Here are links to online gift shops in art and a few other museums in the U.S. and around the world. Most of them will ask for your email as you enter the store, while annoying, the upside is typically a minimum 10% discount. Shopping these stores, offers unique items, supports the institutions and avoids shopping the big box, Amazon and Walmart options.
US Museum Gift Shops
Art Institute of Chicago SHOP Hometown favorite. Wide selection. Huge book publisher and store.
Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, CA – Cha May Ching Museum Boutique SHOP
Barnes, Philadelphia, PA SHOP Cool exclusive mugs.
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR SHOP
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art – The Momentary, Bentonville, AR - Contemporary SHOP
Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO, SHOP
Detroit Institute of Arts Museum, Detroit, MI – SHOP Gallery on demand. Exhibits and Detroit related.
Driehaus Museum – Chicago SHOP
Fabric Workshop and Museum, Philadelphia, PA SHOP Contemporary Art experimenting in new materials and media. Fabrics and items made with fabrics created by Artists in Residence and Guest Artists, Highly unique offerings.
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco SHOP de Young/Legion of Honor Museum Stores Ansel Adams isn’t in the house, but gifts and books related to his photos are. American and Indigenous craft too. Art on demand.
Frye Art Museum, Seattle, WA, SHOP Frye Store
Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, MA SHOP Blown away by the quantity and quality. Feminist selection – wow! Basquiat skateboard decks!
Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston, MA SHOP So much garden-related.
John Michael Kohler Art Museum/Art Preserve, Sheboygan, WI SHOP
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY SHOP Always a leader in art oriented gifts.
Milwaukee Art, Milwaukee, WI SHOP Smallish offering but great curation by buyers.
Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL SHOP
Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX SHOP Unique selection.
Museum of the American Revolution, Philadelphia, PA SHOP Historical merch.
National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, WY - SHOP Owls, and Wolves and Bears, oh my!
Perez Art Museum Miami, Miami, FL SHOP Different cool Miami and outsider art vibe.
Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Seattle, WA SHOP Reflects these and the Seattle Art Gallery. Northwest, contemporary, unique offerings. The gallery offers rentals as well as on demand.
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C. SHOP Includes links to the National Portrait Gallery – The Obama portraits and a gazillion more, The American Art Museum - Gifts of Americana, and the Renrick Gallery with moderns.
Smithsonian’s Hirschhorn Museum – Contemporary, Washington, DC SHOP So colorful! Love the vases and busts.
The Getty, Los Angeles SHOP Some unique items with an LA sensibility.
Walker Art Museum, Minneapolis, MN SHOP Exclusives are unique.
UK Museums
British Museum SHOP Colonialism is this shop’s biggest blot. One can’t be here long without realizing that many of the items in this institution may have been acquired by some nefarious tactics. At the same time, where else can you see in minutes the very items from Japan, Africa and other far places that influenced Van Gogh, Picasso and so many others. The shop has many replicas of iconic items, and silk scarves. ties, and more.
Design Museum SHOP Probably the most unique of shops I’ve come across. Butter knife and coffee measure whittling kits, Saris, and a Yinka Ilori Orun designer basketball. Actually, this shop tempted my wallet more than most.
National Gallery SHOP 10% off coupon available when linking into the site. London Skyline Chess set – so cool.
National Portrait Gallery SHOP The Scarves! Paul McCartney, David Hackney After being closed the NPG has a brand new shop too.
Serpentine Galleries SHOP This royal-related contemporary gallery has many artist limited editions, Yoko Ono for one. You know those are sure to increase in value. She is considered a huge cultural influencer and currently underrated by the haters, who thought she broke up the Beatles.
The Tate SHOP This shop and the exhibitions reflected says colonization is in the past. People and cultures are alive here. The Gorilla Girls are in the house. I love their. “The Colors of…” London, Liverpool, etc. items. I’m currently leaning back on a pillow cover I brought home, the Colors of London, that looks like a Pantone chart but colors are named after iconic items. Double Decker Red, for example.
The Victoria and Albert SHOP So much glamour! The Diva collection is to die for. Copies, inspired by, and one of a kind limited editions are available. One of my favorite shops.
The Wallace Collection SHOP One of my favorite collections. The museum is small but mighty, same with the shop. Online it’s dog forward. They loved their dogs, those Wallaces. They also loved what the shop calls Homeware, their bone china plates and tea service-ware. I have to admit, I love the mug inspired by Jean Honoré Fragonard's The Swing. The scarves are gorgeous too. I’m a bit puzzled, however, they don’t offer armor for dogs or horses like on display. Seems like a natural to me.
Mary Longe holds a certificate in Art Business from Sotheby's Institute of Art, London. She is the former executive director of the Plein Air Painters Chicago, and an artist.
