We’re in something of a Golden Age of the museum gift shop. What was once considered a cash grab for struggling institutions— home to catalog books, branded buttons, and Van Gogh postcards— has become not only a necessary bookend to a museum tour, but a destination in its own right. Whether you’re looking for a gift for your Broadway-obsessed teen, your tea-drinking grandmother, or just a last minute stocking stuffer, these museums offer a world of treasures.
Sir John Soane’s Museum, London
FOR THE ARCHI-TYPE: Architecture bookends
Design buffs will love these bookends, which double as facade models for Sir John Soane’s Museum, the former house and studio of famed British architect John Soane— one of the hallmark architects of the Regency Era. The Lincoln Inn Fields facade, with its fine Georgian details, is one of the many buildings Soane bought and rebuilt himself. The bookends were handmade in the Bath workshop of master model maker Timothy Richards. Inside the house museum, find a wide collection of books, sculptures, architectural fragments, models, and paintings by the architect, who was an avid collector as well as a fastidious worker.
American Folk Art Museum, New York
FOR THE HOMEBODY: Quilt throw
For the domestic gods and goddesses in your life, this playful update to a traditional quilt blanket merges folkish charm with modern design. The throw’s block design calls back to the array of traditional textiles on display in the American Folk Art Museum on New York's Upper West Side, which celebrates the handcrafted tradition and spotlights the work of self-taught artists. The museum is also home to paintings, furniture, pottery, and more unique heirlooms that weave through the fabric of American history.
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark
FOR THE CYCLIST, BOTH BIG AND SMALL: Kids’ scooter, Leather helmet
Kill two birds with one stone, so to speak, with the perfect gift for the family who prefers to travel on two wheels: for parent, a sleek helmet in vegan leather, and for child, a bright yellow mini scooter that’d be the envy of Tanya McQuoid (or Peppa Pig). As one of the world’s leading contemporary art museums, the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art— about 20 miles north of Copenhagen on the Øresund Sound— features a shop filled with homewares, books, posters, and accessories that reflect the museum’s impeccable design; languid Giacometti sculptures stand against floor-to-ceiling glass windows framing lush forestscapes, while a sloping sculpture garden allows works by Louise Bourgeois, Alexander Calder, and Joan Miró to look out at the sea. The Louisiana is a thoughtful fusion of art, architecture, and natural beauty, and its shop is no less carefully considered. Think Carl Hansen chairs, Hay glassware, and modernist mobiles.
Pollock’s Toy Museum, London
FOR THE YOUNG THESPIAN: Pollock’s Pop-Up Theater
