Oh definitely. What I was looking at, though, WAS the permanent collection. What I didn't mention was the fact that I used to license the use of images belonging to the museum. I begged the museum shop director to carry items that I licensed because I could often negotiate a contract for near full price (cutting slightly into my department's revenue) and get the company to throw in 500 freebies (pure profit for her department). She told me no. No calendars. No fridge magnets. No mousepads. I know those are kitsch-y but I couldn't get her to stock anything to do with the collections other than poorly done postcards and SLIDES.

The new store looks great and they had some pretty glassware. They had umbrellas with Monet's Waterlillies, but it was another museum's version of the iconic paintings. Somebody else is making money off that licensing. I know because I was approached for it and tried to work out a deal but couldn't ever get our retail folks to show any interest.

As a tourist who goes to museums preferentially for vacations, I want something that reminds me of what I've seen. I'll often buy a DVD or permanent collection catalog and either something functional (say, a pewter salt cellar or Christmas ornament) or a piece of statuary so that I have something to remind me of my visit. It doesn't have to be a replica of something I've seen; just something reminiscent of it. There was nothing like that, sadly.