I love visiting museums and art galleries. Unfortunately, in this day and age of selfie sticks and Instagram posts, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to really lose oneself in the experience. I miss the days when galleries were solemn and respectful, with people taking in the art and maybe sitting quietly as they sketched. Now, it’s all about crowding around and documenting everything on social media. Do you really need a selfie in front of every single thing?
While I appreciate that perhaps this is just the modern way of sharing art and culture with the masses, things do get out of hand. Take this story of a family who ignored a British museum’s barricades and warnings so that they could photograph their child INSIDE (can you imagine?) an 800-year-old coffin. The artifact ended up being knocked over in the process. Rather than ‘fess up, the family fled, leaving officials to find the broken coffin.
All of this could have been avoided if the family had heeded the rules and been respectful. Causing so much damage just to get an incredibly tasteful photo is unconscionable.
Good museum etiquette means enjoying the displays in a quiet, respectful manner. If photos are not allowed, don’t take them. If you’re not supposed to touch or enter, don’t. It’s still possible to have an enriching time without ruining everyone else’s experience.