Post by Diamond Girl on Apr 21, 2006 14:58:25 GMT -5
Museum-quality finds
Gift shops at area cultural sites offer everything from artisan pottery to doorbells
Kara G. Morrison / The Detroit News
Y es, I'm one of those people. I often head to a museum's gift shop before I hit the exhibits. The good shops are a colorful CliffsNotes of all the must-see works. And there's nothing worse than finding a whole gift section dedicated to an artist you missed entirely inside the museum itself.
Most of these shops are also filled with unique and creative gifts. Inspired by local artists' works at the Detroit Institute of Arts' new shop, I spent a few days searching other area cultural institutions for hidden gift shop gems.
Here are the highlights of what you'll find, from Greenfield Village to the Detroit Zoo, from Pewabic Pottery to Hitsville U.S.A. Please note, membership does have its privileges. In addition to shopping whenever you'd like without worrying about entrance fees, members typically get a 10 percent or more discount on gift-shop purchases.
Best background music. The Motown Historical Museum had by far the best music playing. Who doesn't want to shop hearing the upbeat Motown hits by Stevie Wonder or the Supremes? The gift shop, called "Shop Around" (from the Smokey Robinson and The Miracles song), sells record-shaped magnets ($5), the "Motownopoly" board game ($30), tons of CDs by Motown artists (most are $17), "Studio A" coffee mugs ($10) and even educational guides and activities books for teachers ($34.95). You also can buy vintage 8-by-10 glossies of your favorite Motown group for only $5. The Motown shop at Detroit Metro Airport is not owned by or connected to this museum. The Motown Historical Museum, 2648 W. Grand Blvd. in Detroit, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is not required for the gift shop, although the guided tours are well worth the $8 for adults; $5 for kids 12 and younger. Some items are also sold online at www.motownmuseum.org.
Gift shops at area cultural sites offer everything from artisan pottery to doorbells
Kara G. Morrison / The Detroit News
Y es, I'm one of those people. I often head to a museum's gift shop before I hit the exhibits. The good shops are a colorful CliffsNotes of all the must-see works. And there's nothing worse than finding a whole gift section dedicated to an artist you missed entirely inside the museum itself.
Most of these shops are also filled with unique and creative gifts. Inspired by local artists' works at the Detroit Institute of Arts' new shop, I spent a few days searching other area cultural institutions for hidden gift shop gems.
Here are the highlights of what you'll find, from Greenfield Village to the Detroit Zoo, from Pewabic Pottery to Hitsville U.S.A. Please note, membership does have its privileges. In addition to shopping whenever you'd like without worrying about entrance fees, members typically get a 10 percent or more discount on gift-shop purchases.
Best background music. The Motown Historical Museum had by far the best music playing. Who doesn't want to shop hearing the upbeat Motown hits by Stevie Wonder or the Supremes? The gift shop, called "Shop Around" (from the Smokey Robinson and The Miracles song), sells record-shaped magnets ($5), the "Motownopoly" board game ($30), tons of CDs by Motown artists (most are $17), "Studio A" coffee mugs ($10) and even educational guides and activities books for teachers ($34.95). You also can buy vintage 8-by-10 glossies of your favorite Motown group for only $5. The Motown shop at Detroit Metro Airport is not owned by or connected to this museum. The Motown Historical Museum, 2648 W. Grand Blvd. in Detroit, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is not required for the gift shop, although the guided tours are well worth the $8 for adults; $5 for kids 12 and younger. Some items are also sold online at www.motownmuseum.org.
