Museum Store Sunday is on November 27, the Sunday after Thanksgiving! Is your institution participating? Do not miss this chance to join forces with over 1,900 cultural institutions worldwide to spotlight and support your institution and museum store. This annual international campaign highlights and celebrates the vital role of nonprofit retail in helping arts, cultural, and heritage venues to survive and thrive. Whether this is your first year or sixth year participating, read on to find how to jumpstart your 2022 Museum Store Sunday event! There is still plenty of time to plan, prepare, and participate!

What to Do This Month Leading up to November 27

• Registration: If you are participating in Museum Store Sunday for the first time and have not already registered, visit https://museumstoresunday.org/museumregistrationform to sign up. You don’t have to be a member of the Museum Store Association to participate, and you can register up to November 27.
• Toolkit: Once registered, access this cache of assets to help participants make the most of their institution’s Museum Store Sunday festivities. Be sure to check out the downloadable Talking Points document. This file will help you understand Museum Store Sunday’s mission and assist in creating an elevator pitch for your institution’s leadership. The toolkit also includes downloadable logos for print or web, graphics for social media, and customizable postcard and signage templates.
• Signage: Use the downloadable logos found in the toolkit for print and digital. Place table-top signs, window decal, or other signage around your store, at your admissions/membership desk, and in your café. If you’re online, add web banners and digital graphics to your museum and museum store websites.
• Email Marketing: Send email campaigns promoting Museum Store Sunday and any events or discounts you’re offering as part of the day. Explain the mission behind Museum Store Sunday and why it’s important to support cultural institutions, and feature products that would offer unique holiday gifts.
• Social Media: Post about Museum Store Sunday on your museum and/or museum store social media accounts, using Museum Store Sunday social graphics, images of your store, or images of featured products. If you have the budget, consider social media advertising. (Social media graphics available in the Marketing Tool Kit.)

Ideas for Hosting an Exciting Museum Store Sunday Event

• Talk with local makers and vendors to plan a pop-up market or trunk show. Be sure to promote last-minute in-store events on social media, both on your store’s or museum’s account. Ask the vendor to post about the event and find opportunities to repost or feature each other’s posts leading up to the event.
• Reach out to peer institutions to collaborate by creating a local passport program that encourages shoppers to visit multiple museum stores within your community. Assemble a giveaway basket that includes merchandise from each store. Shoppers can enter the raffle at each location they visit, gaining more entries by visiting more museums.
• Engage social media followers by hosting a giveaway on Instagram. Post an image of your store and a popular item to give away, and request that followers tag family and friends for an entry in the giveaway. This can be assembled with little time and will engage an audience that may not be able to visit your store in person.
• Offer an exclusive giveaway for the first shoppers visiting your store. This could be a fun tote or mug with your logo that will serve as further promotion once the winner uses or wears the item out in the world.
• Extend the celebration! Why not turn Museum Store Sunday into a long weekend event? This will introduce all guests visiting during this busy time to Museum Store Sunday and its benefit to your institution. Offering a small discount or promotion will entice holiday shoppers to spend more time browsing and finding gifts for loved ones.

Collaboration is critical to the success of each individual Museum Store Sunday. Whether it is working internally with your membership, marketing, or education departments or externally with other museums in your locale, collaborating is essential as you plan, prepare, and participate this November 27. We invite you, your visitors, and your community to “Be A Patron” and band together with organizations worldwide, in celebrating our cultural institutions during the 2022 busy holiday season and beyond!

Skip over related stories to continue reading article