The ubiquitous fridge magnet
Ahhh… those colourful fridge magnets are stuck on refrigerator doors in millions of homes around the world. It’s hard to think of a place anywhere on this planet that doesn’t sell them as a souvenir. They come in a dizzying array of shapes and sizes and are made with a multitude of materials (wood, shells, rubber, pvc, plastic, etc…). To me, they’re the perfect souvenir – they’re cheap, easy to carry around and are a great memento of the places I’ve visited.
Nowadays, the magnets found in the big tourist destinations are, more often than not, mass produced in China. However, I often make it a point to seek out the stuff that’s locally made. They’re authentic, often made from materials found locally and it’s a small contribution to the local handicraft industry.
I currently have more than a hundred of them, I think! As a special tribute to the ubiquitous fridge magnet, I’ve compiled a photo essay of some of my favourites. Long live the fridge magnet! 
S.P. de Atacama, Chile (cactus wood)
Punta Arenas, Chile (wool)
Uluru, Australia (PVC)
Valparaiso, Chile (PVC)
Portland (OR), USA (Wood)
Klein Bay, South Africa (ceramic)
Bora Bora, French Polynesia (oyster)
Iguaçu Falls, Brazil (PVC)
Serengeti, Tanzania (PVC)
Prague, Czech Republic (wood)
San Francisco, USA (plastic)
Toronto, Canada (PVC)
Venice, Italy (porcelain)
Panajachel, Guatemala (cotton, cardboard)
Sarawak, Malaysia (plastic)
Following on the theme of souvenirs, I contributed a short article about one of my all-time favourite souvenirs on the La Vie En China blog: “Collecting Memories From Abroad“.
See also: The Ubiquitous Fridge Magnet: Readers’ Favourites.
I found your post very interesting, I think you are a brilliant writer. I added your blog to my bookmarks and will return in the future. I want to encourage you to continue that marvelous work, have a great daytime!
Fridge Magnet is one of my fave souvenir to bring home from traveling. It’s something to remind me of where I’ve been traveled before and bringing back old memories…
Your collection are nice, I especially like the Patagonia and Venice one
Hello!
My name is Ioana and I’m from Romania! I collect fridge magnets and I have over 400.
I’m inviting you to see my website. Hope you will like it!
Best Regards!
HI Jessie,
Thanks for your comment. I love the Uluru one too. Locally made and so cute!
I love fridge magnets, but I’m not very diligent about collecting them, so I just have a smattering of national park magnets. (Oh, and I lost most of my best ones during one of my many moves a few years back. Moving gnomes, you know?)
I think that the Uluru one is my favorite!
What a great idea for souvenirs, my thing used to be beer mats. Had a beer mat from every stop-off up the Australian East coast!
I’m with Jen, the Patagonia magnet is my favorite.
Thank you Kelly for your comment. I will certainly get in touch with you for a follow up post on the fridge magnet collections of my readers.
Cheers,
Keith
Enjoyed your blog post. Happy to find others who collect magnets as a memento of their travels. One of my favorites is the New York skyline before Sept. 11, 2001. I bought it on a trip in Jan of either 98 or 99. On that trip I visited the observation deck of one of the towers on a beautiful and unseasonbly warm January day. Another in my collection is from another of the world’s tallest buildings Taipei 101. I also create magnets from my personal travel photos to add to my collection. In addition to magnets, I collect Christmas ornaments when I travel.
great idea to write a post about fridge magnets! I am chasing at them when travelling but with a totally different philosophy. That’s part of a joke between my brother and me: trying to catch the most horrible, or ridiculous or trash magnet as a souvenir to each other. That’s real fun, because I happened to see things which I really considerend beyond any imagination…
cheers,
Thanks for your comment. I’ll get in touch with you about a follow up post and get other readers to contribute pics as well. That would be very cool! Thanks for the idea.
Cheers,
Keith
Great and fun article! Maybe do a follow up on Reader’s magnets. I bet you’ll get some gems there too.
Hahahahaha! If you read the comments below, you’ll see I’m not the only one! I’m sure you’ve got a couple hidden somewhere! LOL!
Cheers,
Keith
Oh god – how disgusting/awful/hilarious. Have you no shame!
Hi Keith! Nice to know I’m not the only one collecting them
But I have to admit, you have some unique ones in your collection.
Thanks for sharing,
Isabelle
Long Live the Fridge Magnets!
I used to collect those as well but now that my fridge is full of my kids’ artwork, dr. appointment reminder and other useless things. I have turned to collect Christmas Ornaments. It was fun to put up a tree and look at those ornaments we collects.
I love that you pick a rather unique magnet and seems to represent the place you visit like Oyster made from Bora Bora, Wool from Chile and Wood from Portland. Very neat!!
Thanks, Keith!
Also, I’m glad to see that you’ve included my home city, Toronto in your fridge magnet collection! What an honour!!
Thanks for the comments Gwen, Vera, Lisa & Jen!
Jen, that Patagonia wool sweater is my favourite too!
Btw, absolutely loved your latest Marrakech post! Wish I could take pictures like you! Wow!
Cheers,
Keith
What a great collection and nice post.
What a brilliant idea to collect fridge magnets! I especially like the Patagonia wool sweater. So crafty chic!
Good one, Keith. I regularly cull my fridge magnets and find it interesting to see the ones that keep surviving my moments of de-cluttering!
Cheers
Gwen McCauley
Thanks for sharing. They’re great! My collection is a little more expensive–ceramic tiles, which I hang on my kitchen wall, and line up on my kitchen counters. Some are artsy, but most are blatantly touristy.
Hi Gaby,
Thanks for commenting. Will have to go shopping for a Bali magnet soon!
Cheers,
Keith
And I used to collect magnetic telephone card from around the world!..Those fridge magnet are cute!! Yeah! Long live the fridge magnet!