Around 150 institutions across the UK will be taking part in the second Museum Shop Sunday on 25 November, by putting on special events and promotions aimed at celebrating the range of products available in museum shops.
The event is being coordinated in the UK by the Association for Cultural Enterprises (ACE). It is part of an international movement including Museum Store Sunday in the US, with more than 1,000 shops worldwide expected to take part.
ACE says the event, held as the Christmas shopping season takes off, is "a fantastic opportunity to attract new customers to your shop on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year". Participation is open to all non-profit cultural venues including museums, galleries, cathedrals, libraries, theatres, historic houses and gardens.
Joanne Whitworth, the communications and media manager at ACE, says the event highlights the less mainstream range of products on offer to consumers at cultural shops.
“The campaign offers an antidote to Black Friday, encouraging consumers to 'shop unique' instead – to enjoy a family day out while supporting the arts and heritage, local artists and makers," Whitworth says.
“Many people are looking for alternatives to the big online retailers, and a real surprise awaits them at their local cultural shop. Museum Shop Sunday is a great way of showing just how far museum retail has come, with design-led cutting-edge gifts sitting alongside traditional yet elegant offerings.”
Museums set to take part include the Freud Museum, which will be running public tours and offering 10% off its “Year for Dreamers” range; the Imperial War Museums, which is running a competition with prizes including a flight for two in a Dragon Rapide aircraft, including entry to IWM Duxford; and Ditchling Museum of Art and Craft, which will be offering free tastings from the cafe, a free canvas tote with all purchases over £40, an origami Christmas decoration making drop-in, and a tea-towel printing workshop.
The event will be promoted on social media with the hashtag #MuseumShopSunday.
