Major museums and organizations across the world continue to ban selfie sticks

Justin Kahn

Posts: 752   +6

The selfie stick has become quite popular among those looking to take photos of themselves and friends. But it appears the move to push out the extension poles is continuing to pick up steam as more and more public organizations and event locations place bans on products of that nature.

Soccer stadiums in Europe have already placed bans on selfie sticks and now several museums around the world are following suit. In many cases, it appears the reasoning is simply due to fear of precious artworks being damaged. 

On top of a number of other establishments looking into the issue like Versailles palace and Centre Pompidou, the Smithsonian recently placed a band on selfie poles that went into effect as of last week. Reports suggest visitors are being asked to leave selfie poles concealed at the Louvre as well.

It doesn’t stop there though. Other major establishments and museums that have placed a ban on selfie poles include MOMA and the Met in New York, the National Gallery in Washington DC, Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Art in Seattle and the Getty Center in LA. 

In some cases the ban is simply an extension of existing rules that prevent photography umbrellas, large tripods and other equipment, but there is also “the obnoxious factor” at play here, as one museum spokesperson put it.

Image via Shutterstock

Permalink to story.

 
Besides obnoxious, selfie sticks are unfashionable. Could these sticks be tourist new fanny pack?
 
I never knew those things ever got popular in the first place. I've seen maybe two different people walking while talking to a camera mounted on them, but that's it.
 
Call me old (fashioned) but I haven't seen a more stupid contraption in a long time. What's wrong in just asking the person next to you to help you take a photo ? Good thing they're not allowing them.
 
I have to agree with most of the comments here, and I don't think I'd buy one although it could come in handy if you are traveling alone and don't want to ask people to keep taking pics for you.
 
These things are also used by some vloggers so they can include themselves in YouTube type videos as they walk around whatever they are taking videos of. I can see that some places might want to restrict them for legitimate reasons but, generally, just using them as you walk around I don't have a problem with it. I don't feel the need to control others just because I wouldn't use the stick myself.
 
I agree with everyone here. I'm sick of these ******* tourists who want to commemorate their visits to places with a picture of themselves and the people they choose to go with. Can you believe their audacity, to want to look back and remember their visit to someplace. Why not just hand your fragile, $600 electronic device, that might now contain your wallet, plane tickets, personal information, etc to some random ******* on the street to get a picture taken of you next to the Louvre. Makes perfect sense. I don't even think they should allow cameras, make people sketch photos of themselves. /sarcasm

I think people are just against these sticks because they have the word selfie in front, and that brings to mind the stereotypical selfie taker. Not sure why the museums are against them, don't they have enough trouble with attendance to start banning random things like this?
 
"
I think people are just against these sticks because they have the word selfie in front, and that brings to mind the stereotypical selfie taker. Not sure why the museums are against them, don't they have enough trouble with attendance to start banning random things like this?"

Seems perfectly reasonable to me. I'd rather lose money than put up with seeing people take selfies everyday. Day after day. I know I would have zero faith in humanity seeing so many selfies.

What does it matter though? The more places that ban selfies the better.
 
Besides, maybe one day hopefully not too far in the future selfies will be practically gone.
 
I don't see anything wrong with these things. If people want to use them, use them. They're not hurting you. Now in places like this article mentioned, I would have to agree. These don't need to be in places where they could potentially accidentally hit a picture, priceless artifact or ancient statue. But for any other use, people just need to shut up and get over it. Personally, I think they look stupid but so what. I'm not going to call someone a Narcissist. If they want a picture of themselves at a famous spot without handing over their $600 phone then there's nothing wrong with that. Anytime I ask a stranger to take a pic of me and my girlfriend when we go visiting places, I spend the whole time during the process getting ready to run in case the person decides they want my phone. And I'd much rather hand over my phone than my $1200 camera.
 
Back