10 Iconic Designs And The Bold New Vision Of The MoMA Design Store In 2025
The MoMA Design Store is not merely a museum gift shop; it is a globally recognized institution that serves as a living extension of The Museum of Modern Art's curatorial mission. As of December 24, 2025, the store continues its legacy of championing "good design" by offering a meticulously curated selection of modern and contemporary products—each one vetted by the Museum’s curators to ensure it meets the highest standards of form, function, and innovation.
This commitment to excellence has recently culminated in a major, fresh update: the reimagining of the flagship MoMA Design Store in Soho, New York. The newly redesigned space brings a bold, new vision for modern retail, showcasing a trimmed product selection and debuting exclusive, large-scale artist collaborations that reinforce the store's status as a premier destination for design enthusiasts worldwide.
The Curatorial Philosophy: Why MoMA's Products Are More Than Souvenirs
The distinction between the MoMA Design Store and a standard retail outlet lies in its deep-rooted connection to the Museum's history and its rigorous selection process. The Museum of Modern Art established the world's first curatorial department devoted to architecture and design in 1932, a foundational moment that cemented design’s place as a serious art form.
The Eight-Part Vetting Process
Every single item carried at the MoMA Design Store undergoes an extensive, rigorous vetting process—often described as an eight-part review—with the Museum’s curatorial team. This ensures that each product aligns with the core MoMA mission: to make thoughtful design accessible and engaging to all.
The mission is to foster an appreciation for modern design principles, emphasizing the designer's philosophy, inspiration, and place within the broader history of art and architecture. The store's design specialists, often with backgrounds in industrial design, art history, or architecture, are key to maintaining this cultural curation.
Design Entities and Principles
The products selected embody key design principles such as utility, material innovation, and aesthetic simplicity. The store’s inventory is a rotating exhibition of objects that have either been included in the Museum’s collection or have been chosen because they mirror the Museum’s curatorial philosophy. Entities frequently represented include:
- Form and Function: Products that balance aesthetic beauty with practical utility.
- Material Innovation: Items utilizing new or sustainable materials and production methods.
- Iconic Modernism: Reissues or products inspired by masters of 20th-century design.
- MoMA Exclusives: Unique pieces produced solely for the store, often in collaboration with designers.
The Must-Have MoMA Exclusives and Bestsellers of 2025
The store's bestsellers list is a reliable barometer of current design trends, blending playful novelty items with timeless, functional pieces. These are the items that have dominated wish lists and gift guides throughout 2025, many of which are MoMA Exclusive gifts.
Top-Selling Design Icons
The 2025 collection features several standout products that exemplify the store’s unique blend of art and everyday life:
- The Author Clock: A highly-rated, unique timepiece that displays the time by citing a literary passage from a book published at that hour.
- Self-Watering Wet Pots: A perennial favorite, these functional planters embody sustainable and thoughtful home design.
- Astronaut Galaxy Light Projector: A popular item in the Kids & Games category, blending modern technology with imaginative design.
- UNO Canvas x MoMA Card Game: A collaboration that transforms the classic game into a design object, featuring artwork from MoMA's collection.
- New York Coffee Cup: A simple, reusable design that pays homage to the city's culture and commitment to sustainability.
- 5-Drawer Round Pivot Cabinet: A classic piece of furniture design that maximizes utility and storage in a compact, modern form.
- Soft Serve 3D-Printed Lamp: An innovative, MoMA Exclusive lighting piece that showcases contemporary manufacturing technology.
The New Vision: What the Reimagined MoMA Design Store, Soho, Means for Design Retail
The most significant physical update in 2025 is the newly reimagined MoMA Design Store in Soho, located at 81 Spring Street. After a period of renovation, the 6,600-square-foot design emporium has reopened with a fresh look and a renewed focus on curatorial intent.
A Curated, Trimmer Selection
The redesign introduced a purposeful shift: the product selection has been trimmed by approximately 30%. This decision reflects a commitment to a more focused, gallery-like shopping experience, emphasizing quality and the story behind each object over sheer quantity. The goal is to elevate the perception of the products as pieces of design history.
The Nina Chanel Abney Collaboration
A central feature of the redesigned Soho store is a colorful, modern mural debuting upon its reopening. The artwork, titled "LOVE NYC," is a 2025 creation by New York-based artist Nina Chanel Abney, whose work is already part of MoMA's collection. This integration of a large-scale contemporary artwork directly into the retail space blurs the line between museum and store, reinforcing the cultural mission.
The space itself, designed by Peterson Rich Office, utilizes a spatial hierarchy to make the thoughtful design accessible, creating a unique environment for discovering modern home décor, accessories, and cutting-edge design products.
Global Design Hubs: Where to Find the MoMA Design Store
While the online store offers international orders and the full catalog, the physical locations provide a unique, tactile shopping experience that allows customers to fully appreciate the form and function of the curated objects.
The MoMA Design Store operates several key locations globally, making modern design accessible to a wide audience:
- The Museum of Modern Art Store, NYC: Located within the Museum itself (Midtown).
- MoMA Design Store, 53rd St. NYC: A standalone location near the Museum.
- MoMA Design Store, Soho NYC: The recently reimagined flagship location at 81 Spring Street.
- MoMA Design Store, Tokyo: Part of the brand's significant presence in Japan.
- MoMA Design Store, Kyoto: Another key location in Japan, reflecting the global reach of the brand.
Whether you are seeking a piece of iconic modern furniture, an innovative home accessory, or an art-inspired gift like a New York Yankees hat in a unique colorway, the MoMA Design Store remains the definitive destination for design that is both historically significant and relevant to contemporary living.
Detail Author:
- Name : Marilie Medhurst
- Username : lexus81
- Email : lenny.kling@yahoo.com
- Birthdate : 1991-08-14
- Address : 55864 Lindsey Land Adamsport, LA 91250-0112
- Phone : (364) 654-2596
- Company : Lynch Inc
- Job : Stone Cutter
- Bio : Ea qui omnis repudiandae molestiae. Eius quibusdam non omnis sunt qui.
Socials
linkedin:
- url : https://linkedin.com/in/kundea
- username : kundea
- bio : Ullam delectus aut doloribus nesciunt.
- followers : 1045
- following : 2100
instagram:
- url : https://instagram.com/kunde2011
- username : kunde2011
- bio : Ut aut excepturi officiis maxime quis temporibus id. Rerum recusandae minus nam dolor mollitia.
- followers : 6671
- following : 455
tiktok:
- url : https://tiktok.com/@ambrose6468
- username : ambrose6468
- bio : Rerum sunt ea qui. Id velit qui assumenda exercitationem.
- followers : 2154
- following : 324
twitter:
- url : https://twitter.com/ambrosekunde
- username : ambrosekunde
- bio : Dicta aliquid rerum autem enim optio esse. Blanditiis molestiae ipsum sed. Nulla aut ducimus aspernatur corporis exercitationem.
- followers : 1419
- following : 513
facebook:
- url : https://facebook.com/ambrosekunde
- username : ambrosekunde
- bio : Voluptatum eos et saepe exercitationem.
- followers : 2324
- following : 2247
