Monday, 07 November 2011 10:27
From December 1 through 4, visitors to the Penn Museum's two shops - the Museum Shop and Pyramid Shop for children - can take advantage of a 10% discount on all purchases (Penn Museum members enjoy a 20% discount), during Holiday Shopping Savings Days.
Penn Museum's shops feature a wide variety of multicultural gifts. Shoppers can select from a diverse collection of clothing, jewelry, games, toys, books, souvenirs and more-items for people of all ages, collected from almost every corner of the globe. Moreover, much of the shops' inventory was obtained through fair trade practices that directly benefit artisans in developing countries and their communities around the world.
The Museum Shop
This year's shop highlights begin in the vast continent of Africa, the focus of the Museum's newest gallery project, Imagine Africa. From Malawi, a variety of vibrant potholders, placemats, and napkins from the fair trade company Dsenyo, created with a distinct method called "wax printing," start at $12.99. From South Africa, a collection of colorful Zulu bowls and ornaments, woven from telephone wire, are priced from $10.99 to $129.99. Egyptian-themed figurines, coffee mugs, ornaments, and other great gift ideas abound for as low as $6.99.
Kevin Frietag, Museum Shop Manager, noted that Kachina figures and Chaka pottery from Native American and Latin American artists are early shopper favorites. Dozens of handmade Kachinas, decorative figurines from the Navajo, are modestly priced between $19.99 and $99.99. Fair trade Nicaraguan pottery-distinctive, artisanal vessels, each one bearing the photograph and name of the artist who designed and created it-brought to global market by Chaka MarketBridge, run from $59.99 to $129.99. In addition, colorful backpacks and shoulder bags, handcrafted by Maya people of Guatemala, are priced from $39.99 to $99.99.
From the distant continent of Asia, vibrant sets of scarves from Nepal, Vietnam, and India are now featured in the Museum Shop for $29.99 to $49.99. For the home, visitors can peruse an assortment of decorative Chinese ceramic tea mugs and sculptures, ranging from $6.99 to $99.99.
The Museum Shop also offers a rich selection of books and movies. Assorted hardcovers, great coffee table books, feature topics from Greek mythology to Australian art to Egyptian hieroglyphics. A selection of DVDs includes thought-provoking titles from PBS and National Geographic.
The Pyramid Shop for children
For the kids on everyone's shopping list, the Museum's Pyramid Shop for children is featuring a new line of international games, such as Mancala, Senet, and Game of Ur, in a nod to the Year of Games, the University of Pennsylvania's theme for the 2011-2012 academic year. Shoppers can find toys, stuffed animals, jewelry, and a wealth of children's books about world cultures, ancient and modern, at this shop.
Visitors coming exclusively to the shops can come in for free. The Museum Shop is open during regular Museum hours. Hours for the Pyramid Shop for children are subject to change. For more information about the Penn Museum shops, and to explore a selection of items on sale by mail order, visit the Museum's website at www.penn.museum and click on "SHOP." The phone number for the shops is (215) 898-4040.
The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology is dedicated to the study and understanding of human history and diversity. Founded in 1887, the Museum has sent more than 400 archaeological and anthropological expeditions to all the inhabited continents of the world. With an active exhibition schedule and educational programming for children and adults, the Museum offers the public an opportunity to share in the ongoing discovery of humankind's collective heritage.
Penn Museum is located at 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (on Penn's campus, across from Franklin Field). Public transportation to the Museum is available via SEPTA's Regional Rail Line at University City Station; the Market-Frankford Subway Line at 34th Street Station; trolley routes 11, 13, 34, and 36; and bus routes 12, 21, 30, 40, and 42. Museum hours are Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Wednesday, 10:00 am to 8:00 pm, with P.M. @ PENN MUSEUM evening programs offered select Wednesdays. Closed Mondays and holidays. Admission donation is $10 for adults; $7 for senior citizens (65 and above); $6 children (6 to 17) and full-time students with ID; free to Members, PennCard holders, and children 5 and younger; "pay-what-you-want" the last hour before closing. Hot and cold meals and light refreshments are offered to visitors with or without Museum admission in The Pepper Mill Café. Penn Museum can be found on the web at www.penn.museum. For general information call (215) 898-4000.
Image captions: (Top image) The tree in the Museum Shop is decorated with colorful Zulu ornaments made from telephone wire, available throughout the holiday season. (Second image) Vibrant fabric makes up this collection of potholders, placemats and napkins from fair trade company Dsenyo. (Third image) These "Kachina" figurines, handmade by the Navajo people, are among the Museum Shop's bestselling items this season. (Bottom image) A new line of games such as Senet and Game of Ur will be featured this season in the Pyramid Shop for children. All photos: Penn Museum.
