Basic rules of conduct in a museum

It is well known that every institution has some rules of conduct. As very important institutions of history, culture, and science, museums as well have certain rules of conduct. You can see some of these rules written at the entrance to the museum or in front of an exhibit.

It is generally known that visitors should not eat in the museum or bring their pets along. They should not touch the exhibits unless stated otherwise by the staff as they may damage them. Furthermore, it is quite obvious that visitors should not run around the museum because this increases the risk of causing damage. Photographing may be prohibited, but this is usually stated very explicitly at the museum.

Here are some more rules that visitors tend to forget and which are very important if you want to have a pleasurable experience in a museum.

Stay quiet

Many people don’t go alone to a museum and they may want to share their opinions and impressions regarding the exhibits with their companions. Of course, talking is not prohibited but there is no need to be loud and make noise. It is perfectly fine to talk in a light manner with the person near you, but you should definitely avoid shouting. Also, you should put your phone in silent mode and explain to your children that they should be as quiet as possible. If you keep making noise, you will attract the attention of the security staff and you may be asked to leave the museum.

Check your bags

A lot of museums have a bag check area close to the entrance, so you should take advantage of this and enjoy taking a stroll around the museum without having to carry your bag or coat around. Some museums require their visitors to check their bags while others leave the decision up to you. It is strongly recommended that you leave your bag at the bag check area and bring only those things that you absolutely need. You certainly don’t want your bag to tip an exhibit or cause some accident. After all, if you happen to need something from your bag, you can simply go back to the bag check area and take it.

Don’t crowd an exhibit

It is quite understandable that most visitors want to see the most exciting exhibits that a museum has to offer and it is not unusual to see a big crowd around those pieces. However, such behavior is not desirable because fewer people can see the exhibit properly and some people may be tempted to push and shove.

Rules of conduct are there to the benefit of all visitors, so make sure that you follow them.