Selfie sticks banned in Taiwan museums

(Photo : Xinhua)

After a long list of museums and other attractions around the world banned selfie sticks, four major museums in Taiwan have jumped on the bandwagon to outlaw their use.

Selfie sticks or camera extension poles used to take self-portraits are now prohibited in the National Palace Museum (NPM) and Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM) in Taipei, the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMFA) in Taichung and the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts (KMFA). The four museums join the worldwide movement to ban the use of the trendy gadget, which quickly became popular in many countries.

The policies enacted by museums and galleries throughout Europe and the USA to protect the safety of exhibits and maintain the quality of visitor experience are cited as the main reason toward this step.

A logical explanation is that the long wands could possibly damage the exhibits in museums and galleries and potentially cause injuries as well, especially in crowded or compact areas of the venues. Ancient artifacts, vulnerable paintings and artworks could also be damaged. Moreover, the sticks might interfere with other visitors moving through the display areas.

NTMFA put out a notice on its entrance on March 13 banning the use of selfie sticks, tripods and flash attachments throughout the museum. At NPM, photography is not allowed in the indoor space, but is permitted in outdoor areas. The TFAM specifically prohibited its use earlier this month and made announcements on the museum website, at the entrance and ticket counter. In Kaohsiung, KMFA imposed the ban after the organizers found out that the gadgets were affecting the quality of visitor experience and creating concerns over possible damage or injuries.