With many museum shops located near the exit, souvenirs in these shops must make a lasting impression on customers and also connect to the museum’s mission.For many museums, the gift shop is somewhat of a final exhibit in the museum — guests browse through merchandise that reminds them of what they saw on their visit and then pick something to take home that inspires them.
“Museum stores offer a last impression of the museum,” explains Melody Caban of Melody Caban Consulting. “They offer a chance to take home a piece of the museum’s mission while also generating revenue museums need to stay open and involved in the community.”
Museum buyers have their work cut out for them. Their audience is diverse: kids on field trips, families on vacation and retired couples making a day trip, just to name a few. Therefore, it is important to source souvenirs that speak to people from many different walks of life while also connecting to the museum’s mission.
About six years ago, the Explore Store at the Science Museum of Minnesota broadened its souvenir selection to ensure there was something for everyone visiting the museum and its gift shop.
“The store had a more toy-centric focus, and while it was very kid-friendly, I personally found it challenging to find something I’d want to purchase,” says Kate Johnson, manager of retail sales & strategy.
Since then, the shop has expanded its product mix to include books, apparel, accessories and other souvenirs to appeal to everyone visiting.
Educational and experientialWith many museums focused on educating and inspiring guests, their gift shops can have success providing customers with educational items.
Books are always flying off the shelves at the Sacramento History Museum in California’s Old Sacramento State Historic Park. Museum Store Merchandiser Heather Reynolds says she finds herself constantly ordering more books for the gift shop. She shares that the museum has some fun books related to the Gold Rush, Sacramento history and even some entertaining books on the history of popular comics and superheroes tied to a recent exhibit at the museum.
Reading is also a big theme at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford, Massachusetts — the museum hosts an annual Moby Dick Marathon where guests come in early January to hear the entire story of Moby Dick read in 25 hours.
“People come from all over for that,” says Store Buyer Julie O’Boy. “They start reading the book on our ship model. It takes 25 hours to read it through, and we ring a bell when it’s done. It’s a serious time commitment, but some people stay the whole time.”
Even outside of that event, O’Boy says guests always ask for Moby Dick-themed merchandise such as shirts and mugs. She says board books are also popular sellers.
“Children’s books tend to do really well,” she shares.
Museum guests also tend to enjoy experiential items such as DIY kits.
“Hands-on products or DIY kits are big at museum stores,” says Caban.
 Sacramento History Museum appeals to kids with old-time toys and games as well as some cuddly plush animals.
Johnson says an Entomology STEM Pinning Kit is one of the Explore Store’s top sellers. Developed by leading scientists and museum professionals at the Science Museum of Minnesota, the ethically sourced kit includes everything needed for insect pinning and preservation.
Johnson notes that adults may recall pinning bugs as a hobby in their youth and revisit it with this product. The kit also introduces kids to the world of entomology, she adds.
“It’s a unique science kit we have developed that resonates with our customers,” she says.
Sustainably mindedSustainability is another theme that seems to be resonating with customers at museum shops. Many consumers are even willing to pay more for sustainably produced or sourced goods.
“We’re finding a lot of different ways to offer sustainable products — organic items, eco-friendly materials, reusable items,” Caban explains. “Those are showing up because consumers are looking for them. They are more likely to spend a bit more on those items because it matters to them, so it’s important to find how your museum store can add sustainability to its product mix.”
The New Bedford Whaling Museum offers its guests a look at the history of whaling in its community, but O’Boy adds that the museum is also focused on sharing stories on whale conservation efforts in more recent history as well. With a conservation focus, she says the gift shop makes sure to carry some eco-friendly products. Ocean and conservation themes are popular on the gift shop’s stickers.
“We also sell scrimshaw products, but they’re all faux scrimshaw or eco-ivory,” she explains. “One of the vendors we work with donates a portion of sales back to conservation of elephants so that’s something we want to juxtapose with the traditional whaling history.”
Authentic findsAuthenticity and one-of-a-kind finds are also important to people. Caban recommends museum stores carry merchandise that ties to what makes the museum interesting and sets it apart.
“Five different museums might all carry the same Van Gogh mug, but what’s a product that’s unique to your museum? It might be fun to work with the curators or social media marketing team to find something people keep bringing up, that resonate with them, and see how you can bring that into the store,” Caban suggests.
Reynolds says she always tries to stay away from carrying generic merchandise at the Sacramento History Museum shop.
“Our prices tend to be a dollar or two higher, but they get a nicer product, and customers appreciate the attention to detail,” she says.
Cards, posters and art have grown in popularity as well, partly thanks to some viral TikTok videos.
 A retro purple hoodie has had a comeback at this science museum gift shop thanks to its appearance in Stranger Things.
She says customers love taking home something that was made in the museum print shop.
The New Bedford Whaling Museum’s gift shop carries some gifts from local artists that stand out, such as hand-crafted Sailors’ Valentines.
“They’re basically shadow boxes, created with different shells, textures and colors,” says O’Boy. “They may have flowers made from pink-tinted shells. These were things that traditionally sailors would make in their free time and give to loved ones when they returned.”
At the Science Museum of Minnesota, a purple Brontosaurus Hoodie is the gift shop’s most iconic souvenir.
Originally designed in the 1980s for a dinosaur exhibit, the hoodie has had a major comeback since 2018 after it was featured in Stranger Things Season 2. Johnson shares that the surge in demand that followed nearly doubled the museum shop’s annual net revenue that year.
“We’ve been selling this beloved hoodie, and a related apparel collection, ever since,” she says. “Its rich purple color, a true Minnesota hue, and the throwback logo give it a nostalgic, retro vibe that makes it a favorite for visitors and collectors alike.”
Trial and errorFinding the perfect museum store souvenirs that resonate with customers takes some trial and error, but it can be a fun process.
O’Boy notes that playing around with shop displays can help retailers identify what’s working best. “Moving things based on how well they’re selling or if they’re not selling can help,” she says. “Having really visually attractive displays is always key — nothing sells better than that!”
Johnson says Explore Store is always rotating items to keep the shopping experience dynamic.
“If something doesn’t resonate with our visitors, we don’t hesitate to try something different,” she says. “As a science museum, we’re all about experimentation, so we embrace the opportunity to mix things up and see what works.” |
