Super Cool Online Museum Gift Shops
Given how much our cultural institutions have been suffering financially over 2020, and how much I *love* a good museum gift shop, I’ve been trying to make these online shops my go-to for Christmas and other gift shopping. Places like museums rely on their gift shops for crucial revenue, and with almost no foot traffic this year they need our support more than ever. A few friends have been asking for links, so I’ve included my favourites below. I’d love suggestions to add more.
The Science Museum
Incredible place for older kids’ presents, highly recommend!
The V&A
V&A Shop
The Victoria and Albert Museum is the world's greatest museum of art and design
www.vam.ac.uk
Gorgeous jewelry and homeware, and some fab Christmas ornaments.
The Tate
I especially love the fashion and kids sections, and they do a great line in arty face-masks. Also an excellent book selection.
The William Morris Galley
Especially good for small gifts under £5 or £10, stationery and their iconic prints.
The Design Museum
Everything here is beautifully designed, as you’d expect :-). I especially love their Conscious Living range, for gorgeous, eco-friendly presents.
The Postal Museum
The website isn’t the easiest to navigate, but worth persisting as the selection is especially good for younger kids.
The British Library
Superb book curation, as you’d expect, and some wonderful activity kits for children and adults.
The Natural History Museum
Perfect for my dinosaur mad toddler
Jane Austen’s House
I bought Darcy and Elizabeth Christmas decorations here for my Pride & Prejudice obsessed friend. Great to see the museum shop set up online via a Shopify link a few months ago after having to close due to Covid.
The British Museum
The great dame of British museums. Particularly good selection of men’s gifts.
The Royal Albert Hall
Smaller selection, but the Christmas decorations and the musical automata kits for older children are well worth a visit.
This is a mostly London focused as that’s where I live, but would love to collate suggestions to support other museums up and down the country, so if there’s a museum you’d like to add to the list, please do let me know in the comments.
