Museum Merchandising: Value, Technology, and Market Potential

Museum merchandising is a cultural paradox: objects of questionable taste sold in temples of aesthetic refinement. Stefano Monti of Monti&Taft analyzes this phenomenon, arguing that the appeal of museum souvenirs lies not in their aesthetic or functional value but in their symbolic value—the French concept of "souvenir" as a memory trigger. This insight opens two avenues: the potential dematerialization of merchandise through technologies like the metaverse and virtual reality, which could replace physical objects as memory supports; and the untapped demand for products co-created with emerging artists and designers, combining symbolic, aesthetic, and functional value. While many museum bookshops already carry such collections, Monti suggests the distribution channel may be wrong, including the increasingly common "fuori-book" clauses in concession contracts. He proposes rethinking the entire production structure: defining a brand, developing entrepreneurial projects, and creating dedicated sales channels based on price segments. This could extend a museum's influence to non-visiting audiences and increase revenue. The article, published on Artribune in August 2022, calls for breaking free from conventional practices that force visitors to buy ugly mugs for friends and family.