7 Cool IKEA Finds You Can Only Buy In Sweden

Exit through the gift shop, especially if you're lucky enough to visit the epic IKEA Museum in Älmhult, Sweden. Sure, there's an extraordinary archive to behold along with fascinating exhibits about everything from democratic design to who's building the future. But for mega fans of the Scandinavian brand, including founder Ingvar Kamprad and the brand's colorful limited-edition prints, the museum's shop has some cool finds that are well worth a trip.

While you may need to spring for a plane ticket, admission to IKEA's museum is just as affordable as its everyday items, costing just over $6. From banana print tea towels to miniature watering cans, take our advice and leave the shopping until the end of your visit. First, get inspired by wandering around the textile gallery and reading about the iconic designers. You'll get a peek into the minds behind the exciting IKEA collections hitting shelves this year (and since the company was founded in 1943). Shopping just hits different after a snack, so it's also sensible to check out the museum's takeaway restaurant before you start to browse. You could opt for the same Swedish meatballs you can find at your local IKEA. However, it's way harder to find Swedish staples like Ramlösa lemon sparkling water and IKEA's raw food fudge treats stateside.

By the time you reach the museum shop, you'll wish you had packed another iconic FRAKTA bag into your suitcase. Don't be surprised to find yourself hauling home a ton of graphic t-shirts and books you didn't know you needed. You may even find some polka-dot serving ware guaranteed to wow your guests at your next soiree.

A born entrepreneur, Kamprad realized the opportunity to create a company that all-but-eliminated costly distribution blockers thanks to his earliest childhood experiences. When he was still a teenager, Kamprad's father covered the cost of incorporating IKEA as a high school graduation present, and the rest, as they say, is history. Fans will find an entire collection of items in the IKEA Museum shop bearing his most quotable sayings. From a knick-knack tray to keychains and folders, each item features thought-provoking words on happiness and enthusiasm in both English and Swedish.

The Group of Ten is a Swedish design collective that began collaborating with IKEA in 1978. Primarily interested in textile handicrafts, its members experimented with color and scale in an effort to buck establishment norms. "As a child I was taught not to mix spots, stripes, checks and bright colors ... For me it became a political issue," co-founder Carl Johan De Geer told Apartment Therapy. Although the group disbanded in 2015, that sensibility lives on through a limited edition collaboration with the IKEA Museum featuring colorful polka dot and geometric housewares.

Plenty of IKEA kid's bedroom ideas are straight-up genius, which makes sense considering just how much research the company does into how to achieve a happy and stress-free childhood. Although a few of the items you'll find online or at your local store are designed to adapt as your kids grow, others made of cardboard or plastic probably aren't destined to become treasured heirlooms. That's not the case with the IKEA Museum's children's woolen throw blankets. Made of 100% Swedish wool that lasts, they're available with a geometric pattern in several soft colors.

Since practically everything at IKEA is mass-produced, you might not immediately associate the brand with hand-blown glass. However, the company is deeply committed to its partnerships with the skilled glassblowers around the world who create a small number of products you'll find on any shelf. And what you'll discover at the IKEA Museum are special clear carafes and vases. Made from 50% recycled glass, you'll find them in various sizes in both straight and curvaceously retro designs.

IKEA Museum has revived several of the company's classic patterns inspired by fruits and vegetables, using them on everything from broccoli bags to cucubita-covered dishcloths. Although it wasn't a hit when it was first released in 1985, one of the designs we're most excited to see once again is featured on the RANDANG BANAN Tea Towel. The striking pattern was created by Inez Svensson, and features large graphic bananas against a black and white striped background. You can also find the playful pattern on placemats, dishcloths, and coasters.

If you need a gift for the gardeners in your life that stacks nicely in a suitcase, you'll be thrilled to find the PS VÅLLÖ Miniature Watering Cans. The brainchild of Dutch designer Monika Mulder, their organic conical shape meant the original watering cans were easy and inexpensive to produce and ship. The IKEA Museum gives shoppers a wide range of tulip-inspired colors to choose from, including pink, yellow, and a neutral white.

Although IKEA is no stranger to recalling items that pose a threat to its customers, one product actually led the company to even higher safety standards. In 1997, after an employee pointed out a widespread choking hazard on the company's soft toys, designer Anna Efverlund created the FAMNIG, a heart-shaped cushion with arms that kids could cuddle. You can still buy one at your local store for $13, but if you visit the IKEA Museum shop, you can find the unmistakable design on tee-shirts, notebooks, and sweets.