES DESTEFANO — BOARD MEMBER
- DR LYNNE OPITZ — VICE PRESIDE
- DR SUDEEP ARCHARYA — BOARD MEMBER
- GEORGE SIEGHARDT — BOARD MEMBER
- LARRY ANDERSON — TREASURER
- MARGARET HARRINGTON EDD — SECRETARY
- TIMOTHY O'BRIEN — BOARD MEMBER
- WILLIAM HIGGINS — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 9
Who they work with
- Benefactor / Corporate Sponsor Partner — Corporate sponsors receive recognition, event tickets, and space rental discounts in exchange for financial support.
- Bill Jones Partner — Donated 25 Zan Pars to the museum and led a group from the museum on a tour of Tibet in 2013.
- Cheryl R. Riley Partner — Featured artist in the museum's inaugural contemporary exhibition "Synergies."
- City Clerk's Office Government — References City Clerk's Office for closure dates on major holidays.
- Dalai Lama Government — Preserved records of visits by the Dalai Lama to the museum are held in the library collection.
- Himalayan Art Resources Partner — Collaborates to provide online access to portions of its collection.
- Life magazine Partner — Covered the museum's opening in a 1947 article titled "New York Lamasery."
- Rubin Museum of Art Partner — Loans items from its collection for display in the Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room.
- info@tibetanmuseum.org Partner — Contact point for visitor inquiries and communication
strategies · 2
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Cultural Education Through Art and Storytellingmethodology: cultural_educationBy presenting Tibetan art within narrative and educational frameworks, the museum promotes understanding and cross-cultural connection, because art and storytelling serve as transformative media that contextualize cultural meaning and invite perspective-taking.
- Immersive Cultural Replicationmethodology: immersive_cultural_replicationBy replicating Tibetan Buddhist mountain monasteries through architecture and landscape design, the museum fosters deeper cultural understanding and spiritual resonance, because immersive environments enable visitors to experience Tibetan art and culture contextually rather than abstractly.