Forget overpriced pencils and novelty erasers, today’s museum shops are packed with innovative offerings to rival high-street stores.Jenny Oldakerexplores their evolution and selects a few festive gifts
The days of rounding off a museum outing with a fraught trawl through pricey magnets, uninspiring stationery and novelty trinkets in the gift shop are past. Today’s museum shops have upped their game and are often as vibrant and inspiring as the exhibits themselves. From exclusive designs by top artists to unique lines of fashion and jewellery influenced by the collections, the best museum shops are almost destinations in their own right.
‘A museum shop should be an extension of the visitor’s experience of the museum,’ explains Reasey Kheng, buying manager for Imperial War Museums, London. ‘It should connect with what the visitor has discovered and translate it into products that connect with the emotive experience you get when you visit a museum.’
Ed Simpson, buying and product development manager for the National Portrait Gallery, agrees: ‘It does feel that museum shops are taking a more individual approach, focusing on what makes them unique and representing this in a curated selection of products.’
This ethos sits at the heart of his work and the reopening of the NPG in June 2023 was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate a fresh outlook. ‘We’re seeking to elevate the retail experience with products that have a story to tell, highlighting local makers and designers, with sustainability at the core. We’re keen for our shops to become destinations; somewhere people know they’ll find something beautiful and unique.’
A case in point at the NPG shop is a plate commissioned from the ceramic artist Pollyanna Johnson. It’s an interpretation of a portrait miniature by Nicholas Hilliard from the gallery’s collection of Mary Sidney Herbert, Countess of Pembroke, combined with a line of poetry interpreted by Mary from Petrarch’s The Triumph of Death. ‘It is beautiful, modern, functional, and unique to the gallery,’ enthuses Ed.
If the sheer originality of the products on offer weren’t enough to tempt you, the fact that the profits help support the museum is an additional incentive to buy. And though it’s lovely to conclude a day out with a unique souvenir of your trip, online shopping means anyone can happily browse all the museums’ ranges from the comfort of home, at any time of day or night.
‘A good museum shop should represent the unique perspective of the galler
