The best museum gift shops in the world

Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge 

This small, light-filled glass extension echoes the simple beauty of the original 19th-century cottages-turned-museum created by collector Jim Ede. I almost always discover exciting local artists and makers here, such as pottery from Very Less, whose berry bowl is now on my wishlist. I also love the simple jewellery made by Studio Adorn in Norwich. The recent Lucie Rie exhibition was complemented by elegant ceramics from local makers, books on pottery and make-at-home kits. Also brilliant are reproductions of the 20th-century British art in the house. Take home a Ben Nicholson print and position it just as the couple did: low on your living-room wall. kettlesyard.co.uk Zehra Munir

Zeitz MOCAA, Cape Town

In keeping with the Cape Town museum’s focus on Africa, the products in its joyful shop have been sourced, designed or developed in collaboration with artists, designers and artisans from across Africa. Located in a now-iconic Heatherwick-designed building that was once a grain silo, the shop features a thoughtful selection of contemporary African design, books, prints, stationery, gifts, homeware, jewellery and fashion; very little sold here is mass-produced. Best yet, it’s all available online and can be shipped internationally. shop.zeitzmocaa.museum Rima Suqi

Prado Museum, Madrid

Tiendra Prado Guido Reni earrings, €107.44

The Prado’s main shop, Tienda Prado, isn’t exactly charming in itself, possessing that slightly chilly airport feel. Luckily, it boasts plenty of treasures – mostly merchandise inspired by the museum’s collection. I bought a large tote bag decorated with an artichoke print from a baroque painting there, and my only regret is that I didn’t buy the one that riffed on a painting by Fortuny. Never mind: I also had to contend with earrings inspired by Guido Reni, a shoe bag dedicated to Goya and innumerable products dwelling on the many details of one of the museum’s greatest stars, Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights. I settled for the coasters. tiendaprado.com Louis Wise 

London Transport Museum, London

The genius of the this gift shop is how well it serves all of the museum’s visitors. For small children, there are London-themed model buses and train sets, while for the hardcore transport enthusiasts there are books, diagrams and charts galore. Design enthusiasts are well served by the reproductions of vintage posters used on the London Underground by artists including Man Ray and Edward Bawden. The gift shop’s killer appeal is the range of furniture and accessories that give new, vibrant life and use to the iconic colours and patterns of the Underground – from cushions, armchairs and sofas in train seat fabric to original signage. ltmuseumshop.co.uk Stephen Bush

Macro, Rome 

Hidden within a web of glass and steel designed by French architect Odile Decq in what was once a Peroni brewery, this museum of contemporary art provides an alternative view of the Eternal City. Its store snakes around an angular corner to create a black tunnel filled with books focusing on contemporary Italian designers, artisan jewellery by the likes of Lunante and Altrosguardo, daily planners by Næssi Studio, playful Sicilian ceramics by Freak Lab and an unrivalled selection of independent magazines. On my last visit I picked up Sali e Tabacchi, a journal exploring Italy’s unknown rituals, habits and traditions. museomacro.it Thea Hawlin

Museum of Witchcraft and Magic, Boscastle, Cornwall

This seaside institution (pictured above) contains one of the world’s largest collections of witchcraft-related artefacts. Founded in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1951 by warlock and screenwriter Cecil Williamson, it moved to the Cornish coast in 1960. Its warren of rooms feature curse dolls, ancient talismans and – my forever favourite – a mock-up of the “wise woman’s cottage” where “Old Joan” recites spells and charms to passers-by. Equally witchy is the shop, which streamlines some of the more puzzling artefacts into an almost useful (but mostly just enjoyable) selection of tarot cards, Cornish “pisky” charms and prints. Serious magic-makers should opt for the Spell Book of the Good Witch of Pendle, a so-called “reliable” selection of enchantments for “success in all circumstances”. museumofwitchcraftandmagic.co.uk Rosanna Dodds

MoMA, New York 

It would be all too easy to fill every wall of even the largest home with prints and rare exhibition posters from New York’s Museum of Modern Art. What elevates its gift-shop offering is the peerless range of furniture inspired and influenced by the many artists on display, including the Dalí-inspired, red-lips Bocca sofa, Yoshitomo Nara coasters and colourful ’80s-style lamps by Danish furniture icon Verner Panton. Many are exclusive to MoMA. moma.org Stephen Bush 

Nakhla at the Grand Egyptian Museum, Cairo

The glorious new iteration of Cairo’s Grand Egyptian Museum has taken so long to come to fruition that when it opens fully later this year and early next year, it will be something of a gift itself. The site already boasts an entire shopping arcade with a museum shop, showcasing Egyptian artisans who specialise in gold- and silversmithing, alabaster work, weaving and more. But I’m most excited about Nakhla, the standalone boutique of the eponymous jewellery brand, situated at the feet of the iconic statue of Rameses II. Laila Neamatalla’s gorgeous designs – artisan-crafted in 21-carat gold with semi-precious stones and wood – already have a glamorous global following, ranging from the Bulgaris to the Boutros-Boutros Ghalis. The bold statement necklaces displayed round the throats of a series of obsidian Nefertiti busts are genuine collector’s items. visit-gem.com Maria Shollenbarger

Vitra Design Museum, Weil am Rhein

Next to a Jean Prouvé-designed petrol station, Piet Oudolf garden and Zaha Hadid fire station, the gift shop at the Frank Gehry-designed Vitra Design Museum was never going to be an afterthought. It’s in a monumental building by architects Herzog & de Meuron, shaped like a stack of houses, and features big names from Vitra’s furniture manufacturing stable – Noguchi lights, Eames decorative objects, George Nelson clocks – but even the tote bags and posters have that Vitra touch. design-museum.de Lucy Watson

National Museum of African American History & Culture, Washington, DC

There are always lines to get into this exceedingly popular museum, but those bypassing to “dine and shop” will not be disappointed. The selection ranges from books and housewares to fashion and jewellery, all filtered through the lens of African American style, culture, and history. Standouts include a Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap box set of CDs, colourful jewellery made by artisans in Ghana, sweetgrass baskets hand-woven in South Carolina and a great kids’ section. Visit in person as the online offerings are limited. smithsonianstore.com RS

Neue Galerie, New York 

Dagobert Peche Centerpiece Bowl, $798, shop.neuegalerie.org

Overlooking Central Park, the Neue Galerie is as much a destination for its amenities as its 1890-1940 Austrian and German art, sculpture and decorative objects. So peerless is the curation of textiles, tableware and furnishings in the ground-floor design store – everything from Ludwig Lobmeyr champagne flutes to a Marcel Breuer tea trolley – that the most stylish New Yorkers curate their wedding lists there. Brush up on your fine and decorative art and architecture know-how in the neighbouring bookstore, a wood-panelled paean to turn-of-the-century elegance that would make Josef Hoffmann proud. shop.neuegalerie.org Aimee Farrell

Brooklyn Museum, New York

Housed in a Beaux Arts building, the Brooklyn Museum is celebrated for its ancient Egyptian and African art – and its gift shop offers a playful curation of pieces sourced from makers around the world. The eclectic mix includes pillar candles by Yinka Ilori, glass fruit pipes by Edie Parker, Japanese shibori kits and statement jewellery crafted by Johnny Nelson. In addition, the museum has been hosting the first US pop-up of Lagos-based concept store Alára as part of the Africa Fashion exhibition, and works from exhibited designers include beaded accessories by Lafalaise Dion and Christie Brown pyjamas, along with almost 100 brands from the continent and diaspora. (The Alára pop-up and Africa Fashion exhibition runs until October 22.) shop.brooklynmuseum.org Clara Baldock

Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, near Copenhagen

The Louisiana Butik, the gift shop of this leading contemporary art museum, offers the expected Scandi rigour, range and tastefulness. In this two-floor store with views of the grounds, shoppers can peruse not just prints, posters and art books but a very astute curation of contemporary Danish clothes, sunglasses, ceramics, furniture, towels printed with the motif of the museum’s “White Wall”, yet more ceramics, glass, and possibly forget about the art next door altogether. Bliss. louisiana.dk LW

Awagami Factory, Hall of Awa Japanese Paper Museum, Shikoku

Awagami Factory hand-dyed Uchiwa fan, from $32

Artists will fawn over Hall of Awa, the Japanese paper museum on the holy island of Shikoku, which was founded in 1989 to preserve traditional papermaking techniques. Its store sells everything from ink-jet papers (a favourite among photographers) to decorative stationery sets that are hand-dyed and speckled with gold. Choose from single sheets or paper rolls, with names such as Plum Blossom and Soft Raindrop. Other highlights include traditional Japanese folding fans and crayons created from rice wax, rice oil and surplus vegetables. awagami.com Inès Cross

Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris 

It feels reductive to call this a mere museum shop; it’s a fully fledged concept store, organised thematically. You’ll find iconic designs such as the butterfly stool by Japanese designer Sori Yanagi alongside limited-edition contemporary pieces, from vases by François Azambourg to recycled hand-blown glass by La Soufflerie. Jewellery is all by independent designers (work by Marrakech-born Marcelle Danan was on display recently), while a bookstore holds titles old and new, spanning fashion, history, design and jewellery. The extensive range of magazines include Dry and Self Service. It’s no wonder you’ll see locals shopping there independently of a museum visit. boutique.madparis.fr Lindsey Tramuta  

National Portrait Gallery, London 

Behind its new, Tracey Emin-designed bronze doors, the London gallery’s fresh overhaul hasn’t sidelined the shop. The space has been rethought by London-based architect Alex Cochrane, with plaster roundels of artists Louis-François Roubiliac, Hans Holbein the Younger and Francis Leggatt Chantrey overlooking the wares. A 1977 photograph of Elton John by Terry O’Neill is among the limited editions, and surprising offerings abound: a Brutalist architecture-inspired silk scarf by Amelia Graham, or handmade candlesticks by Sussex ceramicist Kate Monckton. Exclusive designs include the Enfilade cushions and quilts by east London social enterprise FabricWorks using offcuts of the Gainsborough fabrics that cover the gallery walls. npgshop.org.uk Victoria Woodcock

Phillips Collection, Washington, DC

It was the bracelet that caught my eye. Sinuous and flamboyant, the “Vibe sound cuff” is a silvery twist handcrafted in aluminium by Chick Boss, a two-sisters design company that provides jobs for people in a remote Guatemalan village. It’s very different from the predictable jewellery offerings of most museum shops. But the whole store in this delightful house-museum is a corker: a serious books section and chairs in which to browse them, superior silks (scarves, ties), chain-stitched, Matisse/Kandinsky/Miró-derived cushion covers (handmade in India, sustainable) and imaginative children’s art materials. Gifts you might want to give and cards you might want to send. shopphillipscollection.org Jan Dalley

Victoria and Albert Museum, London

David Bowie is a Face in the Crowd tote, £10, vam.ac.uk

It’s no surprise that London’s palatial treasure trove of arts and crafts has an unparalleled gift shop to match. In fact, it has three. In the jewellery section you’ll find colourful satin necklaces by Alexandra Tsoukala and Michael Michaud’s Art Nouveau-style botanical creations in bronze and freshwater pearls. His Lily of the Valley designs are exclusive to the V&A, as are the giclée prints of illustrations by Beatrix Potter and Edward Lear. The fashion galleries have their own shop, selling catalogues, clothes and accessories inspired by each landmark exhibition, while architecture enthusiasts should head to the shop in the Exhibition Road Quarter. vam.ac.uk Marion Willingham  

Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum, Bhopal

The museum’s immersive exhibitions exploring India’s ancient tribal cultures are given contemporary expression in this tucked-away shop called Chinhari. You can buy original paintings in the traditional styles of tribal groups from the Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh regions, and sometimes the artisans are there to chat as well. Alongside bamboo furniture, there are sculptures of figures and animals in metal or colourful papier-mâché that line the ornate white shelves at the museum’s entrance. I bought a patterned cloth face mask, which I still have. mptribalmuseum.com Chloe Cornish

Pallant House Gallery Bookshop, Chichester

This independent shop punches well above its weight, just like the modern British arts institution it’s attached to. Curation comes courtesy of co-director Nick Higbee, whose tastes skew towards 20th century and local (Sussex Landscape: Chalk, Wood and Water, £30, is a bestseller). “I try to have something on every major modern British artist,” he says, plus original publications to accompany ongoing exhibitions and all manner of second-hand, remainder and rare editions: the latter spans a collection of six 1950s Fortnum and Mason catalogues designed by Edward Bawden (£2,250) to a book of prints from 21 wood engravings by John Nash (£750). pallantbookshop.com Chris Allnutt

Charleston, East Sussex

Male nude garden sculpture, designed by Duncan Grant, £1,250, shop.charleston.org.uk

This little shop is very much of a piece with Charleston, the Bloomsbury enclave that has become a small cultural mecca. For starters, it’s located in a former outbuilding, about 20 steps from Vanessa Bell’s front door. Next, it goes full tilt on everything a bit Woolf, Strachey or Grant, with plants and small garden sculptures on offer outside, and then much more within. To one side is a bookshop dedicated to all aspects of the group, and a stationery offering delighting in anything in that just-about-not-twee between-wars style; to the left are candlesticks, tea towels, scarves, lampshades, and even reams of fabric so that you too can style an intellectual ménage à trois in the comfort of your own home. shop.charleston.org.uk Louis Wise

Tobacco & Salt Museum, Tokyo

Established in 1978 to explore the cultural and historical relevance of tobacco and salt, this Simuda City-based museum has a shop that stocks an endless variety of salty foods for both eating – think salted candy and deep- fried salted rice cakes – and collecting. In addition to local salts from Japan, there are blocks sourced from Bolivia, Israel and Poland, plus an aesthetic array of smoking paraphernalia, including kiseru (traditional Japanese pipes), tabakoire tobacco pouches and vintage matchboxes. tabashio.jp Inès Cross