Find Unique Gift Ideas for Kids at New York City's Best Museum Shops

12/20/09 - By Swapna

THIS IS AN OLDER POST. SOME OF THE SPECIFIC GIFTS AVAILABLE MAY NO LONGER BE SOLD, BUT WE STILL LOVE THESE MUSEUM GIFT SHOPS FOR GREAT GIFTS.

If you are looking for gift ideas for kids outside of the offerings of your neighborhood toy store, look no further than a museum gift shop. Museum gift shops are a great place to find unique toys, books and games for kids that you won't find in any regular toy store and New York CIty is a Museum Gift Store shopper's paradise. Not only do we have the best museums (with the corresponding best gift shops), but some museums even have gift shop outposts completely separate from their museums, making it easier to pick up a gift without making a separate trip to the museum. Check out these cool museum shops that have great gift ideas for kids.  

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Picture 18.pngAmerican Museum of Natural History- While there are smaller gift shops at the exits of many exhibits (i.e. the Dino-Store), the main gift shop is a fabulous three story gift emporium filled with an impressive array of educational toys, books, crafts and you won't find a better selection of science kits anywhere. Truly unique options abound for any explorers you may know from the toddler to teenage set. Sections in the gift store reflect the wide variety of exhibits in the museum so whether your little India Jones is fascinated by ancient artifacts, dinosaurs, the solar system, rocks, animals or different cultures, there's something in this mammoth store for him or her, each selection screaming "science is cool!" We picked up some magnetic moon rocks and astronaut ice cream that my daughter can't stop talking about.
There is a little-known elevator in the three level main store for easier stroller access and an online store has been recently upgraded with many, but not all, options are available from the comfort of your home.

TIP: While prices vary widely, museum members receive a 10% discount on their purchase and there's always a fairly decent sale section. Be sure to check out the new "Traveling the Silk Road" exhibit, get your "passport" stamped at each stop, watch live silk worms and then commemorate the adventure with some great Eastern-inspired gifts for your little Marco Polo AND yourself!


The American Museum of Natural History is located at 79th Street and Central Park West.

ALSO: The NY Hall of Science in Queens also has a great gift shop with lots of science-centric gifts.

200912201125.jpgThe Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)- If you believe toys should be beuatiful as well as fun, then the MoMA gift shop is for you. The Museum of Modern Art has a main store attached to the museum and another one across the street as well as an outpost in SoHo where you'll find many gifts inspired by the design and pop art of the museum. Look for geometric toys, puzzles and building sets, including an array of unusual Japanese Muji toys. My favorite was the "Sculpture in a Box." Currently, there's also an interesting Tim Burton section to coincide with an exhibit devoted to his work. I especially loved the Nightmare Before Christmas products as a quirky spin on the season. The main store has an impressive and unique book section for all age ranges from board books that introduce toddlers to the masters to a young adult section for the budding Frank Lloyd Wright in your life. I couldn't resist picking up "When Pigcasso Met Mootisse" as well as "13 Artists Your Children Should Know" to start my babies cultural education!

TIP: It's always more fun to first visit the museum before splurging at the gift store. Best way to make it fun with kids is to attend one of the Gallery Discussions, interactive and age appropriate talks with kids 4-14 on one or more exhibits.

MoMA is located at 11 W. 53rd Street. The SoHo store is located at 81 Spring St. You can also shop MoMA online.

ALSO: The Guggenheim and the Whitney Museums have similar design-centric gift shops with good kid sections too.


Picture 21.pngThe Cooper-Hewitt Another design store worth special mention is the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum which has a particularly well-chosen selection of children's items. It's worth stopping by if only to grab the Rocko Flake Sled, which rolls up, and at just $12 solves the storage problem of keeping a sled on hand for the one or two days a year we can sled. I also liked the History by the Meter, a folding yard stick with 2000 years of history marked out on it.

The Cooper-Hewitt is located at 2 East 91st St.






200912201128.jpgThe Metropolitan Museum of Art- In addition to the huge kid's section at the Met's main store, they have an outpost at Rockefeller Center, making it an easy stop from the office or while enjoying holiday activities. At both stores the second story is devoted entirely to children's toys, puzzles, books and craft kits that reflect the various exhibits at the Met and inspire creativity. Some of the more interesting sections include Egyptian and medieval-themed toys, books and kits. Some favorites include a Monet-inspired watercolor kit and the fabulous Met Kids Art Box which contains a mini-easel, and enough varieties of crayons and pencils to get them started on a life of art making.  

TIP: The store is currently giving shoppers an in-store coupon for $10 off any $50 dollar purchase. Also, some of the products can also be purchased off the extensive Met website.

The store is located at Rockefeller Center on 15 W. 49th Street right across from the skating rink.
Picture 20.pngThe Brooklyn Museum - The Brooklyn Museum's gift shop reflects the diversity of the borough. You'll find a range of toys and games from Spanish Bingo to an African Cloth Teddy Bear to a Recycled Plastic Garbage Truck. The Brooklyn in a Box Game is Monopoly with Brooklyn-centric places and chance cards.  

The Brooklyn Museum is located at 200 Eastern Parkway.




IMG_1550.JPGThe Tenement Museum - This lesser-known museum chronicling life in the Lower East Side has a wonderful gift shop that also focuses on life in New York City. The kids section takes up about half the store and is filled with books about life in New York City and immigration tales for kids of all ages as well as educational toys and games. My kids gravitated right to the tower of little toys that are perfect for stocking stuffers, party favors or a small gift. I loved a book called "How to Be An Explorer of the World," a guided journal for kids to inspire them to observe, document and analyze the everyday world around them. For other people on your list, you'll also find inexpensive jewelry made right on the Lower East Side and lots of unique New York-themed gifts.

The Tenement Museum is located at 108 Orchard St.

ALSO: The New York Historical Society also has a small selection of New York-centric children's toys and books.

For more New York City Museum Gift Shops, check out the post over at Walking off the Big Apple.



For more gift ideas check out our NYC Shopping Local Gift Guide, and for holiday fun see our Holiday Guide.