Museum gift shops boom

The National Trust says 2009 looks likely to be its commercial arm's 'biggest ever year', with gardening paraphernalia and guidebooks the biggest sellers Photograph: National Trust/Public Domain

Flagship stores at properties such as Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland and the Sackville-Wests' ancestral home at Sissinghurst, Kent are proving to be the culture sector's equivalent of Harrods and Selfridges this year Photograph: National Trust online shop/Public Domain

The National Trust has been buoyed by the number of Britons holidaying at home because of the recession. 'We are seeing record numbers of visitors and record retail sales,' says Stuart Richards, head of commercial operations Photograph: National Trust online shop/Public Domain

Mugs on sale - National Trust shops generated £36m from 220 outlets Photograph: National Trust/Public Domain

Plastic Tyrannosaurus rexes and Diplodocuses are flying off the shelves at the Natural History Museum's Dino-store. Retail sales at its shops are running up 21% in the current financial year Photograph: Derek Adams/Public Domain

Salt and pepper shakers from the V&A gift shop. 'The shop is definitely an important part of the museum experience, but everyone looks much more interested in it than they did in the museum," adds Zordan with a note of bemusement,' says one visitor to the museum Photograph: V&A museum/Public Domain