Shop the Museum

from West Reading Avenues Winter 2022-23

The Avenues Welcome

Holiday Shopping

Shop the Museum!

by Lindsay Crist, Reading Public Museum

With holiday shopping in full swing, keep the Reading Public Museum in mind for unique gifts for everyone on your shopping list!

The Reading Public Museum’s Gift Shop, managed by Jeffery Fick, is a one-stop shopping destination for the children on your list, the art lover, mom, pop, and holidays hosts and hostesses on your shopping list.

For eight years, Jeffery has been able to work with national vendors and local artists to curate a wide variety of inventory year-round. But with shopping for the perfect gifts for the holidays in mind, Jeffrey stocks up on the most beloved and coveted items. The Shop features everything from LEGO kits to handmade knits!

Special for the holidays, Jeffery puts together a Holiday Gift Guide each year to help find the perfect gifts for even the hardest to please. This year will be no different! Check out the Museum’s social media pages for holiday suggestions. But for a quick guide – keep on reading!

Jeff says, “The RPM Gift Shop always aims to please. We want to offer the most unique gifts for affordable prices that people will cherish!” Jeff’s Holiday Gift Guide always features handmade cards by local artists such as Julie Longacre, Hippie Jam, Denise Jones, Michael D’addario, and Fran Parzanese. The cards feature photographs of local landmarks, hand painted designs, and holiday-inspired and winter scenes. We always recommend a poinsettia as the perfect host or hostess gift when heading to holiday parties.

The Museum poinsettias are extra special, as they are grown right here at The Museum in our greenhouse by our wonderful Arboretum Assistants! This year the poinsettias will come in red, white, and pink!

Other gifts that never go out of style are ornaments of all shapes and sizes. Local artist known as Hippie Jam has an assortment of hand-painted ornaments, cards, prints and more! The Shop also features handmade Polish Stars by Peter Cieslukowski, also known as the Polish Star Man. The handmade stars show off only a portion of the talent located in our area and featured in the RPM Gift Shop.

Stocking stuffers and plush animals are must-have items for the children on your list and the Shop’s hand-knitted gifts will delight the whole family. The Gift Shop features handmade wool and felt accessories by local artists such as Christa Hirneisen, Woolish Whimsy by Becky Ruth, Kristin Ruth, and PJ with Felted Ewes, which will keep everyone warm, even in the coldest of PA winters!

And don’t forget the glass items and handmade jewelry by Marilyn Pounder are always a hit for the moms and other ladies in your life!

All the art lovers you know will love the prints in the Gift Shop. Prints inspired by Museum exhibitions and works by local artists keep your gift-giving both unique and thoughtful. Your art lovers will also love the handmade pottery by artists like Kim and David Kostival, which feature handcrafted Santa Claus ornaments and figurines.

Still at a loss for a gift? Gift The Museum this year! A Museum Membership will have your loved one appreciating your thoughtfulness throughout the whole year, whether they visit the exhibitions in the galleries or enjoy Star Shows in the Neag Planetarium.

Don’t miss a beat this holiday season. Shop in the RPM Gift Shop where the gifts are always unique and never ordinary.