The Foosaner Art Museum

http://foosanerartmuseum.org/

1463 Highland Avenue
Melbourne, FL  32935

321-674-8915

AT A GLANCE:  Foosaner Art Museum
Parking	Plentiful and free
Amount of time needed to peruse exhibits:	20-30 minutes
Amount of time needed for gift shop	5 minutes
Dress code	You may feel conspicuous if you wear shorts and a tank top to the Foosaner Museum.  It’s ok to do so, as long as you make them a decent pair of shorts.  “Street wear” looks a bit tacky.
Be sure to…..	Sign up for the museum’s mailing list.  You will receive notice of new exhibits in the form of graphically well-produced post cards (3-4 per year).  One day, I will make a montage of Foosaner Museum postcards.
Nearby/other establishments to visit	Eau Gallie Florist 3rd Avenue Gallery
Walkability, general downtown area / amount of traffic	Eau Gallie is a small neighborhood.  It has 2-3 blocks in either direction.
Safety, in terms of type and number of crimes committed in general area	Generally safe, yet it doesn’t hurt to lock your car and put valuables out of sight.

 

There are two things I learned in the retail business that hold true for gift shops:

• ·         Get the customer through the door, and
• ·         Get the customer to stay in shop as long as possible.

There’s a good chance that you have experienced the above “commandments.”  Have you ever walked by a shop and thought to yourself that it looks “interesting?”  The customer should be able to look into the shop and see if other shoppers are present and to get a feel for the layout of the shop.  As for the second directive, have you ever wondered why the sales items are usually toward the back of the store?  That’s to keep you in the shop as long as possible.  The proprietors presume that the longer you stay, the more time you have to look at other things and buy them.  They are not above counting on impulse shopping, either.  That’s why the budget-friendly items are near the register.

Unfortunately, the Foosaner gift shop does neither of these.  It’s located in the northeast corner of the museum, and is not visible from the entrance.  It’s a small place, measuring 6 steps across and 12 steps deep, measuring it by counting the number of footsteps it took me to walk the area.  The items for sale are lined up against the wall, with a considerable sized open space in the middle.  It will take you about 4-5 minutes to peruse the items, and that’s if you’re walking slowly. 

I have always felt that the purpose of a gift shop is to reinforce the message that the museum is trying to send.  Buying souvenirs should be a way for visitors to extend the trip in their minds.  The gift shop should sell things that remind you of your visit.  I am a big fan of refrigerator magnets, and have several displayed at home.  It’s kind of like my trophy case of museums and other places I’ve visited.  The Foosaner fails in this area, too. 

I visited their webpage to see the items they have for sale.  It lacked specifics, and offered no items for online shopping:

Verbiage regarding gift shop in Foosaner Museum

The point here is that if you see something you like, buy it.  You won’t have another opportunity.

 Update:  The Foosaner Art Museum added a bit more to the above text.

In my opinion, the Foosaner Museum is a cool museum.  I often enjoy their exhibits, and I want to carry the artsy vibe with me after I leave.  Shopping and souvenirs are a way to do this.  Without doubt, this is a perfectly lovely gift shop.  Physically, it’s a small space.  If you’re looking to do major shopping, you may have to go elsewhere.  If you find nothing in the Foosaner gift shop, head across the street to the Eau Gallie Florist which sells stylish and adorable items for yourself and your home.  Among the treasures you’ll find, be on the lookout for whimsical signs, vases, and serving dishes.  They also have some (not a lot) funky jewelry.  The Eau Gallie Florist is one of my favorite shops.  If you need a non-touristy gift, this is the place to go.

As you leave the Eau Gallie Florist, turn right and head toward the 3^rd Avenue Gallery.  Local
artists display their works, which include photography, oil/water painting, sculpture, and jewelry.  This is an appropriate place to continue the artsy vibe that you picked up at the Foosaner.  The artists who are displaying their works here take turns running the gallery, so chat them up.




Wander around Eau Gallie.  It won’t take long as it is only a few blocks in either direction, and has art supply stores for the ambitious artist in all of us.