Washington, DC is a tourist mecca for many reasons, but one of its most popular attractions is its amazing collection of museums and galleries – many of them free!  People flock from all over the country and world to see famous works of art, artifacts from every era of American history, portraits of every U.S. President, the Wright brothers’ plane, the Mercury space capsule, Archie Bunker’s chair and the Hope Diamond.  The list goes on and on.

Obviously, you can’t take any of these amazing things home, but millions of museum patrons want souvenirs and mementos of what they saw and experienced during their visits.  So, they flock to museum gift shops for reminders of the wondrous things they encountered in these institutions that showcase the best of Americana.  And what do they find?  Most of the merchandise is made in China!  Seriously… American heritage manufactured on foreign shores!  This ludicrous merchandising concept is not confined to DC.  Visitors to great museums and cherished national parks all over the country will find the gift shops stocked with offerings from foreign factories.

If you agree that this makes no sense (how could you not?!), then the next time you visit a museum store or gift shop, or resort to ordering their goods online, join us in voicing your desire that they stock American-made goods to represent the American experience.  We’re all for free trade and embrace the power of our global economy, but for this, “Made in the USA” makes an abundance of sense.