[1] In early 2024 it announced the closure of its New York City building in order to become a global "museum without walls", focusing on traveling exhibitions, long-term loans, partnerships, and digital resources.

The new facade on 17th Street and the five floors of galleries were influenced by Tibetan art, and were conceived by New York-based museum architects Celia Imrey and Tim Culbert.

[11][12] In 2011, the museum announced that founders Donald and Shelley Rubin would give a five-year, $25 million gift to support operations, exhibitions, and programs.

[citation needed] Many of the architectural details within the building were retained, most notably Andree Putman's steel-and-marble staircase that spirals through the six-story gallery tower.

This series, which was on display in 2013, documented sacred sites of the Uyghur people in the Xinjiang region and highlighted themes of cultural resilience and spirituality.

After a shift in the volume of rotating exhibits in 2019 due to funding challenges, the museum began to focus more on experiences and the permanent collection.