In July 2017 a woman visiting a Los Angeles museum knocked over some pedestals while trying to take a selfie. It caused $200,000 in damage. (See Kovels Komments August 9, 2017.) Recently a group of four women in Yekaterinburg, Russia, were trying to take a selfie with an “artsy” background and knocked over a partition displaying a Goya etching and Dali’s interpretation of the etching. Only the frame of the Goya work was damaged, but Dali’s picture had a cut from the broken glass. The museum said the women were not very well behaved, but it was an accident as they were trying to take a selfie with the artworks in the background. They don’t plan to arrest anyone.
I do not see a selfie being taken in the related video, just odd behavior that has nothing to do with expected museum etiquette. One woman is beside the wall knocking it over, while another is taking a picture of the wall with art on it.
Museums are not playgrounds where as some visitors treat them as such. And yes, given people do not know how to behave at museums, displays need to be taking that into consideration.
Or people not familiar with museum etiquette could be charged a premium for insurance costs on admission.
When I saw the small partition that fell over, It really surprised me. That could have fallen on a child and killed them. Every display that allows people to get close to it, should be anchored to the floor or have some secure bracing. How many children have died when tall dressers fell on them. That’s why parents should attach them to the wall. That is a huge liability for the museum, and one that they might be able to get sued about, if anyone got hurt because of their negligence. Yes, the women might not have been well behaved, but the museum has a first responsibility to set up safe displays.
…….and in October, a couple fell to their deaths from Taft Point in Yosemite National Park. His brother said they were probably taking a selfie at the very edge of the cliff.
Cell Phones are here to stay. “Selfies”, even though completely un-necessary, are probably here to stay also.
This will happen again. Children will still “touch” things, people will also.
Museums and display spaces are going to have to protect themselves….not by arresting stupid or uncaring people (which won’t stop the next one), but by making sure people can’t cause damage…whatever it takes. It’s just “the cost of doing business”.
No matter how you feel about it, you can not “globally” change human behavior.
The museum bears the bulk of the blame as they failed to display the art work more carefully. It looks like the display panel not being secured is an accident just waiting to happen…one little bump and down it comes!