Worcester Art Museum solves the puzzle of museum merch
Worcester Magazine
When the Worcester Art Museum shop came under Sandra Polanik last summer, the museum itself was closed due to the pandemic. Rather than an obstacle, she saw the closure as an opportunity to prepare new souvenirs at the shop, for when visitors eventually returned.
“We took this time of pause to ensure we had merchandise that had a tangible connection to the museum,” she explained. Souvenirs such as puzzles, calendars and even masks, are now featuring artwork from the museum’s own collection.
But as Polanik, manager of events and hospitality, soon found out, reproducing artwork in any form can be a puzzle all its own. “The public would be surprised to learn what goes into reproducing a piece of artwork,” she said.