Memories of the past. Archaeological museum shops as an object of analysis and reflection.

The retail spaces of archaeological museums are rarely the subject of research, but they are indicative of many aspects of the social image of the discipline. Here we address this question using two case studies, the physical shop of the Pergamon Museum in Berlin and the online shop of the British Museum in London. We identify the predominant themes of the products, social distinctions in the target audience and patterns of change that can be glimpsed, focusing on the role of these spaces as important repositories, as well as transmitters, of messages about science and the study of the past.