More Than a Souvenir: Why Museum Stores Are the Best Place To Shop

If you're anything like me, when you head out to visit a museum, you might spend as much time in the gift store as you do in the galleries. I've always said that museum stores are one of the very best places to shop!

Have you ever stopped to think about what makes a museum store fundamentally different from a standard retail gift shop?

Various Secret Shopper Photos from the National Gallery DC

As a long-standing member of the Museum Store Association (MSA), Dunitz & Company has had the privilege of collaborating with some of the most thoughtful retail buyers across the United States. Through multi-decade relationships, I have learned firsthand that a museum store isn't just a place to buy a souvenir. It actually functions as the "final exhibit" of your museum experience.

That's me! That's our MSA trade show booth.

Purpose Beyond the Display

When you purchase an item from a museum store, you aren't just taking something beautiful home. You are actively keeping an institution's mission alive. Unlike commercial big-box retailers, the revenue generated by museum stores is directly funneled back into the operating budgets of their parent cultural organizations. The money you spend on a gift for yourself or a friend directly funds:

• Public education programming and school field trips
• The preservation and maintenance of historic galleries and collections
• Ongoing community cultural engagement and accessibility initiatives

The Art of Carefully Curated Gifts

Museum buyers are incredibly discriminating. I can surely attest to that! They don't just order random inventory from massive global catalogs. They meticulously scout for pieces that extend the educational stories of the collections on display within their walls. They look for authentic craftsmanship, unique well-made goods, and strong ethical standards.

This is exactly why Dunitz & Company has felt so aligned with the MSA community and museum stores for many, many years. When a museum gift store features our Famous Art Earrings (which translate masterpieces into wearable mini-exhibits), our handmade Joanie M Fused Glass Jewelry, our intricate Beaded & Embroidered Jewelry or our Ceramic Designs, they are choosing items that have a purpose beyond their display. They are connecting a visitor's emotional experience in the museum with a tangible, verified fair-trade story of artisan empowerment.

Next Time You Visit, Shop with Intention

The next time you spend an afternoon exploring a local (or not so local) cultural institution, art museum, or botanical garden, I highly recommend you slow down when you reach the gift store. Take a close look at the cards next to the displays. Read the stories behind the products. When we choose to buy from these beautifully curated stores, we are voting with our dollars to keep art, history, and community culture thriving.

Looking for Dunitz jewelry at a museum store near you? You can search our Store Locator, and we hope you'll find a museum store nearby that carries our fair trade designs. We're always thrilled to ship our jewelry to museum stores, and there are too many to list. We recently shipped ceramic jewelry to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, embroidered and beaded designs to the Bowers Museum (Santa Ana, CA) and Henry Ford Museum (Dearborn, MI), and our iconic Famous Art line to the Portland Museum of Art (Portland, ME) — all of which are hosting wonderful exhibits this season well worth checking out.

Are you an MSA member or boutique buyer looking for museum-quality, verified fair-trade jewelry? If you're new to us, visit us on our site or, if you prefer, please use our Faire Direct link. (Don't veer off the link while placing your order. I confess, this will save us commissions. And since you found us here, that would help us tremendously.)

Are you a museum store enthusiast? What is the most memorable treasure you've discovered at a museum store? I would love to hear your stories. Feel free to email me at nancy@dunitz.com. In the meantime, enjoy your next museum visit. -ND

Met Gala 2026 Looks: Wearable Art Earrings You Can Actually Afford

The fashions at the Met Gala 2026 were, as always, completely over the top in the best and most jaw-dropping ways. These Met Gala 2026 looks blend creativity, artistry, and extravagance that most of us will never have a reason or budget to wear. But this year’s theme, “Fashion is Art,” raises a fun question—why should art only live on museum walls or million-dollar gowns? At Dunitz & Company, we believe you can wear art every day for about $17 retail. So I paired some of our fair trade wearable art earrings with standout Met Gala 2026 looks.

1. Emma Chamberlain | Mugler | Van Gogh Starry Night Earrings

Emma Chamberlain’s Mugler look echoed Van Gogh’s Starry Night. And this definitely was my favorite look of the night. I paired it with our Starry Night wearable art earrings.

2. Naomi Watts | Dior | Frida Kahlo Earrings

Naomi Watts in Dior feels completely inspired by Frida Kahlo. I mean, look at her headdress! I paired it with Frida-inspired art earrings.

3. Lauren Sanchez | Schiaparelli | John Singer Sargent Madame X Earrings

Lauren Sanchez’s Schiaparelli gown looks so similar to Madam X's. I paired it with our art earrings inspired by the same painting.

4. Jisoo & Alexa Chung | Dior | Monet Water Lily Earrings

Both Dior looks had qualities reminiscent of Monet’s Water Lilies. I paired them with our Monet-inspired earrings.

5. Colman Domingo | Mondrian Earrings

Colman Domingo’s outfit screamed of colorful geometry. That totally reminds me of Mondrian's artwork.

6. Charli XCX | Saint Laurent | Van Gogh Iris Earrings

Charli XCX’s Saint Laurent look was subtle and classy. I think the iris focal point of the gown was absolutely inspired by Van Gogh.

7. Kris Jenner | Dolce & Gabbana | Japanese Inspired | Utamaro Earrings

Kris Jenner’s look had Japanese-inspired elegance. I loved it. If this vibe is yours, our Utamaro earrings will be perfect for you.

8. Laura Harrier | Di Petsa | Botticelli Birth of Venus Earrings

Laura Harrier’s gown reminded me of  Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. I think it was the colors and mood.

9. Eileen Gu | Iris Van Herpen | Degas Ballerina Earrings

Eileen Gu’s Iris Van Herpen short bubble dress felt inspired by Degas’ dancers and tutus. Who doesn't love Degas?

10. Ben Platt | Tanner Fletcher | Seurat Earrings

Ben Platt’s look borrowed iconography straight from Seurat's La Grande Jatte painting. Check out our earrings inspired by this wonderful artwork.

11. Gracie Abrams | Chanel | Klimt Kiss Earrings

Gracie Abrams’ Chanel look shimmered with Klimt-like richness. For a small price, Dunitz & Company offers earrings with a similar feel.

The Met Gala 2026 once again proved that fashion can be pure art—bold, imaginative, and sometimes completely over the top. I loved exploring how these unforgettable looks connect back to the artists and paintings that continue to inspire so much of what we do at Dunitz & Company. If you’d like to explore more of our fair trade wearable art earrings, you can shop our full collection. We also work with select fair trade focused retailers, museum gift stores, and boutiques across the United States and Canada. For wholesale inquiries and to learn more about Dunitz & Company, visit www.dunitz.com. There’s always something new being added—whether you’re discovering us as a shopper or as a stockist. -ND

Supporting Small Business - My Favorites Finds 2025

It means so much to me when people support our small business, Dunitz & Company. It makes such a difference and that is why I choose to support small business myself, whenever I can. I choose to support 'fair trade' whenever I can. I choose to support hand-crafters whenever I can. Check out some of my favorite 2025 finds. They might become yours.

ReHabitCrafts - Discovered on Etsy. I wear fingerless gloves often. Earlier this year, I was on vacation and lost 1 of my favorite fingerless gloves while on vacation in Montreal. These gloves I loved were purchased in Copenhagen on another vacation I took a few years a back. My heart ached so much because I adored those gloves that were creatively made with various scraps from old sweaters. I scoured the internet to find someone making something I might love, also upcycled from old sweaters. I'm so happy I discovered Sue from ReHabitCrafts. You may find a pair perfect for you. 

 

 

Vegan Madness - I'm not vegan. I eat almost everything and anything. And I must say my long time neighbor and friend, Carla bakes the best cookies. (after my childhood chocolate chip cookie recipe, of course.)  But seriously, when someone who is NOT vegan, raves about a vegan recipe, you KNOW it must be good.  I'm partial to Vegan Madness' My Kinda Cookys. I also know their Bocce Balls are super popular. My recommendation is to treat yourself to their sample box and figure out what you like best for yourself. You'll be hooked.

 

 

SevyaHandmade - I adore my Fair Trade Federation colleagues, Joan & Kovida from Sevya. I might even like their sale section, more than them Hahahahaha. Seriously, It's well worth checking out. More than anything I adore their sleeveless tops, have several and live in them all summer long. Every year I need to order more! For the purpose of this post, I'm sharing a pic of something pretty that is currently available on the Sevya site.

 

 

 

 

Ugly Soap Box from IndulgeBodyBath was a super find on Etsy. OMG. For about 40 bucks you get 4 pounds of handmade soap that's been labelled. These are end slices. Skinny slices. Slices not cut perfectly. There's so many pieces, you won't need to order any more soap for a really long time. And it's so fun picking out what I'll use next, after whatever I used before is almost used up.

 

 

 

Burlap & Barrel - I'm completely sold on Burlap & Barrel. I attended a dinner earlier this year that was organized by Fair Trade Los Angeles. We were all gifted a jar of their single sourced Noble Sweet Paprika. I never knew Paprika had flavor. Seriously. It's the most fantastic spice ever and I've been using it liberally. I love consumable gifts, and everyone I know is now receiving B & B spices for every occasion. At another recent Fair Trade LA, there was a silent auction. (Yes, Dunitz & Company donated earrings!) I personally bid on and won the $100 gift certificated donated by Burlap & Barrel. Unfortunately this won't cover all the gifts I want to purchase from them this holiday season. Seriously recommended.

I just went on to Burlap & Barrel to order. I had no idea they had a refer a friend link. Order with this link to get $10 off an order $15.00 or greater.  And guess what?  I'll I get a $10 credit too.   Click here for the link!

HoneyRunFarm - I eat a lot of honey! Often I purchase honey at my local farmer's market. (Support your local farmer's market!) Other times, and several times, I have purchased from Honey Run Farm. I discovered them on Etsy and have really enjoyed the honey (and soaps) I've purchased from them. Their offerings change from season to season, so definitely check out their shop. And their customer service is really good.

 

 

 

Gee, I think I pulled back this year. Typically I'd have more finds to share with you. As they say, less is more. Definitely check out the items listed above!

Now you KNOW, I must pitch Dunitz & Company's fair trade jewelry too. The designs my artisans and I create together are my favorite finds of all LOL! We offered up so many new designs this year. Of all our collections, we expanded our Ceramic Earrings the most. Please take a closer look because they are fun, affordable, and as always, verified fair trade. - ND

What is Handmade? A Rant.

Nancy in Guatemala

I launched Dunitz & Company back in 1989. And I have focused on our handmade fair trade jewelry collection since the early 1990s. I have spent countless hours with artisans in Guatemala. We've worked out designs together at beading tables. I've sketched many a jewelry concept. Artists have presented their ideas to me. I've watched my colleagues laboriously craft countless pieces of jewelry. What Dunitz & Company offers is definitely handmade. And as an integral part of the design process, I can without hesitation confirm that our designs are original and not mass produced.

 

 

When did the definition of handmade change? At many junctures over the years, we've seen the definition of handmade change and/or be questioned.

One of the first times Dunitz & Company was affected by how people defined "handmade" was when the New York Gift Show decided to reorganize their show.  And after that, most of major trade shows followed suit. In the "old days" everything considered handmade was presented to customers in the same section. And then it was decided that artists making their goods in the first world (USA, Canada, Europe, even Japan) were different than artists working in developing countries. My theory was American artists complained about being in the same room as those working in Africa or Central America because designs from developing nations tend to be less expensive. So, it happened. It didn't matter if your designs were ethnic or contemporary, we were all segregated into sections based on where physically artisans produced goods.  I had always preferred it when everyone was all mixed up in a hall. I found I was able to sell to a more diverse group of retailers who "shopped" the entire handmade section regardless of where things were made. I found retailers were searching for a "look." They weren't necessarily shopping price or visiting what was now perceived as the "ethnic" sections of the shows. Bottom line. It is what it is. And it was what it was. We didn't have control of our locations. We took what we got and hoped enough buyers found us.

I know it's a dirty word. Amazon. Dunitz & Company does sell some designs on Amazon Handmade. [Did you know there is a juried handmade section on Amazon?] We do not sell to Amazon resellers. (In fact, we do our very best screen retailers so we don't sell to those that  buy wholesale and then resell on Etsy, eBay, Facebook or Instagram.) [One time a major mail order catalog placed an order for our botanical earrings, and at one point I saw them being offered on an advertisement on eBay. I wanted to pull my hair out. The amusing thing was they described poppies as dahlias and dahlias as poppies. No wonder they couldn't sell those earrings well.] 

We didn't jump on the B2C bandwagon until very late in the game.  Our wholesale business was ample, and stores always asked if we retailed. We learned if companies sold direct to consumers, those retail store buyers would not buy from them. It didn't take the world very long to change and retailers didn't have the luxury of walking away any longer.  We have fair trade colleagues who were emphatic that they would never sell direct to retailers. They all do now.

Having said all this, there was a time in 2017 that Amazon was at the New York Gift Show actively recruiting vendors to sell in their then new 'Amazon Handmade' section. I'm certain Amazon was attempting to compete with Etsy, another B2C website focused on handmade goods.  In the beginning these sites were struggling with their definition of handmade.  Was handmade a first world artist working at their desk making as many earrings as they could make in a day?  Was handmade that first world artist with a few or many employees making their designs at work tables? Did handmade include products made by artisans in developing countries? And on and on. Since these are publicly traded companies, I'm sure the end game was and is to most broadly define handmade so the most sales can be made.  What was clear at that New York Gift Show, Amazon Handmade actively pursued me. Their representatives were very clear that I, a designer working with artisans in Guatemala and a vetted member of Fair Trade Federation would have easy clearance to sell on Amazon Handmade. And that AH rep was right. Dunitz & Company was accepted and up and running quickly. 

Crafting Earrings

So what happened recently? Amazon Handmade questioned whether Dunitz & Company jewelry was handmade or not. Seriously! After being vetted by them back in the day, it was as if they wanted to vet us all over again. They even started singling out products in our collection. The designs they were questioning couldn't be anything other than handmade. They wanted proof that our beaded teardrop earrings were made by artisans (and not by machine?) They singled out our beaded coral necklaces, one of the very first designs I offered in the 1990s. One friend of mine suggested that a competitor who had copied our designs had written in to Amazon Handmade complaining. It can be dirty business selling on some of these B2C websites. It is true that these two designs singled out are two of our oldest and most copied by other companies. If they didn't sell well, I would have retired them long ago.

 

Beading Coral Necklace

How do you prove to Amazon Handmade that your product is in fact handmade? Their definition of handmade? Videos showing artisans making our glass earrings, embroidered & beaded jewelry and yarmulkes was not good enough. Proof of Fair Trade Federation membership is not ample. What was the clincher, I think? I asked the artisans that create our work if they could snap a few photos with the teardrop earrings and beaded necklaces in front of some old Dunitz & Company posters that hang in the workshop.  It was a lot of work to convince AH reps that I was not buying from Alibaba in China. After several emails, AH reps informed me I could still offer my designs in their handmade section. 

AFTER NOTE: 7/12/22 - Not yet 3 weeks after this Amazon Ordeal described above, they have written me again, threatening that Dunitz will be removed from their Handmade section because they're questioning our work. Let's see where it goes. The result might be we no longer vend on Amazon. And now 7/13/22, they report once again, I'm good to go on Amazon Handmade. What a roller coaster!

Oh my gosh. I think today's rant is over.  I'm sure this isn't the end of Dunitz & Company justifying our artisan jewelry is in fact handmade. But, these are my stories for today.  How do you define handmade? -ND