Western Massachusetts

For some, the museum gift shop is the best part of visiting the museum! The museum shop not only offers you an opportunity to take home a reminder of your visit, but also find unique items by other artists whose work could become your new favorite necklace, the next talking piece on your coffee table, or the best card you'll ever send.

In a Parents’ Choice review, The Carle Bookshop was called "the very best bookstore for picture books in the entire world." Drawing on the museum’s expertise in children’s literature, the shop caters to visitors from all over the world, offering a huge book collection, including out of print books, foreign language books, and signed editions. There are plenty of gifts, too — onesies, tote bags, fabric, plush and baby toys — inspired by favorite picture book characters. The shop is right inside The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, and if you only want to shop, you don't have to pay museum admission. The Carle Bookshop Annual Holiday Sale is scheduled in-store only for November 25-27. Enjoy 15-50% off books and toys; members save an additional 15%.

At the Smith College Museum of Art Shop, you can find unexpected treasures from around the globe that appeal to every taste and budget. These treasures range from unique seed pod birds made in Zimbabwe to alumna Judy Jackson’s stoneware. Find an unusual, one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry from Paris or Greenfield, MA. Take home some of the collection with San Francisco-artist-designed bracelets representing women of the collection. Like the Carle Bookshop, the SCMA shop is accessible to anyone visiting without paying museum admission. The Smith College Museum of Art Shop participates in Northampton’s Bag Day (Nov. 19, 2016) and November 17-20 members enjoy 20% online or in store.

And, don’t miss other area museum bookstores and gift shops, such as the ones at the Mead Art Museum at Amherst College, Yiddish Book Center, and Emily Dickinson Museum!