Gifts for Art Lovers
Authored by Daniel Heuer
Writer on the PerfectGift team, delivering smiles daily.
Published August 4, 2026 | Updated August 4, 2026
Art lovers can be harder to shop for than the artists who make the work. They already know what they like, they may already own the prints and the books, and their taste is personal. The trick is to lean into the art itself: a beautiful reproduction of a piece they love, a book that deepens how they see, a museum object that brings a gallery home, something they can wear or use, or an experience that gets them in front of the real thing. Because so many masterpieces are in the public domain, gorgeous versions are surprisingly affordable. Below are picks across price points and sources, with a safe fallback at the end for when you're not sure of their taste.
Quick picks
- Best overall: The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich, the one book almost every art lover treasures, about $35.
- Best under $20: The Art Game from Laurence King, a fast, fun art-history card game, $14.99.
- Best for their walls: a Hokusai Great Wave art print from Society6, from about $30.
- Best to wear: the Monet Water Lilies silk neckerchief from The Met Store, $30.
- Best experience: a MoMA membership, unlimited visits for $75 a year.
- Splurge: the LEGO Ideas The Starry Night set, $169.99.
- When you don't know their taste: a PerfectGift they redeem their way, or one that starts as a bookstore like Barnes & Noble.
Prints for their walls
The most personal art-lover gift is a piece of the art they love, framed for the wall.
1. Hokusai "The Great Wave off Kanagawa" Art Print (Society6) — from about $30
Hang a print of a masterpiece they love, and they'll see it every day. Katsushika Hokusai's The Great Wave off Kanagawa (1831) is one of the most recognizable images in art without being the obvious choice, and Society6 prints it on museum-quality archival paper, made to order, in sizes from small to extra large, with framed and canvas options if you want to spend a little more. Prints start around $30, and Society6's catalog runs deep across Van Gogh, Monet, Klimt, and hundreds of independent artists, so you can match the piece to whatever period or style they love.
Image courtesy of Society6.
Books for the art lover
Two art books that belong on any art lover's shelf, one affordable and one a keepsake.
2. Vincent van Gogh, Basic Art Series (Taschen) — $20
Taschen's Basic Art Series is the best-selling art-book collection ever published, and its Van Gogh volume is a beautiful, giftable introduction: a concise biography, a chronological look at the work, and about 100 illustrations with notes, for $20. It's the easy, always-welcome pick for a fan of a specific artist, and Taschen has a matching volume for nearly every major name.
Image courtesy of TASCHEN.
3. The Story of Art by E.H. Gombrich (Phaidon) — about $35
The single most popular art book ever written, and the one almost every art lover either owns or should. The Story of Art walks from cave paintings to the modern day in warm, readable prose, and Phaidon's Pocket Format edition (about $35) makes it a handsome, giftable size. For someone who loves looking at art and wants to understand it more deeply, this is the keeper.
Image courtesy of Phaidon.
Puzzles, games, and building
Art to spend time inside, not just look at.
4. Van Gogh "The Starry Night" 1,000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle (MoMA) — $35
A great art-lover gift lets them live with a masterpiece for a few evenings. The MoMA Design Store's Starry Night puzzle reproduces the painting from MoMA's own collection across 1,000 pieces, with a handy nine-compartment sorting tray, and it's made from recycled board with non-toxic ink. At $35 it's a thoughtful gift for someone who loves both art and a slow, screen-free evening.
Image courtesy of MoMA Design Store.
5. UNO Canvas x MoMA Card Game — $25
A fun, affordable pick for the art lover who also likes game night. UNO Canvas x MoMA reimagines the classic card game with artwork from MoMA's collection, so it plays exactly like normal UNO, with every card showing a work from MoMA's collection. At $25 it's an easy add-on gift or a light standalone for a younger art lover.
Image courtesy of MoMA Design Store.
6. The Art Game (Laurence King) — $14.99
For the art lover who likes a little competition with their culture. The Art Game from Laurence King is a card game where fifty famous artists face off across categories like influence and shock value, so it plays fast and teaches a bit of art history along the way. At $14.99 it's a smart, affordable standalone or an add-on to a bigger gift, and it suits a range of ages.
Image courtesy of Laurence King Publishing.
7. Gustav Klimt "The Kiss" (LEGO Art) — $299.99
This is the top splurge, and it doubles as wall art. LEGO Art Gustav Klimt – The Kiss rebuilds Klimt's gold-leaf masterpiece as framed 3D wall art, using decorated circles, spirals, flowers, and gold metallic bricks across 4,000 pieces (the largest LEGO Art set yet, made with Vienna's Belvedere Museum, where the original hangs). At $299.99 with a built-in hanging mechanism, it's a serious gift for the devoted art lover who wants to build a masterpiece and then display it.
Image courtesy of the LEGO Group.
Art to wear and use
For the art lover who likes to carry a favorite painting into their day.
8. Monet Water Lilies Silk Neckerchief (The Met Store) — $30
Museum stores are a goldmine for art-lover gifts, because the reproductions are licensed, high quality, and support the museum. The Met's Monet Water Lilies silk neckerchief adapts a detail from Monet's Water Lilies onto a soft silk square, produced with the Musée Marmottan Monet in Paris. At $30 it's an elegant, affordable way to give someone a piece of a painting they love.
Image courtesy of The Met Store.
9. Monet Blooms Double-Sided Silk Scarf (The Met Store) — $115
The step-up version of the same idea, at a keepsake price. The Met's Monet Blooms double-sided square silk scarf pairs two Monet images from the Museum's collection, with the iconic Bridge over a Pond of Water Lilies on the reverse. At $115 it's a memorable gift for a serious Impressionism lover, and a piece they'll wear on the days they want to feel put-together.
Image courtesy of The Met Store.
10. Van Gogh "Wheat Field with Cypresses" Covered Mug (The Met Store) — $30
For the art lover whose morning starts with coffee or tea. The Met's Van Gogh Wheat Field with Cypresses covered mug wraps a detail of the 1889 painting around a porcelain mug and adds a stainless-steel tea infuser and a lid. At $30 it turns an everyday ritual into a small daily moment with a painting they love.
Image courtesy of The Met Store.
An experience they'll remember
11. A Museum Membership (MoMA) — $75 a year
For the art lover who already owns the prints and the books, an experience is often the best gift. A MoMA membership starts at $75 a year for the Annual Pass and gives them unlimited admission, previews of new exhibitions, free film tickets, and a store discount. Most museums offer a gift membership like this, so you can choose one close to them, and it keeps giving all year long.
Image courtesy of MoMA.
When you don't know their taste
12. A PerfectGift They Redeem Their Way (or one that starts as a bookstore like Barnes & Noble)
One thing to note: taste in art is personal, so if you don't know whose work they love, don't guess on a specific print. A PerfectGift lets you add a photo and a note, and then they choose how to redeem it, whether that's keeping the brand you picked, swapping it, or moving the balance to a Visa card. Start it as a bookstore like Barnes & Noble, which carries art books, prints, calendars, and gifts, and they can pick the exact piece their taste calls for.
Image courtesy of PerfectGift.
| Gift | About | Best for the art lover who… |
|---|---|---|
| Hokusai Great Wave Art Print (Society6) | from ~$30 | wants a masterpiece for the wall |
| Van Gogh, Basic Art (Taschen) | $20 | loves one artist |
| The Story of Art (Phaidon) | ~$35 | wants to understand art (best overall) |
| Starry Night 1,000-pc Puzzle (MoMA) | $35 | loves a slow, screen-free evening |
| UNO Canvas x MoMA | $25 | likes art and game night |
| The Art Game (Laurence King) | $14.99 | likes a little competition (best under $20) |
| Gustav Klimt "The Kiss" (LEGO Art) | $299.99 | wants to build a masterpiece (splurge) |
| Monet Water Lilies Neckerchief (Met) | $30 | likes to wear the art |
| Monet Blooms Silk Scarf (Met) | $115 | loves Impressionism (premium) |
| Van Gogh Covered Mug (Met) | $30 | wants art in their morning routine |
| Museum Membership (MoMA) | $75/yr | already owns the prints (best experience) |
| PerfectGift (they redeem) | your choice | you don't know their taste |
How much should you spend on a gift for an art lover?
Art-lover gifts scale gently. For $15 to $35 you can give something lovely: an art card game, a Taschen monograph, The Story of Art, a museum puzzle, a silk neckerchief, a covered mug, or a print for the wall. For $75 and up, you move into keepsakes and experiences: a large silk scarf, a big framed print, a year-long museum membership, or a build-it showpiece like the LEGO Art Klimt The Kiss ($299.99).
One thing worth knowing: because so many masterpieces are in the public domain, you don't have to spend a lot to give something beautiful, and museum stores are the best-value source because the reproductions are licensed and high quality. If they already own the prints and the books, an experience like a museum membership is often the most memorable gift of all.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best gift for an art lover? Lean into the art they love: a print of a favorite painting for the wall, a book like The Story of Art (about $35), a museum object like a puzzle or a silk scarf, or an experience like a museum membership. If you don't know whose work they love, a store-specific PerfectGift lets them choose.
What do you get someone who loves art but isn't an artist? Think appreciation, not supplies: art prints, art books, museum gifts (puzzles, scarves, mugs, games), or a museum membership. Avoid paints and easels unless you know they also make art.
What's a good gift for an art lover under $30? The Art Game card game ($14.99), a Taschen Basic Art monograph ($20), a Van Gogh mug or Monet silk neckerchief from The Met ($30), or the UNO Canvas x MoMA game ($25). All make easy standalone gifts.
What are good museum gifts? Museum stores like MoMA and The Met sell licensed, high-quality reproductions: jigsaw puzzles, silk scarves and neckerchiefs, mugs, books, prints, and games. A museum membership is a great gift too. They're all high quality, and your purchase supports the museum.
What's a good gift for an art teacher or art student? The Story of Art is a classic for both. Beyond that, an art print for a classroom or dorm, a Taschen monograph on an artist they're studying, the Art Game for a class, or a PerfectGift that starts as a bookstore like Barnes & Noble so they can pick their own supplies or books.
What's a nice splurge gift for a serious art lover? A large framed print, a premium silk scarf from a museum store (around $115), a build-it showpiece like the LEGO Art Gustav Klimt The Kiss ($299.99), or a museum membership for the person who already has everything.
