Will 2016 be the year virtual reality gaming takes off?

The first wave of VR headsets flopped, but soon the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR will go on sale – and they’re going to be much, much better

Fashion lessons from Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Now you’ve seen the film – and know it’s good – what style pointers can you take from a galaxy far, far away?

10 of the best museum shops around the world

It’s not always a case of avoiding the ‘exit through the gift store’ bit. These striking and creatively stocked museum shops are worth a visit in their own right
What are your favourite museum shops? Let us know where and why in the comments below

Rowan Moore: the best architecture of 2015

From dumb towers to cool interventions, 2015 saw the gap widen between the big and brainless and the small and thoughtful

Observer critics’ reviews of the year in full

Bicester Village: top UK tourist attraction and shopping Shangri-la

Bargains, glamour and its own railway station – no wonder Bicester is one of Britain’s top tourist attractions, says Eva Wiseman

Greenpeace exposes sceptics hired to cast doubt on climate science

Sting operation uncovers two prominent climate sceptics available for hire by the hour to write reports on the benefits of rising CO2 levels and coal