9 Minneapolis Museums with Unique Gift Shops
If your favorite thing about going to a museum is browsing the gift shop, this one’s for you. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or for others, these are the Minneapolis museums with the best gift shops that carry everything from Russian nesting dolls to artsy puzzles and planetary snow globes.
Admission to each museum below is not required to shop.
1. The Museum of Russian Art (TMORA)
At the TMORA Shop, you’ll feel as if you’re browsing artisan goods at a market in Eastern Europe. The museum carries pieces from small artisans, designers, European markets and publishing houses, all of which reflect the customs and traditions of Russia and people of the former Soviet Union. Some of the highlights of the gift shop include beautiful, hand-painted Matryoshka dolls, coveted amber necklaces and jewelry (amber is found around the shores of the Baltic Sea and from Lithuania, Latvia, Ukraine and Russia), religious icons and Russian chocolate, canned goods and cooking staples. The gift shop here is not to be missed during the holidays — you’ll find an extensive collection of ornaments, carved santas, festive linens and more.
2. Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia)
Witness an exhibit at Mia that you can’t stop thinking about? You’ll most likely be able to find tributes to it in The Store. For example, the “Mia Collection Handbook” highlights and walks you through 400 artworks from Mia’s permanent collection, and the “In Our Hands: Native Photography, 1890 to Now” book (which was on view in 2023) catalogues Native, First Nations, Metis and Inuit photographic history. That’s not all, of course. Shop puzzles, jewelry, silk scarves, artsy cooking utensils and Mia keepsakes. The Store is quite large, so be prepared to spend time browsing all the unique finds.
3. American Swedish Institute
Minnesota has a strong Nordic history and culture and is actually home to the largest population of Norwegians and Swedes outside of Scandinavia. Find Nordic and Nordic-inspired gifts right in the heart of Minneapolis at the American Swedish Institute (ASI). Chose a gnome or tomte (a Swedish folklore character often associated with Christmas and the winter solstice) to gift someone, or maybe a Dala horse is more their style. Peruse the home goods section, which includes everything from woolen blankets to uniquely shaped candles, and don’t skip the imported Swedish foods (black licorice, anyone?). Finally, ASI is known for its Julmarknad Handcraft Market the first weekend in December. Just in time for holiday shopping, you can browse clothing, jewelry, ceramics and textiles from over 60 regional artists inside the museum and out in the courtyard.
4. Walker Art Center
With not one, but two museum stores, The Walker Art Center is the best place to find contemporary gifts, artwork and even furniture. The Museum Shop is where you’ll find fun gifts paying homage to artists like Keith Haring and Andy Warhol as well as quirky Walker merch, like a pink and red t-shirt that simply says “cherry” (referencing the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden’s iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry) and a sweatshirt that tells it like it is with “closed Mondays” embroidered on it. Idea House 3 is the Walker’s high-end, contemporary design store carrying everything from books to furniture and is meticulously curated by the design department. Shop colorful vases, tableware, artwork, unusual jewelry and much more.
5. Weisman Art Museum
The Weisman Art Museum is one of Minneapolis’ hidden gems — even though you can’t miss the sparkling façade straight from architect Frank Gehry’s imagination. Located on the University of Minnesota’s campus, the Weisman is free and home to a range of contemporary art, photography and pottery. Its gift shop offers a thoughtfully curated selection of art-inspired gifts, ranging from jewelry and ceramics made by local artists to books on architecture, art and design. The shop also carries an array of unique home décor, stationery and toys.
6. Mill City Museum
Take a piece of Minneapolis history home with you. The gift shop at Mill City Museum in Minneapolis offers a range of products reflective of Minneapolis’ milling and industrial history. Browse everything from cookbooks with unique baking recipes to artisanal flour and baking tools that’ll inspire you to think about the museum's flour-milling roots each time you use them. Kids will love toys and books that will get them excited about baking! The shop also carries unique home décor items, historic postcards, souvenirs, jewelry and locally made treats.
7. Bakken Museum
The Bakken Museum is all about innovation, electricity and technology, and the gift shop certainly reflects that. Discover hands-on science kits, quirky gadgets and fun educational toys that inspire curiosity and creativity. The Bakken's shop also features books on electricity, engineering, and the history of innovation, along with distinctive pieces of jewelry and decor inspired by scientific discoveries. Whether you're looking for a thoughtful gift, a fun experiment for kids, or a quirky souvenir, the Bakken Museum gift shop provides a fascinating shopping experience that celebrates the wonders of science and invention.
8. Science Museum of Minnesota
It’ll be hard to drag yourself away from the Science Museum of Minnesota’s gift shop. Kids will go crazy exploring the colorful toys, rocks and model dinosaurs, but adults will rediscover their inner child here, too. Meant for curious minds of all ages, the Science Museum stocks hands-on science kits, enlightening books, unique puzzles, dinosaur-themed merch, fossils, gemstones, space-related toys and an impressive selection of science snow globes.
9. Bell Museum
Geek out at the Bell Museum’s Curiosity Shop – named after cabinets filled with curiosities and wonders dating back the Renaissance Europe (A.K.A., the predecessor to what many think of as modern museums). The Curiosity Shop carries a collection of products for science geeks, nature nuts, space cases and everyone in between. Have fun browsing through puzzles, fossils and rocks, stuffed animals and planetary plushies, scientific prints, quirky mugs and more!
