Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Guide to Archives Center Shopping Bag Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.0570
Creators:
Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Dates:
circa 1980-2004
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
4 Cubic feet
9 boxes
Repository:
Shopping bags from a variety of businesses, including department stores, museums, book stores, libraries, hotels, banks, and specialty shops. Additional material will be added to this collection periodically.

Scope and Contents note

Scope and Contents note
Collection represents department stores, book stores, antique stores, banks, libraries, museums, art institutes, toy stores, and hotels and were gathered from a variety of sources to create a wide regional selection. The research value of these bags is as forms of advertising and promotion. The shopping bages present a view of how businesses choose to represent themselves.
The shopping bags are arranged in alphabetical order by name of business since they were collected to relate to advertising more so than their relationship to art or graphic design. Researchers interested in a particular type of art style or technique or one artist should consult the shopping bag collection at the Cooper Hewitt Museum where they are collected as art forms.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Many businesses use shopping bags as a less expensive form of advertising and promotion rather than print advertisements or television commercials. The shopping bags illustrate the creative aspects of the businesses and convey a brand message. These bags are made of a variety of materials including cloth, heavy paper, and plastic. In addition, retail stores, restaurants, book stores, museums, libraries, coffee houses, grocery stores, and social groups create shopping bags with the hope that the consumer will reuse it.

Administration

Author
Vanessa Broussard-Simmons
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Immediate source of acquisition unknown.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Vanessa Broussard- Simmons, December 12, 1996.
Custodial History
This collection was artificially created.

Using the Collection

Restrictions on Access
Collection open for research.
Preferred Citation
Archives Center Shopping Bag Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History.
Terms Governing Use and Reproduction
Fees for commercial reproduction. However, there are copyright and trademark restrictions.

Related Materials
Archives Center National Museum of American History
Beverly Partridge Shopping Bag Collection (AC0493)
Larry Zim World's Fair Collection (AC0519)
Virginia "Jimmie" Booth collection (AC0729)
Cooper Hewitt Museum
Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design Collection

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Trademarks Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
advertising -- Business ephemera Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Libraries and museums Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Department stores Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Shopping bags Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Museums Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Taverns (Inns) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
archivescenter@si.edu