Selfie Stick To Be Banned From Museums

Museum of Modern Art
image: amazon.com

With the selfie stick being one of the most popular holiday gifts last year, it would probably be safe to assume that it makes for a popular travel item too.

I’ll say it right away, no I do not own a selfie stick nor do plan to purchase one. However, I do see where they could come in handy. As an example, I’d probably use it to take photos over a crowd if I had one.

While traveling, I have noticed more and more of the item and have to say that it does look pretty ridiculous. Imagine that $20 selfie stick malfunctioning, dropping a pricey smart phone to the floor…

During our visit to Orlando last weekend, someone wielding a selfie stick got in the way of my photo taking and it was really annoying! We were at Disney, watching one of the parades, standing in the second row. Another onlooker sitting right up front decided to extend her selfie stick to take photos of the action which was right in front of her. Thanks Selfie Stick girl for ruining some of my photos…

Kim came across an article from Gothamist which seems like a great plan but it’s not good news for selfie stick lovers.

Some museums are starting to ban the selfie stick with MoMA being the first one to do so in New York.

According to the article, “The museum has never permitted visitors to use additional equipment or devices other than handheld cameras, so this ban falls in line with their past restrictions“.

How do you feel about the selfie stick? Useful item or stilly item that can be extremely annoying to others?

I hope more museums follow suit and ban the selfie stick. Along with museums, sporting events should ban them if they haven’t already do so.

Find out more from Gothamist about the Selfie Stick Ban here.

(Disclaimer: The image above has a link to the product which pays me a small commission if you make a purchase.)

8 thoughts on “Selfie Stick To Be Banned From Museums

  1. CB- The selfie stick encourages people to take photos on their own without having to ask a stranger for a favor IMO… As annoying s it is, it’s a pretty smart & simple invention.

    When it comes to travel, photo taking or much anything else in life, everyone has their own opinions. I hear where you are coming from but I like to take photos of most sites with me & my family in them as well as on their own…. (and no we don’t have or plan to ever use a selfie stick!)

  2. MichaelW- I take pictures to help preserve the memories of travel. I respect that others might want to take the same pictures without me in them. I never pose in front of something; neither I nor anyone else traveled to take my picture. The selfie stick encourages people to interfere with others’ enjoyment of something.

    PS – I have no pictures of myself at Angkor Wat, only the magnificent temples and trees. For scale and contrast, I took a picture of some young monks in colored robes (after asking permission). I think think my family, friends, and I enjoy those shots far more than pictures of me.

  3. CB- While I am not a fan generally speaking of “selfies” (hate even saying it), I don’t see why you wouldn’t want to be in photos with the “somethings” you mention? For example- So you go to Angkor Wat and you ony take photos of the temples and don’t want to be in any of the pictures? That to me is also odd. I think it’s best to take photos of the attraction/ site by itself and also while being in it.

    Alice Pattinson- I could see plenty of reasons- possibly damaging something, holding up the crowd, getting in the way of other people’s photos etc….

  4. It is only reasonable to ban “extendable sticks” around irreplaceable art worth, collectively, billions of dollars.

    Now if only we could ban “selfies” altogether. I will never understand why people want a picture of themselves next to something instead of a picture of the “something” itself.

  5. Jon- Thanks for that clarificiation. lol

    L- The selfie stick is really annoying but I can see it being useful for select instances. Can’t say that I want one though!

  6. One of the Smithsonian’s is banning the stick so all of them may do it. I would be glad. These things are annoying. I tried to get around people walking in Time Square and could not get around because they were too busy filming themselves walking down the street. Get a life and enjoy what is around you. Quit worrying about posting your entire trip on Social Media. No one really cares if you were walking down the street in Times Square.

  7. MoMA is not *starting* to ban the selfie stick…as they said, they are simply confirming that their *existing* ban of additional equipment or devices other than handheld cameras also applies to selfie sticks.

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