If you’re searching for the best museum gift shops in NYC, this list is for you, not because you love art, but because you love merch. Some people spend hours reading wall text; others head straight for the curated scarves, quirky mugs, and coffee-table books they’ll never actually read.
Here are the New York museums with the best gift shops, perfect for anyone whose favorite exhibit is “the checkout counter.”
1. The Metropolitan Museum of Art — NYC’s Ultimate Gift Shop Destination
The Met doesn’t just have a gift shop, it has an empire. This is where you find iconic totes, art books thick enough to press flowers in, jewelry inspired by ancient empires, and scarves that make you feel like a glamorous frequent flyer.
Why it’s one of the best museum stores in NYC:
It’s massive, beautifully curated, and genuinely feels like shopping at the royal palace of culture.
Perfect for:
People who claim they came for the art but walk out with three decorative bookmarks.
2. MoMA — The Most Stylish Museum Gift Shop in New York
The MoMA Design Store is a pilgrimage site for minimalists, design lovers, and people who believe a well-chosen object can change their entire personality arc. Think sculptural vases, colorful kitchen tools, iconic posters, and gifts that scream “I have taste.”
Why it’s a top NYC gift shop:
Everything looks like it belongs in an apartment featured in Architectural Digest.
Perfect for:
People who buy stationery as a form of self-improvement.
3. The Whitney Museum — For Artsy People Who Love Good Merch
If downtown cool were a store, it would be the Whitney gift shop. Expect modern art publications, indie-designed accessories, and prints that instantly elevate your apartment into “creative director lives here” territory.
Why it ranks among New York’s best museum stores:
The selection feels curated by someone with a master’s degree in “vibes.”
Perfect for:
People who browse art books and tell themselves it counts as reading.
4. American Museum of Natural History — The Most Fun Museum Store in NYC
This gift shop is chaotic, nostalgic, and irresistible. Crystals, science kits, dino plushies, astronomy-themed everything, this is where grown adults rediscover their inner nerd and buy things they absolutely don’t need.
Why it’s a beloved NYC gift shop:
It’s fun, giftable, and perfect for impulsive purchases powered by childhood wonder.
Perfect for:
People who still have a favorite dinosaur.
5. Cooper Hewitt — The Most Aesthetic Museum Gift Shop in NYC
The Cooper Hewitt Design Museum has a shop full of objects you never knew existed but suddenly need. Think clever gadgets, beautiful home items, design-forward accessories, and hyper-aesthetic desk tools.
Why it’s a must-see gift shop:
It’s basically a boutique for people who have strong opinions about chairs.
Perfect for:
People who talk about objects the way other people talk about their exes.
6. The Brooklyn Museum — Trendy, Cool, and Perfectly Giftable
Modern, stylish, and heavy on indie designers, the Brooklyn Museum store feels like shopping at a curated boutique in Fort Greene. Art books, jewelry, home decor, and pieces connected to major exhibitions, you can always find something unexpectedly cool.
Why it’s one of NYC’s best museum shops:
It nails the sweet spot between artsy and approachable.
Perfect for:
People who want visitors to say, “Wow, where did you get this?”
Whether you’re a true art lover or someone who treats museum visits as an excuse to expand your tote bag collection, these are the best museum gift shops in NYC. Perfect for stocking your coffee table, gifting like a cultured person, or buying $30 pencils you’ll misplace immediately.
Text by: Wika Soto-Hay
