New shop opens at Sunderland Museum, Library and Winter Gardens

The shop opens to the public this Saturday, November 24, following a "major transformation" of the building's shop and reception area.

The newly refurbished shop, which has almost doubled in size, will stock a wide variety of new products ranging from jewellery, greetings cards, pottery to plants and books alongside old favourites like its range of best selling children's toys.

It will also stock items which complement the museum collection along with a much larger Christmas range to offer that something a little bit different.

Bosses say that Sunderland Museum, Library and Winter Gardens is one of the top five most visited attractions in North East England.

Saturday promises to be especially Christmassy at the Museum, Library and Winter Gardens with a Christmas Craft and Food fair 10 - 4pm; festive fare on sale in the Holmeside Coffee cafe and Christmas-themed library displays to inspire avid readers.

Councillor John Kelly, cabinet member for communities and culture at Sunderland City Council, said: “The new shop is a fantastic addition to what the Museum, Library and Winter Gardens already has to offer.

"And it's great that it's opening in plenty of time for people to do their Christmas shopping there, so I'd encourage everyone doing their shopping in the city to pop in and take a look at what the shop has to offer.

"It's been funded through the city council's capital development programme and is the first phase in what is hoped will be a number of improvements to the site over the coming years.

"I think people will be really pleased with the transformation and the fact that there is now room for so much more stock.

"But one of the things I'm especially delighted about is that it's going to be selling a range of Sunderland made products, including three new jewellery ranges and Sunderland made glass and ceramics.

"So it's supporting the city's creative industries as well as being an added attraction for the Museum, Library and Winter Gardens."

In addition to the Sunderland made jewellery, glass and ceramics, the shop will also sell:

- a range of local heritage, art and photography books

- Lowry Books and prints

- a range of cacti and succulents

- Sunderland and other greetings cards

- scarves

- Winter Gardens and Sunderland themed products

The museum shop will be open from 10.00am to 4pm Monday – Saturday and from noon to 4pm on Sunday.

The City Library, which is based at the museum, is also holding:

- A free Christmas crafts for children to create and take home between 10.30-11.30am on Saturday, December 8.

- A Naughty Elves Story Time and Craft session suitable for 4-8 year olds, between 10.30-11.30am on Saturday, December 15.

- A Booster Cushion Theatre Company comical production of 'A Christmas Carol' for children involving mime, voice, a huge pop up book and lots of audience participation between 1.30 -2.30 pm on Saturday, December 22.