New York’s Coolest Outpost Is a Curiosity Shop in Brooklyn

If you haven’t been reading the headlines this week, allow us to give you a high-level overview of a major story: Pop star Kelly Clarkson paid a visit to Art of Play, a luxury curiosity, toy, and gift shop in Brooklyn, New York, with the intention of buying Molly, a $15,000 mechanical bird that’s, according to Art of Play, permanently affixed to the wall for the store’s magic shows and therefore, not for sale. Regardless of where you stand on this moment in pop culture history, one thing is true: Art of Play is an incredible store, and even Clarkson agrees with that.

Art of Play, which has occupied a brick-and-mortar shop in Brooklyn Heights since 2024, is for anyone with a taste for nostalgia. Though its wares aren’t actually vintage or antique, almost everything has an old-school feel because there are no electronics anywhere in sight. The store invites people to touch, play, and ogle at anything that strikes their fancy, and most people, like Clarkson, tend to gravitate towards Molly. Apparently, there are only two in the world (unless the Seattle, Washington-based maker decides to create more), but there are so many other, and dare we say, cooler toys in the shop. The best part? They aren’t $15,000.

Here’s where we stand on the matter: Art of Play is a very cool store, and if you live in or are visiting the New York City area, definitely check it out in Brooklyn Heights. If you’re thinking, “I don’t really need a $15,000 toy at the moment, so I’ll skip this visit,” don’t. Art of Play does sell excessively pricey toys, but the store, which launched online in 2013 and in-store in 2024, is an experience worthy of anyone’s Saturday afternoon. Plus, the twin brothers who started the business sell plenty of significantly more accessible toys and objects that, like Molly, are all hand-made.

So, if you are looking for a gift or something unique to add to your space and don’t want to order it off a mass-market retailer’s website, go to Art of Play in Brooklyn. For anyone who may not live nearby, rest assured, there’s a website.

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