Souvenir Best-Sellers

What Shoppers are Seeking at Art and Children’s Museums

By Karen Appold

Souvenirs can take on many forms at art and children museum shops—including some you might not expect. Franci Sagar, retail and brand development consultant at Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in New York, N.Y., can attest to that. “We don’t sell typical souvenir products like shot glasses and thimbles,” she said. “We see all of our products as souvenirs, as a remembrance of a visit to MAD.”

Sagar’s top-selling item is Catherine Canino jewelry, specifically Mother of Pearl earrings and necklaces. “The price point is perfect for customers who like fine jewelry, but can’t afford a high price point,” she said. Earrings are priced in the $100 range and are priced between $100 and $300. “Jewelry is a major part of MAD’s DNA, which enables the store to offer more unique categories than most museum stops.”

Folding chopstick baskets by Bryan Parks are another hit for Sagar. “They make a great housewarming gift and are easy to ship because they can be folded down,” she said. The price point is also appealing at $36.

Ed Wohl’s bird’s-eye maple cutting boards are stunningly finished. “Part of our mission is about transforming materials and no one does it better than Ed,” Sagar said. Prices range from $200 to $250.

The best-selling souvenir item for Sarah Kwiecien , supervisor of the Little Orange Store at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, is the “Love and Forgiveness Box” by Open the Joy. “The box is based on one of the museum’s exhibits, and provides simple hands-on activities highlighting empathy, forgiveness, and kindness,” she said. The kit features writing, drawing, origami, and clay activities for chil- dren ages 4 and older, and allows for families to play together. “Customers like items that directly connect to their museum visit.”

Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty is also popular at the 300-square-foot Little Orange Store. “Anything that falls into the sensory or fidget category is doing really well right now because TikTok creators are heavily promoting sensory items,” Kwiecien said. “The putty is a favorite because it stretches, bounces, doesn’t dry out, and has a lot of color and feature options including magnetism and heat color changes.

Holgate Toys’ Mini Mister Rogers Trolley also rolls

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