Brooklyn Museum Shop

Gift Shop

Jul 9

Written By Visbeen Architects

LOCATION

Brooklyn, New York

PROJECT SIZE

4,150 sq. ft.

PHOTOS

Evan Sung and Brooklyn Museum

Details

The Brooklyn Museum Shop was a significant renovation that added 1,600 sq. ft. to the original space. This expansion is part of a broader redesign of the museum’s first floor that revamped the historic Great Hall and introduced a significant new exhibition space. The enhanced Museum Shop now offers a more engaging shopping environment. It showcases a fresh selection of unique items related to the diverse cultures of the museum’s permanent collection.

The shop's design features an arc shape, with a curved jewelry counter at the center as the focal point. This counter includes cash wrap stations at either end and is complemented by a coffered ceiling with recessed lighting. Notable design elements include two dynamic light fixtures by Brooklyn artist David Weeks, which serve as focal points. The shop also boasts 225 linear feet of oak casework, metal fittings, and merchandise displayed on built-in and free-standing fixtures, creating a visually appealing and functional space.

One of the main design challenges was transforming a long, dark, rectangular gallery with eight large round columns into an inviting retail space that encouraged visitors to explore. The old gallery’s small enclosed vestibule created a bottleneck and limited visibility from the lobby.

The solution involved removing a large lobby wall to open accessibility. Creating a dynamic traffic flow was another challenge, addressed by the curved jewelry counters and lighted soffit that guided visitors through the store. The director also requested a contemporary design with a black and white theme using pickled white oak, black steel, and white Corian.

Located along the east side of the building's façade, the shop area was initially constructed in 1904, making it one of the oldest parts of the landmark building designed by McKim, Mead, & White. The redesign includes a wider entrance from the lobby, enhancing visual access to the Great Hall and improving circulation. A rear entrance connects the shop to future temporary exhibition galleries, integrating it seamlessly into the museum's evolving layout.