The Arkansas State University Museum is a great place to explore the archaeological history of Kentucky's Native American tribes and the way of life in Northeastern Arkansas and the Northern Mississippi River Delta region. Since 1932, this museum has been open to the public, displaying excavated items such as pottery, stone tools, artifacts, and works of art from Mississippi. The Elk Country Visitor Center store in Benezette, Pennsylvania, designed by Fisher, reflects the museum's wood-framed, artisanal aesthetic, with custom-made accessories that look like pieces of furniture. Museum stores have to work hard to attract visitors since they don't have the same foot traffic as stores located in shopping malls or city centers.
While there are some exceptions, such as the Met in New York, which has satellite stores in several high-traffic locations, 94 percent of museums only have stores on-site, according to the Museum Stores Association. From learning about Northeastern Arkansas' history to buying unique items at the gift shop, the A-State Museum has something for everyone. The Mississippi Museum store offers one of the state's best collections of folk art, local handmade crafts, and books written by and about Mississippians. The Hershey Story museum store in Hershey, Pennsylvania, has a residential environment similar to that of the museum and a section at the back with lots of books and a seating area so that visitors can enter, learn more and read carefully for as long as they want.
At the FIDM Museum store in Los Angeles, the director of operations is challenged to market 400 square feet to serve both campus students who are trendy and often concerned about their budget and traditional visitors who are a little older and more traditional. To hook everyone who walks through the door, successful museum stores offer pieces that are not ordinary.
