More inspired tree decorations from museums and heritage shops

This curated collection not only serves as a great source of inspiration for holiday decor but also stands as a prime example of the seasonal commercial activity that adds charm and festive spirit to our celebrations.

This year sees a focus on sustainable decorations, often made in wood, and making use of laser cutters and biodegradable materials such as wool and plants.

Natural History Museum

This dinosaur decoration offered exclusively by the Natural History Museum is inspired by Patagotitan Mayorum, one of the largest animals the museum has ever displayed. It is made from the sustainably sourced natural fibres of the buri plant, a type of palm native to India where it is made.

Harewood House

Exclusive for Harewood House is another laser-crafted tree decoration, hand-made by local maker Hashtag House. Using laser cut woods, the decoration of the front of the historic house sits inside a clear outer bauble. The bauble is part of an online ‘Bauble shop’, offered by the attraction this year.

IWM

Constructed entirely from sustainable wool, the Aviator Pig Wool Decoration offered at the Imperial War Museum Shop boasts that it is biodegradable and Fairtrade. It is one of a vast list of tree decorations offered at the IWM shop, another of which was featured in last year’s list.

Charles Dickens Museum

Taking full advantage of Dickens’ deep association with Christmas, the Charles Dickens Museum’s exclusive tree ornament features an illustration of Scrooge by John Leech, as featured in the 1843 A Christmas Carol. Made out of plywood, the museum says the natural product comes from a renewable resource.

Tank Museum

​​Alongside a new design for 2023, this year the Tank Museum is now offering a 4-pack of the museum’s four previous best selling baubles, seizing on sales data from previous years. Each of the four previous year’s most popular designs are included, each hand painted and packed in a branded Tank Museum box.

Royal Historic Palaces

Decorated with gold cord, this tree decoration with faux pearl beads and diamantes displays a quote often attributed to Anne Boleyn, ‘well-behaved women rarely make history. The decoration is part of a range of Tudor-themed tree decorations offered by Royal Historic Palaces.

Manchester Museum

Crafted exclusively for Manchester Museum, this dome-shaped wooden decoration showcases a detailed laser-engraved representation of the museum building on both sides. The ornament is completed with a black satin hanging loop for a refined appearance, and it includes a branded museum tag, adding an authentic touch to this unique piece.

Design Museum

The skateboarding Santa bauble sold on the Design Museum’s website isn’t an exclusive, but it’s a creation which perfectly ties into its ‘Skateboard’ exhibition, the first major UK exhibition to map the design evolution of the skateboard from the 1950s to today. The museum’s bauble offerings include those from Sass & Belle, as is the case here, and in-house designs.

V&A Museum

This papier mâché bauble features a design taken from William Morris’s renowned Larkspur wallpaper pattern, published by Morris & Co. in 1875 and now held in the V&A archive. It is part of a range of papier mâché baubles featuring designs taken from its archive, and has been exclusively hand-made by artisans in Kashmir for Fair to Trade, which ensures products are made under fair conditions.

Fort Nelson Museum

This felt tree decoration has been inspired by the Fort Nelson site itself, in a style modelled after vintage illustrations. It is hand-decorated with gems and Union Jack, and details even feature the shell-firing mortar gun found outside the site.

National Galleries Scotland

This hand-knitted decoration depicts the painting Callum by John Emms, from the collection of the National Galleries of Scotland. Made exclusively for the organisation by Just Trade, it is based on a real dog called Callum, owned by Mr James Cowan Smith. Smith bequeathed £55,000 to the National Galleries of Scotland in 1919, a bequest with conditions, chiefly that Emms’ picture of his previous dog Callum should always be hung in the Gallery, a condition which is still met.