Equipped with 11 different souvenir locations, including the ZAGAT-rated ZooStore, you can find animal-specific gifts for your loved ones, especially including (but not limited to) primates, pandas, reptiles, koalas, elephants, and polar bears.

MoPA

The Museum of Photographic Arts provides photography enthusiasts with a wide variety of books and DVDs from their favorite artists as well as fun photography-themed apparel and accessories, including vintage Polaroid pillows.

Lux Art Institute

As well as displaying its own exclusive merchandise, the Lux store collaborates with local artists and artisans to provide unique treasures ranging from handmade to mass-produced, a few dollars to a few hundred dollars, all keeping within the spirit of the museum experience and local artistry.

MCASD

The Museum of Contemporary Art’s X-Store features a great selection of books on a variety of contemporary artistic mediums and culture. Additionally the X-Store sells home and office supplies, children’s items, and MCASD accessories.

California Surf Museum

This Oceanside surf Mecca carries a variety of ocean art, vintage posters, and books, as well as surf apparel and accessories.

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center

The North Star Science Store provides endless fun and educational gift ideas for both kids and adults. IMAX films, glow-in-the-dark trinkets, and astronaut ice cream are featured in the wide variety of science-related products and activities available at the store.

Birch Aquarium

The gift shop offers extended opportunities for sea life education and fun with a selection of books, jewelry, stuffed animals, and more, including their featured book What Color Would You Be to Hide in the Sea?

Library Shop

This quaint boutique inside the new Central Library downtown offers a bevy of cute gift ideas like stationery by Rifle Paper Co., arts and crafts projects for kids, baby onsies, calendars, and more.

San Diego Central Library

copyright: John Durant

The California Surf Museum in Oceanside

The post The ‘Art’ of Giving appeared first on San Diego Magazine.

Presidential Treatment

The holiday season is upon us, and Lux Art Institurte is doing its part to spread a little cheer—all the way to Washington, D.C. The Encinitas-based art space and educational center was selected by the National Park Foundation to represent the state of California by making ornaments for the National Christmas Tree, which will be on display in President’s Park near the White House.

Decorating and lighting the National Christmas Tree is an annual tradition that began in 1923 with President Calvin Coolidge. Today a series of 56 smaller trees called “the Pathway of Peace” surround the stately 40-foot Colorado blue spruce and represent the country’s 50 states, five territories, and the District of Columbia.

Locally, Lux Art Institute worked with the third-graders at Ocean Knoll Elementary School in Encinitas to design and create the ornaments. The youngsters were asked to paint winter scenes from places they had visited on small log slices, a project based on the work of former Lux resident artist Alison Moritsugu, whose paintings include traditional snow-covered landscapes.

Presidential Treatment

“It’s very special for our class to do the ornaments representing California that are going to be on the National Tree,” says third-grader Sofia Lopez. “It’s something I will remember forever.”

Congrats to Lux and the students at Ocean Knoll!

This year’s National Christmas Tree lighting will take place on Friday, December 6 at 5 p.m. EST. Check your local listings. 

Presidential Treatment

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