A few months ago, the long closed Reading Room inside the British Museum reopened to the public, but with a strict, and strictly enforced no photography rule.
They’ve now dropped the photo ban, and doesn’t it look amazing?
There is a small caveat that, quite reasonably, they ask that you don’t take photos of the staff working there, as the Reading Room is still used by staff as it’s their archive store.
Enforcing a ban on taking a photo of a building always seems odd, as it’s not the sort of thing that’s protected by copyright or the like, and yet theatres etc can get very sniffy if you want to photograph the auditorium while getting settled in for the play.
The British Museum tried to ban photos, but realistically, it’s going to take a person of considerable moral character to walk into the Reading Room and not want to sneak a photo, or ten of it.
It’s a remarkable space after all — and now people can share it on their social media networks and give the museum a ton of free publicity.
Now, all they need to do is remove the frosted glass over the windows next to the restaurant, and a much-missed place to sit for a meal on a Friday evening overlooking the Reading Room will be back again.
The Reading Room is now open daily when the British Museum is open, and there are also free 20-minute tours every Tuesday at 11am and 12pm. Be aware that the tours are subject to cancellation. If you are unsure, please ask at the Information Desk in the Great Court.
This article was published on ianVisits
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