Holiday gift shopping? It’s chaos. The Grove on Black Friday? Good luck finding parking — it’s a two-hour wait just to squeeze into a spot. And big box stores? Just no.
If you’re looking for something less stressful and more creative, there’s a better option: Museum Store Sunday , sandwiched between Black Friday and Cyber Monday (this year, it falls on Dec. 1). Since 2017, Museum Store Sunday has grown into a global event, bringing together over 2,100 museum stores worldwide — including 28 right here in L.
A. County — for a day of discounts, special events and gifts-with-purchase (the deals are wide-ranging, so check with the stores to find out what they have going on). “Not only are you buying something special and different, but you’re also supporting an institution, because the money all goes straight back into the museum,” says Maria Kwong, director of retail enterprises at the Japanese American National Museum, or JANM, and a member of the Museum Store Association, the industry group that started the initiative.
Museum stores have come a long way from being mere pit stops for postcards and key chains. Now, they’re vibrant spaces where art, culture and commerce intersect, offering everything from exclusive artist collaborations to playful, meaningful gifts tied to the museum’s exhibitions. Take JANM, for instance, where you can shop for a Godzilla-themed Monopoly set ($45) or a chess set designed by the late L.
A.-born artist Isamu Noguchi ($590). Th.
