From museum shops to 150-year-old purveyors, here\u2019s the lowdown on the five London souvenir\u00a0stores\u00a0that made it onto the\u00a0FT\u2019s\u00a0list of reader favourites.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The V&A\u00a0<\/p>\n
After hours spent roaming the V&A<\/a>\u2019s exhibit halls, you could easily spend another hour or two browsing its gift shop. Aside from the sort of stuff normally found in a gallery shop \u2013 posters, coffee shop books, tote bags, etc \u2013 visitors can also purchase unique pieces of jewellery, craft kits, silk scarves, sunglasses and products inspired by exhibitions like David Bowie Is Forever<\/a>\u00a0and Cartier<\/a>.\u00a0You don\u2019t even need to go to the museum to shop \u2013 you can buy\u00a0souvenirs straight from its website<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n London Transport Museum<\/p>\n The\u00a0FT\u00a0said that the shop at the London Transport Museum<\/a> is \u2018best for vintage signage\u2019 and \u2018especially good for children\u2019s presents\u2019. If you\u2019ve ever wanted a sofa made to look like the seats on the Central line, an original \u2018Way Out\u2019 sign from the London Underground, a model of the old Docklands Express\u00a0or a Top Trumps of London buses, this is the place to go.\u00a0<\/p>\n Drake\u2019s<\/p>\n If your idea of a souvenir is a handcrafted tussah\u00a0silk tie or \u00a3400 rugby shirt, then head to Drake\u2019s, the third London shop featured on FT\u2019s list. The posh haberdasher was founded by a man called Michael Drake in east London in 1977. It started life in Spitalfields but now has a store on London\u2019s most stylish street, Savile Row.\u00a0<\/p>\n L Cornelissen & Son<\/p>\n This art supply shop on Bloomsbury has been providing materials to London\u2019s creatives since 1855 when it lived in Covent Garden. It\u2019s got everything a budding or all-out professional artist could possibly need to create a masterpiece.\u00a0There are oil paints in every colour under the rainbow, 550 different shades of pastels, paintbrushes in all shapes and sizes, paper of every kind and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n James Smith & Sons<\/p>\n You can\u2019t live in London for long before realising that an umbrella is an absolute essential. And if there\u2019s anywhere that\u2019s going to sell you an umbrella\u00a0to survive every sudden gust of wind, it\u2019s James Smith & Sons<\/a>. With an array of ceremonial umbrellas, high-tech folding models and beautifully designed everyday versions, it\u2019s been a purveyor or high-quality umbrellas for over 150 years.\u00a0<\/p>\n Find out which other souvenir shops were named the best in the world here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n And see\u00a0the 100 best shops in London, according to Time Out, he<\/a>re<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke \u2013 from news and reviews to events and trends. Just\u00a0follow our T<\/a><\/strong>ime Out London WhatsApp channel<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"London](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1757189545_488_image.webp.webp\")
\nPhotograph: Lucian Milasan \/ Shutterstock.com
<\/p>\n![\"James](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/1757189546_690_image.webp.webp\")
\nPhotograph: Angelina Dimitrova \/ Shutterstock.com
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