The Rubin Museum, New Yorkwhich hosts one of the largest and most important collections of Himalayan art in the worldhas announced that it will close its doors in October.

The Museum, founded by Shelley and Donald Rubin two decades ago, it houses nearly 4,000 Himalayan artefacts, elaborate paintings, religious sculptures and iconography from the region.

In recent years it has faced challenges with staff cuts and become embroiled in the debate surrounding the repatriation of items of dubious origin.

In an announcement by the Museum its website states that it will sell its Manhattan building to become one “Museum without Walls”. As a new “world model Museum” the Rubin will lend exhibits from its collection and organize traveling exhibitions, it says. In addition it will focus on expanding research into Himalayan art.

The Museum, which is known for its Tibetan Buddhist temple, is organizing the exhibition “Reimagine: Himalayan Art Now” in March to mark its 20th anniversary. The exhibition will later be hosted in Chicago.