Best Museum Shops You've Ever Visited?

[suspsy]

A couple of years ago, the Canadian Museum of Nature here in Ottawa contracted a different company to run its gift shop. In the past, the store was teaming with dinosaur toys. That's where I obtained most of my Carnegie and Papo dinos from. But when the new company took over, the result was an absolute nosedive. All they currently stock is a small selection of Safari dinos, a decent assortment of plush toys, and a variety of books. It's not outright BAD, but it's like going from a massive buffet to a single foldout table with cheese and crackers.

The Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto isn't much better, as the last time I visited in the summer, they only carried Schleich dinos. :p

I haven't been to the AMNH in NYC since 2006, but I remember their gift shop being phenomenal. Anyone been there lately?

I'm also going to be in Washington DC this summer. Hopefully the gift shop at the Natural History museum will be a good one.

What's the best dino store you've ever been too?

[ZoPteryx]

Hmm, that's a tough one; but I'd have say the best I've ever been in was the gift shop at the Museum of Ancient Life, Thanksgiving Point, Utah.  Fairly extensive selection, including lots of Carnegies and Safaris.  I haven't been back in quite a while though.

[SBell]

T.rex Discovery Centre had a great shop. But I just got laid off , so I'm guessing it won't be quite as figure-collector friendly .

Can't go wrong with the Black Hills Institute store--lots of variety!

[Splonkadumpocus]

I go to school about half an hour away from the Black Hills Institute. While I'm not exactly a fan of some of their practices, I have to admit that theirs is the best gift shop I've ever seen. It's also the only place that stocks Papo and Favorite that I've ever been to; in fact, all the Favorite models in my collection have come from there.

[deanm]

I liked the Royal Tyrrell Museum Gift Shop in Drumheller and found they had quite a reasonable selection of figures from a Safari/Carnegie, Papo, Schleich. Also had a pretty good book selection.

ROM Gift Shop stepped up quite a bit compared to before for their Dinosaurs of Gondwanaland temporary exhibit. Given that they had a dedicated Gift shop for the exhibit, I'm not sure it will last. I'm holding out for ROM to add a second Primeval Predators set or something else special figure-wise when they open their Early Life Gallery in 2014 which will have a focus point on the Burgess Shale.

[Jetoar]

In Spain, teh best shop into museum was in Dinopolis, because they have a lot of figures of Safari, Bullyland, Invicta, Schleich and other items that replies of fossils, books and plush but, the last summer I went to visit again the museum, but they have changed and they are worse than before. Currently, the best shop is the shop pf the National Museum of Natural Science in Madrid because they have a lot of figures of diffrents brands (not carnegie and safari) alot of books and replis of fossils and plush .

[DinoToyForum]

T.rex Discovery Centre had a great shop. But I just got laid off , so I'm guessing it won't be quite as figure-collector friendly .

Oh no! I'm sorry to here that Sbell I hope you can bouce back somewhere else without too much delay.

[SBell]

T.rex Discovery Centre had a great shop. But I just got laid off , so I'm guessing it won't be quite as figure-collector friendly .

Oh no! I'm sorry to here that Sbell I hope you can bouce back somewhere else without too much delay.

I'm sure I will--probably not in a dino museum though (there aren't that many!).  I am putting together my business plan to do an online store (finally--after considering it for 8 years) which I'll do on the side as well as get...something else. I have to move first.

[mmfrankford]

I really liked the shops at the Field Museum in Chicago. Also the Indianapolis Children's Museum has a great selection.

SBell - Getting layed off sucks, been there and done that.  Wishing you best wishes and luck.

[John]

A couple of years ago, the Canadian Museum of Nature here in Ottawa contracted a different company to run its gift shop. In the past, the store was teaming with dinosaur toys. That's where I obtained most of my Carnegie and Papo dinos from. But when the new company took over, the result was an absolute nosedive. All they currently stock is a small selection of Safari dinos, a decent assortment of plush toys, and a variety of books. It's not outright BAD, but it's like going from a massive buffet to a single foldout table with cheese and crackers.

The Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto isn't much better, as the last time I visited in the summer, they only carried Schleich dinos. :p

I haven't been to the AMNH in NYC since 2006, but I remember their gift shop being phenomenal. Anyone been there lately?

I'm also going to be in Washington DC this summer. Hopefully the gift shop at the Natural History museum will be a good one.

What's the best dino store you've ever been too?

Don't get your hopes up too much about the Smithsonian's gift shop...When I was last there in December of 2011,all they had was some older discontinued Schliech Tyrannosaurus and some of the mammals that they will have to sell off before they get anything new from any line out there.It's really annoying because it used to be just like the shop in the American Museum in New York.When it comes to books and DVDs however,the Smithsonian still has a great selection there.

[John]

Didn't mean to post twice....

[suspsy]

Don't get your hopes up too much about the Smithsonian's gift shop...When I was last there in December of 2011,all they had was some older discontinued Schliech Tyrannosaurus and some of the mammals that they will have to sell off before they get anything new from any line out there.It's really annoying because it used to be just like the shop in the American Museum in New York.When it comes to books and DVDs however,the Smithsonian still has a great selection there.

Not what I want to hear. I won't be in DC till August, however . . . maybe by then they'll have restocked.

[John]

Don't get your hopes up too much about the Smithsonian's gift shop...When I was last there in December of 2011,all they had was some older discontinued Schliech Tyrannosaurus and some of the mammals that they will have to sell off before they get anything new from any line out there.It's really annoying because it used to be just like the shop in the American Museum in New York.When it comes to books and DVDs however,the Smithsonian still has a great selection there.

Not what I want to hear. I won't be in DC till August, however . . . maybe by then they'll have restocked.

Yes that is certainly possible.

[Roselaar]

The Natural History Museum in Brussels is the best I've ever visited. When I went there two years ago, they had Schleich, Safari/Carnegie/Dinosaurs of China, Papo, Bullyland, Collecta and even Kinto (both Soft Favorites and Favorite Desktop lines), as well as numerous Chinasaurs, plush toys, other collectibles, books, etc. I can only hope they have continued this diversity, since I hope to revisit it some day.

Dutch museums are downright dull in comparison, but I have fond memories of the shop in the small Oertijdmuseum in Boxtel, which has Schleich and Collecta, and less than two years ago got rid of all their old Invictas and PlayVision Amphibians for bargain prices. Few things beat buying a brand new Invicta Stenonychosaurus for 2 euros in a real shop. Don't expect this shop to be as grand now as it used to be though.

I've also seen pictures of the shop in the Vienna Museum of Natural History, which serves an impressive Safari/Carnegie and Schleich collection (and maybe Bullyland too), or at least did so in 2009. Even though I was close to Vienna in that year when I visited Hungary, I sadly didn't participate in an excursion to that museum, but opted to witness male Red Bellied Fire Toad mating fights in a swamp instead. Also a good way to spend the day I can tell you.

[Crackington]

The Natural History Museum London .....in 1974.  I was an awe-struck 8 year old and saw my first Invictas and got the scelidosaurus, all I could afford, happy days! Complete opposite of now as regards dino models!


By the way, sorry to hear about your job Sean  , best of luck in finding something new.

[Pilkington]

Hands down the best museum gift shop I've been to is at The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philly.  When I was there in 2009 they had a large selection of dinosaur figures and where reasonably price.  Carnegie also has a very nice gift shop, as does the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

[Takama]

Hands down the best museum gift shop I've been to is at The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philly.  When I was there in 2009 they had a large selection of dinosaur figures and where reasonably price.  Carnegie also has a very nice gift shop, as does the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.

Did the Carnegie shop have a ton of carnegie figures?   I think it would be strange if they dont

[suspsy]

Yeah, it'd be pretty embarrassing if the Carnegie Museum of Natural History gift shop wasn't stocked with its own damn toyline. :p

I'd like to check out that museum too someday.

[Pilkington]

When I was there last, I believe it was 2008, they did have the entire current line of Carnegie figures in the gift shop.  In the lower level of the museum they have a couple of classrooms and in one of them they had a play table set up full of dinosaur figures for the kids to play with.

[Gryphoceratops]

American Museum of Natural History in New York City has a huge variety of stuff, including most of the available carnegies and safaris depending on the time that you visit.