Culture of Shopping

By Jennifer Aranoff

Gift shops in your favorite museums are great places to shop.
It’s time to face a hard truth: At times the best part of going to a museum is the subsequent visit to the gift shop. There need be no shame in this necessary part of a cultural outing. After all, most gift shops carry beautiful and unique objects that are art themselves. Guilt-free shopping awaits. Go ahead and buy Aunt Mabel the handpainted salt and pepper shakers, your best friend the quirky yet chic Bunny Cookie Jar and your niece the pink furry purse. Shop proud. We won’t tell that you also picked up a little something pretty for yourself.

There are some very basic advantages to gift shop shopping:

• Difficult to shop for friends and family will seem markedly less so in the face of so many artistic or fun keepsakes. Be sure to ask about free gift-wrapping.
• Proceeds generally benefit the museum in which the shop is located.
• No supporting-corporate-greed guilt!
• Members of the museums generally get 10% off.
• In most cases there’s no admission fee to visit the gift shops.

Bass Museum of Art
2121 Park Avenue
Miami Beach
305.673.7530
bassmuseum.org
Full of natural light (thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows), the gift shop in the Bass echoes the lush Miami landscape with bright and colorful folk art, jewelry and other gift items. Browse through the collection of artsy books and then head to the café to sip on tea, enjoy a snack and take advantage of the free WiFi.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
10901 Old Cutler Road
Coral Gables
305.667.1651
fairchildgarden.org
It makes sense that the shop in the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden would carry wares with a distinct tropical
feel, both literally and figuratively; the beautiful and largely guilt-free gifts (fair trade/eco friendly) range
from colorful soaps to toys to books—many on tropical gardening.

Jewish Museum of Florida
301 Washington Avenue
Miami Beach
305.672.5044
jewishmuseum.com
The gift shop in the Jewish Museum of Florida is a celebration of Jewish Miami via books, artwork and traditional religious items. Much of the artwork represents the stunning architecture of the two historic synagogues restored and linked together that form the museum. The theme and stained glass windows may suggest the shop has a serious atmosphere, but it offers downright silly gifts and souvenirs as well to round out the collection.

Gold Coast Railroad Museum
12450 SW 152nd Street
Miami
305.253.467500
gcrm.org
It’s no surprise to find that plenty of the shop inside the Gold Coast Railroad Museum is dedicated to Thomas the
Tank Engine, the most famous train since The Little Engine That Could. Thomas’s popularity is demonstrated when visitors flock in droves to see the life-size version visiting the museum each March. Books, souvenirs and children’s toys representing all types of trains throughout history and today are also for sale.

Historical Museum of Southern Florida
101 West Flagler Street
Miami
305.375.1492
hmsf.org
Tempting though it may be to take home the 1920s trolley car, not only would it not fit in your trunk but it also isn’t for sale. Better pick up a book about historical Miami instead, just one of many books for sale in the HMSF
gift shop. Also find photographic catalogs, postcards and other souvenirs to further explore cultural histories
merging in South Florida.

Miami Art Museum
101 West Flagler Street
Miami
305.375.3000
miamiartmuseum.org
An intimate location housing largely modern art is an ideal place to find unique and tasteful gifts. The MAM Store offers a collection of artinspired objects from timeless to whimsical and everything in between, the perfect accent to the classy yet unconventional art displays.

Miami Children’s Museum
980 MacArthur Causeway
Miami
305.373.KIDS (5437)
miamichildrensmuseum.org
KidSmart Gift Shop in MCM, located in the center of the enormous cone-shaped lobby, is chalk-full of gifts and
toys for children (and those who wish they were still children). Stimulating toys mirroring exhibits such as the
moon sand table can be purchased as a keepsake of the day. KidSmart is the only children’s toy store in downtown Miami and takes that roll very seriously. Drop by to look around and stay for one of three daily story-telling times.

Museum of Discovery & Science
401 SW Second Street
Fort Lauderdale
954.467.6637
mods.org
Science-based toys are always attractive to both kids who want something stimulating and their parents who love sneaking in a little education with the fun. The Explore Store has a large selection of educational items for the kids but also toys that adults can enjoy. Buy a kit to grow crystals at home, pick up a mind puzzle or enjoy astronaut ice cream.

The Morikami Museum & Japanese Gardens
4000 Morikami Park Road
Delray Beach
561.495.0233
morikami.org
The merchandise in the Morikami Museum Store has a distinct Asian feel, from the obvious kimonos and Japanese parasols to the more subtle shapes found in ceramics and jewelry. Witness a tea ceremony in the teahouse and head to the gift

Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale
One East Las Olas Boulevard
Fort Lauderdale
954.525.5500
moaflnsu.org
The gift shop in MoAFL just been made over. Find unique and decorative items in addition to books relating to
the art and artists featured in the museum. Relax at a café table with a cup of coffee for a completely restful
shopping experience.

Museum of Contemporary Art
770 NE 125 Street
North Miami
305 893 6211
mocanomi.org
The consistently revolving collections in the MoCA offer a perfect excuse to go often and visit the shop. Books on
contemporary art are expected (and The MoCA shop doesn’t disappoint). Take advantage of art for sale; a number of the jewelry pieces are one-of-a-kind. The jewelry selection is vast, especially for a museum gift shop, and all quite contemporary.

Rubell Family Collection / Contemporary Arts Foundation
95 NW 29th Street
Miami
305.573.6090
rfc.museum
The RFC Store may be a massive bookstore, but as large as it is, it pales in comparison to the enormous in-house research library managed by the CAF. In the RFC find Rubell Family Collection publications on various artists that have shown in the traveling exhibits at the museum. RFC also produces gift items like origami, postcards and books on entertaining.