Find artful gifts for friends and family at these fabulous museum shops
Museum gift shops are the perfect place to find unique gifts for the people you love this festive season. Support independent makers, discover local artists and get great discounts with your Art Pass when shopping at some of the best museum gift shops across the UK.
Looking for Christmas gift ideas? Museum shops are the perfect place to get your shopping done. From stocking fillers, presents for kids, festive cards and decorations to jewellery, homewares and books – you'll find treasure troves of gifts for all your friends and family this Christmas. And hey, why not treat yourself too?
This is our ultimate guide to 20 of the best museum shops across the UK to guarantee you master the art of gift-giving this year. For added inspiration, we've handpicked the items on our Christmas wish list – and they're all under £30, so you don't need to worry about breaking the bank either.
And don’t forget: whether you've got a National Art Pass, a Student Art Pass or a Teacher Art Pass, you’ll get shop discounts at lots of these fantastic places.
Please note: some National Art Pass shop discounts may only be applicable in store.
Our Christmas shopping guide
Best for handmade and unique Christmas gifts
Ikon Gallery
Birmingham’s specialist art book shop, Ikon offers a range of titles and magazines as well as books for children, artists’ multiples, accessories and homeware, lots of hands-on kits and tools and a selection of books and prints relating to Midlands personalities. In fact you can find almost anything for the perfect gift here, from jewellery to candles, soaps to games, totes to t-shirts, something for everyone. Plus, don't miss their annual Winter Craft Market on 4 December. You can browse a range of stalls from local makers, designers and artists to find unique and handmade Christmas presents.
On our wish list: Christmas Treehouse, Festive Pop & Slot Advent Calendar, £12.50
Mostyn
Displaying a collection of beautifully handmade items, Mostyn's shop stocks a mix of products made by local, national and international artists and makers – some established, some whose practices are just emerging. Keep your eye out for limited-edition prints, plus a hoard of art supplies, greetings cards and quirky gifts.
On our wish list: Polymer Clay Daffodil Arch Shaped Earrings by Carla's Cwtch, £16.
Kettle's Yard
Taking inspiration from the Kettle's Yard house, collection and exhibition programme, the Kettle's Yard shop stocks a stunning range of handmade and unique items by independent makers, from ceramic homewares to bespoke jewellery. Plus, they have a great range of limited edition prints and posters for anyone looking to curate their home.
On our wish list: Leach Pottery Standard Ware Small Mug, £27.
Glasgow Women's Library
Glasgow Women's Library is the only accredited museum in the UK devoted to celebrating women's lives, histories and achievements. And their shop is the perfect destination for unique and thoughtful gifts, stocking items from feminist literature to limited edition prints by women artists.
On our wish list: Badges of Honour Jigsaw (Feminist Edition), £18.
Nottingham Contemporary
Unique items by artists, designers and publishers from across the UK are carefully curated in Nottingham Contemporary's fabulous shop. From artisinal ceramics to handmade jewellery, the shop is bursting with goodies to treat your loves ones, or yourself.
On our wish list: Cat Mug by Donna Wilson, £19.50.
Best for stocking fillers
People's History Museum
A unique shop for a unique museum – the People’s History Museum in Manchester is the national museum of democracy, and its shop is inspired by its political collection. If you’re after a Suffragette Christmas decoration, 'Time to Strike' safety matches or a 'Protest' keyring, then you’ve come to the right place.
On our wish list: Handmade Woolen Manchester Christmas Bee, £8.
Ashmolean Museum
A world-famous museum with a stunning shop, the Ashmolean has a wonderful range of gifts inspired by its extensive collections. Plus, there are lots of items that would make perfect stocking fillers, from a set of oracle cards offering life advice from famous artists like Frida Kahlo, to specially printed socks featuring The Day Dream by Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
On our wish list: Ashmolean Hot & Spicy Tomato Chutney, £5.
Yorkshire Sculpture Park
You'll be spoiled for choice at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, who have two stunning gift shops for you to explore – the YSP Centre Shop and the Weston Shop. Pop by the YSP Centre Shop to marvel at their changing displays of contemporary craft and jewellery for sale. Or, if you prefer your gifts on the edible side, the Weston Shop sells produce made by Yorkshire Sculpture Park themselves – from fudge and honey to coffee and gin.
On our wish list: Yorkshire Sculpture Park Honey, £7.50.
Sir John Soane's Museum
Housed in the former home of one of the most famous Regency-era architects, the extent and richness of the collection at Sir John Soane's Museum is mirrored in its equally intriguing gift shop, which promises unique Christmas presents, cards and decorations for the aesthete in your life. Highlights include Egyptian drop earrings, patterned paper vases, and a silk scarf decorated with hieroglyphics.
On our wish list: The Facade Canvas Bag, £16.
Best for Christmas cards and decorations
William Morris Gallery
Dedicated to the Arts and Crafts designer and artist famed for his stunning patterned wallpapers, textiles and carpets, the William Morris Gallery has to be top of your list if you’re looking for a beautifully designed gift. From Christmas baubles to terracotta tiles, the majority of stock here shows off William Morris’s signature designs, including the Strawberry Thief motif.
On our wish list: Large Hand-Painted May Morris Baubles, £8.
The Hepworth Wakefield
Don’t be fooled by its cool, concrete exterior – the shop at the Hepworth Wakefield is packed full of colourful and creative gifts. Cards, prints, art books and products inspired by Yorkshire are all on offer here, plus you’ll be able to pick up prints by the artists featured in the Hepworth's fantastic exhibitions.
On our wish list: Seasons Greetings Wakefield Christmas Card by Pressed and Folded, £3.50.
Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft
Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft's shop is a must for anyone with a craft-lover in their lives. From knitting patterns to natural dyeing seeds, notebooks to paper decorations – the carefully curated selection of items are bound to bring joy for creatives and aesthetes.
On our wish list: The Snowman by Raymond Briggs greeting cards, exclusively designed for Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft by King & McGaw, £3.50 each.
The Whitworth
Taking advantage of Manchester's infinite creativity, the shop at the Whitworth champions local makers, stocking items such as artist prints, jewellery, homewares and more. Lots of the items that they sell give back to community groups. We particularly love the Still Parents x Caroline Dowsett prints – every purchase provides vital support for parents who have experienced the loss of a baby.
On our wish list: How to have a perfect Christmas card by Arthouse Unlimited, £3.50.
Best for books
Arnolfini
A bibliophile's dream, the bookshop at the Arnolfini in Bristol is a destination in its own right. An independent shop that showcases titles, from exhibition catalogues and artist monographs to children's books and popular fiction. Head to their Instagram to see what's new in store.
On our wish list: Everything is Energy Exhibition Catalogue by Emma Talbot, £25.
South London Gallery
No visit to South London Gallery is complete without a peruse in their cosy bookshop, where you'll find an array of intriguing books, from experimental fiction to pressing non-fiction. Their selection of indie magazines and journals is enviable. And, they sell really cute cards and stationery too.
On our wish list: Yto Barrada - Thrill, Fill & Spill Exhibition Poster, £28.
Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA)
One of London's coolest art spaces, the ICA's bookshop carefully curates the best book and magazine titles across art, design, writing and cultural studies. And, their shelves often reflect their wider programmes across exhibitions, music and cinema. From 28 November, get 15% off books, merchanside and selected editions in their winter sale.
On our wish list: Morale Patch by Tanoa Sasraku, £15.
Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum
Nestled in the centre of Lichfield in Staffordshire is the eponymous museum dedicated to the prolific 18th-century writer Samuel Johnson. A place imbued with history, the bookshop is in the very room that Johnson's parents ran their bookselling business from. Every purchase supports the running of the Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum and stocks a range of new, second-hand and rare books.
Best for Christmas gifts for kids
Young V&A
Delight the little dreamers, inventors and explorers in your life this festive season with a gift from the Young V&A's shop, offering an exclusive and consciously sourced range of kids' clothes, soft toys, colouring books, craft kits and much more. Be warned: if you enter this gift shop with a young one, we cannot guarantee that you'll leave empty-handed.
On our wish list: Dachshund wooden pull-along toy, £28.
Science Museum
From cuddly toys to robotic ones, at-home chemistry sets to coding kits, budding scientists will be overjoyed if you treat them to something from the Science Museum shop. Be warned: if you shop here, you may become their favourite relative.
On our wish list: Science Museum Jetpack Backpack, £30.
Firstsite
The bright and airy shop at Firstsite – Colchester's hub for visual art – makes for an ideal shopping experience. There’s a lovely selection of children’s books, an abundance of stationery, and items inspired by the cutting-edge exhibitions programme at the gallery. The beautiful selection is all design-led and there are a number of products related to getting creative at home.
On our wish list: Pets - A Colouring Book by Ben Andrew, £12.