Participant Tool Kit

Absolutely! Museum Store Sunday is all about promoting the value and importance of nonprofit retail with its curated products and unique experiences. Besides museum stores, participation is open to all independently operated nonprofit retailers located at zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, historic sites, performing arts, libraries, cathedrals, parks, and other related nonprofits.

Yes you can! Organizations in similar situations have:

• Celebrated Museum Store Sunday on another day during the Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend, for example the Friday and Saturday before.
• Created an online-only event and promotion, extending it through Cyber Monday.
• Held a special Sunday opening for a limited time frame – creating an unique event highlight.

First, sign up to participate using the Registration Form. Participation is free and available to all museum stores and related nonprofit retailers, such stores from zoos, aquariums, parks, botanical gardens, historic sites, and more.

Second, plan your event or promotion for Museum Store Sunday – ideally something that will attract shoppers and publicity in the run-up to the day as well as appeal to your museum members and constituents. A combination of event/promotion such as an artisan trunk show or book signing combined with a special discount or product promotion such as a free gift.

Third, collaborate with colleagues from your organization’s marketing, communications, membership and visitor experience departments to get everyone involved and excited and be sure to inform your store staff about the “why” behind Museum Store Sunday.

If your institution has previously participated in Museum Store Sunday, there is no need to re-register. Click here to see if your museum is already participating.

If your museum is already listed as a participant but the information and account is under a previous contact/user, simply click here to “Claim Your Listing” and update the contact information.

To register for the Online Store Directory, an exclusive MSA Member Benefit, click here.

To request a Bullseye Locations password reset, click here to log into your user account.

Although Museum Store Sunday is now in its eighth year, many of your colleagues may be unaware of it or have other priorities. Use the key messages listed above to explain the objectives and how it will benefit your organization.

Museum Store Sunday provides your store staff and other front line staff with a great platform to engage with customers, as the team at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco found:

“Our artisan trunk shows at the de Young and the Legion of Honor combined with our 20% storewide discount that we offered to everyone, members and non-members alike, created an exciting and fun-filled day in the stores. Customers were delighted to use the discount to their advantage by shopping for everyone on their holiday gift list.”

Access and use the Participant Took Kit to find the official Museum Store Sunday logo, digital assets, marketing and social media content, and an easy to follow schedule of implementation so you won’t miss a beat. Promote to your members and customers via your website, email marketing, and social media using the official Museum Store Sunday hashtag: #museumstore, #beapatron, #iamapatron, #museumstoresunday, #patronofculture, #shopmuseumstores.

Share your plans with us so we can help you promote your event via the Museum Store Sunday website and social channels. Once you register, you will have access to the Museum Store Sunday Locator where you will be able to upload your store and institution details, including photos of your store and organization. The Locator is where customers in your area can easily find you and shop!

And if you are a MSA member and have an online store, provide us with your institution or store logo and url and you will be listed on the “Find an Online Store” page on the Museum Store Sunday website.If you are interested in learning more or joining the Museum Store Association, visit the MSA website.

Sign the store – It’s as easy as putting up Museum Store Sunday signs in your store to join the celebration. Download a ready-made sign from the tool kit, print it out on your office printer and place it in your store – it’s as simple as that!

• Ask a vendor for assistance – Many MSA vendor members are eager to help and provide resources and support. A product launch or trunk show is an easy way to create an event without any inventory (and if you’re online only, consider planning a virtual demo!)
• Pool your resources – Approach other local museum stores to join forces and create a special Museum Store Sunday area event, such as a Passport Program or pool resources to create cooperative advertising.
• Use the free assets – there is a multitude of free resources in the Tool Kit, such as the official logo, ready-made table-top sign, digital graphics for social media, and templates for postcards, ready for your use in-store or online.

Connect and collaborate early with your marketing & communications team (or whoever handles your social media channels) by informing them about the win-win-win benefits. Museum Store Sunday is a great story that benefits everyone – the store, the institution, and the public, and makes for some engaging and unique content. Create a Museum Store Sunday Facebook event and invite the official Museum Store Sunday Facebook event as a co-participant. The official Museum Store Sunday hashtags are #museumstore, #beapatron, #iamapatron, #museumstoresunday, #patronofculture, #shopmuseumstores.

There are many ways for MSA vendors to get involved and be a part of Museum Store Sunday. Participate by partnering with a local museum store to organize or host an in-store or virtual event such as a product demonstration, new product launch, book signing, or hosting food and beverage for the event.

You can also support museum stores by communicating with your online audience about Museum Store Sunday. Examples include:

PLAN cross-posts on social media with museum store partners, featuring your product displays in their store or a special Museum Store Sunday event.

TAG museum stores that sell your products and are participating in Museum Store Sunday in your social media posts, encouraging your followers to shop for your products on Museum Store Sunday.

COLLABORATE with museum stores to create “meet the maker” emails, videos (live or recorded), or social media posts.

SHARE our Museum Store Sunday logo on your website or use our special social media graphics for posts.

PROMOTE Museum Store Sunday as you send holiday-shopping email reminders to your customers

Official Museum Store Sunday hashtag: #museumstore, #beapatron, #iamapatron, #museumstoresunday, #patronofculture, #shopmuseumstores.

Reach out to info@musuemstoresunday.org and someone is available to assist.