Museum shops, art galleries offer unique gifts

Museums, cultural attractions and art venues are good places to find unusual and locally made gifts for the holidays. You don’t have to pay admission to the museums to check out their stores; the shops are free and open to the public year-round. Here are a few examples.

▪ Explore Store at Exploration Place, 300 N. McLean Blvd., has its own schedule: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays and noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays (including Christmas Eve). Local items include stocking stuffers and gifts such as woven-wheat items by Marian Vavra, framed pressed flowers and small compacts by Janet Stanley, and wall clocks made of vintage vinyl albums by Topekan David Sim.

▪ The Wichita Art Museum, 1400 Museum Blvd., has not only its Museum Store upstairs but a recently opened Pop-Up Store in the foyer.

▪ Garden and nature destinations including Botanica, 701 N. Amidon, and Dyck Arboretum of the Plains, 177 W. Hickory in Hesston, also have shops. Botanica’s is open not only during regular hours but also during the evening Illuminations holiday event (admission to that is required to get into the shop). Dyck Arboretum’s local items include repurposed metal yard art and house decor by Three Doors North of Hutchinson and John Scott of Bunker Hill, Friesen Art ceramics from McPherson, pressed-flower ornaments from Creations by Jill of Moundridge, Flinthills Aromatherapy from Atlanta, recycled-glass pendants and ornaments from Designs by Fern of Sedgwick and hand-turned wooden and stone fountain pens by Phil Barker of Newton.

Works by local artists can be found in galleries ranging from CityArts in Wichita to the Carriage Factory Art Gallery in Newton.

▪ CityArts, 334 N. Mead, is having a boutique holiday art sale through Jan. 2 that also has the main gallery serving as a storefront. A variety of artwork from prints to handmade scarves to glass-blown ornaments is available at many price points from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Students and instructors are among the local and regional artists with their work for sale, including ceramics by Joey Rincones and prints by Kathleen Shanahan. Admission is free.

▪ Hand-crafted gifts including mugs, jewelry and vases will be part of the Enameling and Pottery Sale on Friday and Saturday at the Wichita Center for the Arts, 9112 E. Central. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. The center also sells gift certificates to classes and other center offerings.

Memberships also can be purchased at the museums and attractions to give as gifts.

This story was originally published December 4, 2015 at 2:33 PM with the headline "Museum shops, art galleries offer unique gifts."