Looking for a unique place to find a Christmas gift for the art-lover in your life? (Or, let’s face it, a special gift for yourself?) Here’s a thought: try your local museum shop.
Despite criticism by Banksy (whose film is derisively titled Exit Through the Gift Shop) and others, museum shops often serve a vital purpose: bringing in much-needed funds and encouraging people to visit. Though museums do receive grants and donations, it’s often your local museum that needs the most love in the gift shop.
And when you think about it, shopping for gifts there makes a lot of sense. Local artists, artisans, and businesses often find a vendor in a local museum shop. A recent trip to the museum shop near us proved that it’s not all museum paraphernalia for sale: ornaments by local artists, tea towels and plates created by local businesses, and more items from local sellers were nestled side-by-side with the usual bookmarks and prints of the works currently housed in the museum.
Discover more about Museum Store Sunday at this article from USA Today!
