The Procrastinator’s Gift Guide: Museums and Gift Shops

Not Your Average Gift

There are so many types of gifts we buy this time of year. Big gifts, little gifts, meaningful gifts, gag gifts, useful gifts, have a laugh and regift gifts. With online shopping some of it is easy, but to find just the right gift, and just for your own sanity, it is a good idea to walk out the door and go somewhere. If you’re going to a museum you can either just pop into the museum store to shop and run, but if you have an extra hour (but even 30 minutes is something) take some re-group time and explore the museum it’s the perfect kind of holiday therapy to stroll through a museum. Museums and gift shops are not only places you can visit in person, but in a pinch you can shop online too. The USS Constitution Museum shop provided a necklace and nautical socks from their gift shop for review.

If you are going for a big gift, a membership to one of the museums is a wonderful (and generous) gift. We are in an age of decluttering and museum memberships take up no space and add no clutter. If you want to give a “thing” then you can always find something little to go with the membership in the museum shop. Another advantage of many museum memberships is that they are reciprocal and can be used when you travel to different cities. We love to visit the museums over February vacation so those museum memberships gifts get lots of use right off the bat!

This anchor necklace, for example is a classic nautical necklace that I know my daughter would love. My husband’s aunt would love it too. It isn’t just a beautifully designed necklace though. It isn’t a piece of jewelry that you could just pick up anywhere. This necklace is made from reclaimed copper from the frigate of the USS Constitution. I think that’s pretty cool for a fellow Bostonian, a Boston gift basket or someone who is a history buff.

Boston Area Museums: Just To Name a Few

When you mention museums everyone thinks first of the bigger more well known ones, which can be pricier but you don’t have to stop there. Whether it is for a membership or shopping for a unique gifts you have to look at all the different museums to cover everyone’s interests. Also, an art museum may not be just for the artists. There are artifacts, special exhibits that may work for those interested in music, theatre, pop culture, culture, travel, anime, history and science all in what one would typically think of as an art museum such art the Museum of Fine Arts.

10/52: {Photographer’s Choice} These 2 ♡ #eyecandyproject52

A post shared by Quiana (@harlemlovebirds) on Mar 12, 2017 at 1:24pm PDT

Well Known

Museum of Fine Arts
memberships start at $75 / free via University Membership Program

Institute of Contemporary Art
memberships start at $65

Learning is all around you #museumofscience #boston #familyfun

A post shared by Stacy Boulmetis (@techtravelstacy) on Nov 5, 2016 at 12:37pm PDT

Museum of Science
memberships start at $90

Boston Children’s Museum
memberships start at $160

Harvard Museum of Natural History
memberships start at $50/ $35 student –
membership is for all four Harvard Museums of Science and Culture

We, the People. #nariward #bostonart

A post shared by Kate Ziegler (@kziegs) on Jun 15, 2017 at 10:45am PDT

New England Aquarium
memberships start at $109

Peabody Essex Museum
memberships start at $70

“Over the years I have learned that what is important in a dress is the woman wearing it.” – Yves Saint Laurent ?: @peabodyessex WoW exhibit #pemwow #instaquotes #propahpage #peabodyessexmuseum

A post shared by Amanda (@primandpropah) on Mar 5, 2017 at 5:08pm PST

Isabelle Stewart Gardner Museum
memberships start at $70

Beautiful ceiling of the @JFKlibrary. Thanks for having us! @sheswanderful

A post shared by Delia Harrington (@deliamary) on Jan 16, 2016 at 1:39pm PST

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
memberships start at $45

MIT Museum
memberships not available

Today we remember those lives lost 76 years ago during the attack on #PearlHarbor. All are welcome to join us and @boston_nhp @uss_constitution at 12:30 today as we commemorate #PearlHarbor76 at USS Cassin Young in the Charlestown Navy Yard. . . . #honorthefallen #usnavy #navy #military #maritime #wwii #boston #american #history #heritage

A post shared by USS Constitution Museum (@usscm) on Dec 7, 2017 at 6:48am PST

Lesser Known

USS Constitution Museum

Discovery Museums

Boston Fire Museum

National Heritage Museum

Concord Museum

Danforth Museum of Art

Learning about Pop Art sculpture @decordovaspandm in Lincoln MA #fun #art #MAfamilyTravel #travelMA @VisitMA

A post shared by Jenn Mitchell (@comebackmomma) on May 3, 2015 at 12:00pm PDT

deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum

MIT List Visual Arts Center

Museum of African American History

Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

There is very little in this world that brings me as much joy as this. She said “I’m inspired by this shark!” and sat down to draw it… ? #artist #likehermomma

A post shared by SweetLilYou (@sarah_bouvier) on Oct 15, 2017 at 4:35pm PDT

Even Lesser Known

Armenian Museum of America

Fruitlands Museum

Longyear Museum

Larz Anderson Museum

Metropolitan Waterworks Museum

Spellman Museum of Stamps and Postal History

Plumbing Museum

New England Quilt Museum

Tower Hill Botanic Gardens

Harvard Museum of Scientific Instruments

Museum Gifts Many Ways

The obvious gift is a membership or something meaningful from the museum gift shop, but you can also get creative. A day at the museum together with lunch and a little spending money for the shop could be the perfect present for a parent-child, grandparent-child, parent-grandparent, best friend. Pick up a brochure from the museum and print out a lunch menu or you can get creative and design your own gift card.

Museums & Gift Shops Online

This week many of us will be doing our last minute shopping online and lucky for us, the museum shops are online too.  USSCM Shop, MFA shop, ICA shop, and Boston Children’s Museum shop are all online just to name a few.