The traditional shopping experience can be turned on its head with this idea: Find inspiring gifts at local museums! In fact, even The Washington Post suggested museum retail shops as a go-to place to browse for gifts. Here’s Why:

Exploring Museum Gift Shops is actually FUN! No intense salesperson or mall traffic. You don’t have to pay admission to the museum, but you can get a sneak peek into some of the exhibits on display.

Membership offerings are boosted over the holiday season with special perks and giveaways. Most museums give a 10% discount to their members year-round, as well as offering members-only specials during the holidays.

In December, the San Diego Zoo offers “Jungle Bells”, featuring a variety of holiday activities and entertainment, from December 14th, through January 6th, with black-out the night of December 24th. They’re also offering their members 10% off in the gift shops NOW through December 31, 2012.

Gift ideas abound! Here are a few examples of what consumers can find at nearly 40 San Diego Museum Council member museum gift shops spanning from the Oceanside Museum of Art to the R. H. Fleet Science Center:

• At the San Diego Natural History Museum, check out dinosaur replicas next to artisan jewelry and chocolate from their newest exhibition.

• Dr. Seuss ornaments, marine themed puppets, plush toys, puzzles, and eco-friendly tote bags and water bottles at Birch Aquarium.

• Order tickets and a beautiful new exhibition catalogue for Behold, America!, a collaborative exhibition between MCASD, The San Diego Museum of Art, and the Timken Museum of Art featuring three centuries of American art. It is available at all three museums as well as on the exhibition website: www.beholdamerica.org. Admission to this exhibition includes access to all three museums for the run of the exhibition (through Feb. 10, 2013), making a gift membership to one of the three museums even more valuable.

• For kids and nature-lovers, head to the Tijuana River Natural Estuarine Research Reserve and pick up kids puzzle boxes with corresponding coloring books and the “Magic T-shirts” in bug/dragon fly/insect. The Magic Tees change colors in the sun!

• The gift of a special once-in-a-lifetime animal memory at the Living Coast Discovery Center. Take your family and friends behind the scenes for a meet-and-greet session with your favorite animal at the Discovery Center, a zoo/aquarium set against the scenic backdrop of San Diego Bay and the Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. Get up-close to the animals of your choice, pose for photos, feed the animals, ask questions, get bragging rights with all of your friends. Choose from: endangered sea turtles, sharks, rays, owls, hawks, tortoises and snakes. $45 – VIP Animal Encounter Gift Package (20-minute experience, includes up to six people. Does not include Discovery Center admission). Additional information is available at www.thelivingcoast.org. We’re actually going to be doing this very soon, and the kids can’t wait!

• For the best dad or grandpa, a classic Compass, wooden or Brass is available for under $30 at the Coronado Historical Association. There’s a host of traditional favorites at this museum gift shop.

Some of the gifts we’ve purchased over the years at local museums and the San Diego Zoo are fun child-friendly chop sticks from the Living Coast Discovery Center (great stocking stuffers!), children’s dress-up butterfly wings from the San Diego Zoo, books from Birch Aquarium at Scripps, pirate eye patches at the San Diego Maritime Museum, and fun glow-in-the-dark stars from the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center.

One of the most unique and interesting gifts shops we’ve discovered is located at the LUX Art Institute. Other things that have caught our eyes over the years are blown glass at the Oceanside Museum of Art, interesting gifts from around the world at the Mingei International Museum, neat gardening gifts at San Diego Botanic Garden, and even LEGO building sets at San Diego Air and Space Museum.

San Diego Museum Council’s 40 member museums all have gift ideas and are in local neighborhoods from the Surf Museum in Oceanside, New Children’s Museum downtown, to the Tijuana Estuary near the border and the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum in Escondido.

For a roster of San Diego area museums, visit www.sandiegomuseumcouncil.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SanDiegoMuseumCouncil. Perhaps we’ll see you in a museum gift shop soon!