Perfect the Art of Giving This Holiday Season with Creative Gifts from the SFMOMA Museum Store

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (October 28, 2015) — The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)’s expanded new home may still be closed until May 14, 2016, but its popular Museum Store, temporarily relocated nearby at 51 Yerba Buena Lane, is already geared up for the holidays. The SFMOMA Museum Store offers an artful mix of chic housewares, unique children’s gifts, contemporary jewelry and accessories and an expertly curated selection of art and design books to delight even the most discerning culture buff. From exclusive items handcrafted by the finest local and international designers to inspired stocking-stuffers and gifts for under $50, the SFMOMA Museum Store has something for everyone’s wish list.

Shoppers can also find gifts online at museumstore.sfmoma.org and at the Museum Store located inside San Francisco Airport’s international terminal (great for the holiday traveler’s last-minute needs) — all purchases support the museum as a vibrant cultural hub year-round. Along with museum gift memberships, below are just a few highlights from the Museum Store’s 2015 holiday assortment to help anyone practice the art of giving.

One Lump or Two

With Cold Bruer ($80), caffeine fanatics can now master the slow-drip brewing method used by artisan coffee shops. Its smart design in glass and stainless steel is countertop worthy; a four-hour process unlocks the natural sweetness and flavor of beans. The porcelain Magpie Modern Home Espresso Set ($40) serves java in retro style, featuring four different mid-century modern designs in complementary colors that elevate any coffee break. For true coffee aficionados in search of the perfect cup, How to Make Coffee: The Science Behind the Bean ($18.95; hardcover) offers an in-depth look at the art and science of the bean, from chemistry and brewing gadgets to an illustrated step-by-step guide for professional results every time.

Coastal Cool

Surfers big and small will be California dreaming with the Woodie Wagon + Surfboard ($35). Featuring real walnut veneer–paneled sides, water-based paint and rubber tires, the toy car also comes with a magnet embedded in the roof to hold a surfboard securely in place all the way to the beach. Camper with magnetic hitch ($25) sold separately. American painter Wayne Thiebaud is famous for his still lifes of pies and cakes, but perhaps lesser known is his youth spent in Laguna Beach, which remains close to his heart. The deluxe monograph Wayne Thiebaud ($150; hardcover) features plates selected by the California artist himself and is the most comprehensive look at his work to date. From Cityzen designer Azin Valy’s line of social-minded accessories, the printed-silk San Francisco Scarf ($180) honors the “City by the Bay” with a pattern inspired by aerial satellite views of the region, which the artist abstracted and colorized to create a stylish badge of city pride.

Distinctive Jewelry and Accessories

Available exclusively at the SFMOMA Museum Store, Nervous System’s vibrant red Tetra Kinematics Necklace ($95) is composed of 31 unique, 3D-printed nylon modules, resulting in a dynamic landscape of delicate, smoothed tetrahedrons. Made in the USA and inspired by natural phenomena, the necklace illustrates the beautiful intersection of art, science and technology. Colleen Mauer’s Black and Gold Stone Earrings ($200), handmade by the San Francisco designer, are a study in grace and minimalist form. Elegant loops of oxidized silver and 14-karat gold fill wear beautifully over time, eventually achieving an antique-like finish. Designer Denis Guidone pays homage to the geometry-based Russian art movement of 1915 known as Suprematism with his bold Suprematism Watch ($160), made in black stainless steel and featuring a black silicone band.

Home for the Holidays

Designed by Ron Arad for Nude, the versatile Red or White Wine Glasses ($140, set of two) combine a simple, elegant silhouette with ingenious practicality. A slight bend in the stem is meant to evoke the way people lean closer at table to share a secret; a twist of the wrist switches from white to red service, depending on which side is up. Andrea Branzi’s new Profile Vase ($65) in sheet metal and glass offers its own cheeky invitation to unleash artistic expression through floral design. San Francisco designer Max Gunawan’s Mini Lumio+ ($125) has all the style of its full-size cousin with a more compact profile. The new portable light also features added functionality to power mobile devices and comes in three color options.

Colorful Gift Ideas Under $50

For the adult who never outgrew coloring adventures, artist Steve McDonald’s Fantastic Cities: A Coloring Book of Amazing Places Real and Imagined ($14.95; paperback) offers complex aerial views of real cityscapes alongside gorgeously illustrated flights of architectural fancy. Good fortune will come to all who set the table with cute Fortune Cookie Chopstick Rests ($16); the set of five rests comes in fun colors and includes chopsticks. Keep spectacles stylishly protected with an Ili Eyeglass Case ($22), available in a range of vivid leather styles that feature an additional zippered back pocket perfect for holding small items.

Kids and Family Fun

For little ones on the shopping list, organic bird shapes that nest together in the Deluxe Puzzle and Play ($49.95) will delight small hands with natural beech-wood heft; screen-printed with metallic gold and white accents, these locally made blocks add whimsy to any room décor. Polished wooden rings of the Modern Bunny Stacking Toy ($28) can be built in any order, and hop easily from nursery shelf to the playroom floor. For gamers of all ages, a new Solitaire Playing Card Set ($14) from San Francisco designer Susan Kare for Areaware features artwork that nods to the original Solitaire computer game and coincides with the 25th anniversary of its Windows 3.0 release.

About the SFMOMA Museum Store

The SFMOMA Museum Store at 51 Yerba Buena Lane is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.; closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. The store also has a location on the departure level at the SFO International Terminal, open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; closed on Christmas Day. Shoppers can also shop online at museumstore.sfmoma.org. When SFMOMA’s expanded home opens in 2016, the store will resume operations inside the museum building at 151 Third Street. Proceeds from the SFMOMA Museum Store support the museum’s exhibitions and educational programs.