The Museum Shop: Time for a Counter-Cultural Revolution?
- Paul Baker
- May 26
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
What could be more straightforward than a museum shop? The formula is well established: place it by the exit, stock it with souvenirs, and watch the income roll in. Visitors enjoy buying mementos bearing the museum’s name, and we’re happy to oblige. If it works, why change it?
But perhaps it’s time we did. What harm is there in imagining something different? This is Heritage Thinking Differently —heading for the till.
A Century of Predictability
The world’s first dedicated museum retail space opened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1908. Since then, the model has been refined, but not radically reimagined. Today’s museum shops may vary in quality — in buying approaches, design, or merchandising — but rarely in function. They are often formulaic, beginning not with the needs of the customer or the community, but with a tried and tested template.
While this approach works for many, it often undervalues the potential of the online offer. Stock is typically inspired by the museum’s collection or sourced from a small set of suppliers who will customise items with your museum's branding. Art galleries often challenge this model to a degree - with exhibition-specific merchandise, limited-edition prints, and beautifully produced exhibition guidebooks. Museums may attempt to imitate this approach, but rarely with the same impact. Most operate with a standard year-round offer of souvenirs aimed squarely at the visitor.
The Allure — and Limitations — of Mementos
The concept of the memento is unique to visitor attractions. Unlike the average high street shopper, our visitors seek something tangible to mark their visit. Many are determined to make a purchase and if they fail to do so it will not be for want of trying. Most retailers envy us for this relationship.
Yet this dependable market has also made us complacent. Museum shops have become over-reliant on the souvenir buyer, neglecting broader changes in the retail landscape.
Lessons from the High Street
Before moving into the cultural sector, I worked in retail — managing stores, buying stock, and designing displays. Retail has evolved significantly since then, shaped by advances in technology, consumer psychology, and behavioural science. We now understand how to anticipate customer needs, encourage secondary purchases, and make shopping an integrated leisure activity.
Take the café in your local bookshop. Its purpose isn’t just refreshment — it encourages you to linger, to sit and browse, allowing the books to draw you in. A coffee gives you a reason to stay, and in doing so, you’re more likely to buy that book. It's somewhat ironic that the retail sector has adopted storytelling and consumption as leisure, and left us behind, when we have so much skill in developing engaging environments.
Thinking Locally
Museums often attempt to copy others in the sector instead of thinking about their local community. This is understandable in major institutions with significant visitor numbers. But for smaller sites, tailoring your retail offer to the needs of the local community can drive both revenue and engagement.
For example, if a small town or village has recently lost a beloved retailer or essential service — a post office, say — a museum might consider whether it can help fill the gap. Meeting a genuine local need can prove more effective than catering to a trickle of tourists. Your shop isn’t just a sales space — it’s a marketing and engagement platform. Every person who crosses the threshold is a potential supporter. It can often depend upon the demographic of your audience, but understanding their needs is essential.
A Textile Emporium
At the Framework Knitters Museum, I abandoned the traditional shop model and instead created a space to champion contemporary textile makers. This wasn’t a gimmick — it completed the museum’s narrative.
While the historic site with its working machines and domestic spaces celebrated the textile workers of the past, the shop considered the future, showcasing modern makers and reinforcing that the industry is alive and evolving. Almost all stock was textile-themed, even when we gave in and stocked a mug or greetings card — it featured knitting designs. Much of the stock was provided on a sale-or-return basis, reducing financial risk.
The result? A quirky, distinctive shop that gained a loyal following and became a destination in its own right. Aimed at a niche market, it resonated with both visitors and creatives.
Online - Specialism and Scale
The Tank Museum in Dorset offers another successful example. While serving on-site visitors, it has also developed a highly effective online retail offer.
They’ve identified a clear niche: tank enthusiasts. These customers are notoriously hard to buy for, especially at Christmas. The museum offers a solution — gifts tailored to this passion, shipped globally. Their online shop has become the go-to destination for tank-related items, generating significant profit, especially during the festive season.
At The London Transport Museum, they've attempted something similar but they've set their sights beyond the enthusiast to include design culture and attractive soft furnishings — it’s a model worth paying attention to.
Centralisation: Blessing or Burden?
In some cases, heritage sites have limited influence over their retail spaces. Large organisations like the National Trust often use a centralised buying model. This brings benefits — economies of scale, consistency, and quality control — but it can also lead to a degree of blandness.
Some sites now source a limited number of local lines, but opportunities to innovate are restricted. That said, scale can be a strength. Many National Museums successfully promote branded merchandise — Science Museum toys and Tate greetings cards — sold across the UK in partnership with your local retailer. These ventures don’t rely on customers to visit the museum.
Rethinking Retail
There is no single model for museum retail. Too many sites default to a standard approach without asking whether it serves their visitors — or their communities.
Museum shops can do more. They can meet local needs, support creative industries, solve niche gift-giving problems, or become nationally recognised brands. They are powerful marketing tools. Shoppers could carry your logo on their bags, along with your leaflets and event details. They can be more than places to sell mementos — they can tell your story, build your audience, and grow your impact.
Before reimagining the retail offer at Creswell Crags my team undertook a review of the best offers in the sector and on the high street. They visited some of the most successful and developed a buying strategy which created a unique offer. Within the first year income had trippled pre-pandemic records. It always helps to seek and understand good practice.
Let’s Talk
If you’d like to explore how your retail space can better serve your museum or your community, I offer tailored commercial reviews to help you do just that. Get in touch and tell me about your ambitions and challenges — I’d love to hear from you.
Visit my website for more information and to find out more about how I can help you.
Paul Baker
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