A great way to support local museums during the holidays, plus give unique gifts, is to shop at museum gift stores. The Virginia Peninsula has several with gifts that reflect the uniqueness of the area.
Hampton History Museum Gift Shop
Operated by the Hampton History Museum Association to raise funds, the Hampton History Museum gift shop is the place to find exclusive City of Hampton logo merchandise and apparel to fit friends and family of all sizes. To shop from home, order online through the museum store at www.hamptonhistorymuseum.org.
The store also offers a wide selection of holiday décor, jewelry, housewares, toys, games, and accessories for home and garden.
The Hampton History Museum gift shop has a nice selection of books about local and regional history, as well as historical fiction, for readers of all ages.
All proceeds from the gift shop benefit museum programming. Gift shop hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday and Sunday, 1p.m.-4 p.m. 120 Old Hampton Lane, Downtown Hampton. There is free parking in the garage across the street from the museum. Gift Shop: 757-727-6824, Front Desk: 757-727-1102.
Peninsula Fine Arts Center
Where can you find truly unique holiday gifts, shop local, and support Hampton Roads artists? The Peninsula Fine Arts Center Annual Artful Giving pop-up shop.
The Peninsula Fine Arts Center will kick off its annual Artful Giving pop-up shop with a Black Friday sale. All items will be 10 percent off, with an additional 10 percent off for members. Shoppers can enjoy this discount until Dec. 20 when PFAC closes to the public.
Artful Giving features original paintings, drawings, pottery, jewelry, glassware, scarves, holiday décor and more.
“We want to thank our members, visitors, and shoppers for your wonderful support over the last 58 years,” said Courtney Gardner, director.
The Peninsula Fine Arts Center is open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m.-5 p.m. It is located at 101 Museum Dr., Newport News. For more information call 757-596-8175, or visit online at www.pfac-va.org.
The Watermen’s Museum
The Watermen’s Museum in Yorktown, along the Riverwalk, features a great little gift shop which focuses on items portraying the historic, maritime, and seaside lifestyle of the area.
Museum President Steve Ormsby said, “If you’re seeking out unique gifts with a nautical twist, this is definitely the place to visit.”
The museum gift shop features Yorktown branded items, pirate crew items for young and old, seaside-themed ladies’ earrings and necklaces, hand-crafted glass, wood, and metal items.
It also has Bubba Bay clothing items. This is a play on Chesapeake Bay watermen always calling each other Bubba.
While shopping the gift shop, Ormsby invites visitors to spend time to go through the Museum to learn about Virginia Indians, Colonial Settlers, the Revolutionary War, and over 400 years of watermen harvesting the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay.
The museum and gift shop are open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m.-5 p.m. For more information visit www.watermens.org or 757-887-2641.
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