Online catalogue showcases museum & gallery products

Long gone are the days of boring mugs and faded postcards, as museums and other cultural institutions have become increasingly savvy retailers. Aiming to build on that strength, CultureLabel showcases products from over 60 galleries, museums and other cultural entities, ‘exploring the space where culture and consumer culture meets’. Customers can shop by brand or a variety of categories. When they’re ready to buy, CultureLabel sends them through to the brands’ own websites, which handle sales and shipping. CultureLabel doesn’t charge organisations for listing their products; it takes a commission on each sale. Potential partners—international, national and niche culture brands—are invited to apply for a spot on CultureLabel. If accepted, they can add up to 24 products to the platform. Participating organisations include big names like the Tate, the V&A and the Saatchi Gallery, as well as smaller ones like East London jeweller Tatty Devine and city guide publishers Le Cool. By cataloguing niche brands, CultureLabel helps them pack a more powerful punch and exposes them to new audiences. The venture minimizes its own investment by not getting involved with sales and logistics, and minimizes that of its partners by not charging set-up fees or monthly contributions. Since visitors often spend as much time in museum shops as they do looking at the actual art, it’s not a bad proposition 😉