No Photography, No Viewing?

We recently called it at the Battle of Britain Museum in kent and were astonished to see a sign saying "No Photography" - fortunately the museum was still closed and only the shop was open. Apparently someone broke in and stole a Meschersmitt control panel and it's suspected they took photos of it first before the heist.

However, the idea that we could arrive at a museum celebrating a british victory for freedom from oppression and face notices saying "No Photography, No Bags in the Museum, No Mobile Phones, No notebooks..." seems to me to be totally ludicrous. No notebooks?

Sorry, but that's just untenable and for me they can happily keep their museum and there will be No Viewing of the Exhibits either...

Perhaps they should display their exhibits in a darkened room so no one can tell whether there's anything worth stealing?

That sounds utterly ridiculous, I think I'll cross that off my list....

This is on their website:

"In keeping with common practice, on grounds of both security and copyright, we regret that no cameras, video recorders or any other types of recording equipment (including notebooks) are allowed in the Museum."

Common practice? And how security, or indeed copyright, could be breached by a notebook is beyond me....

They continue:

"Also, due to security issues and a theft from the museum in 2002 no bags, except handbags, are allowed in the museum."

Evidently thieves don't ever use handbags....or maybe only on the high street?

Do they allow people with photographic memories in?
The whole country is becoming bogged down and brought
to a halt by jobsworths

One to cross off the list then!

The Imperial War Museum at Duxford are far more welcoming and have a collection I doubt anyone else could match. Last time I went on a sunny day there was a Spitfire having some engine tests (so that gorgeous Merlin startup noise on several occasions) and the Land Warfare curators were playing with some of the exhibits in the space at the back of their building, including a Daimler Ferret scout car which seemed intent on getting stuck in the muddiest hole it could find but failed to do so!

The RAF Museum at Cosford is worth a look for photography too. Free entry, there is a charge for parking but it's worth every penny. They have an incredible collection of prototype and experimental aircraft along with examples of all three V-bombers.

Didn't you know, John, that according to Channel 5, the Germans won the Battle of Britain! Perhaps that is why photography is banned amongst others!

Do they sell postcards and souvenir books? I often find that lots of places that ban photography (using the poor excuse of security) then insist on selling postcards and books showing their most expensive artefacts! I personally think it's in a bid to make you spend more money!! I just wish these places were honest about their reasons for not allowing photography, instead of hiding behind the security excuse.

I'm sure anyone interested in stealing, could just use the internet to find images, or simply buy themselves a guide book! If these places are so concerned about theft, they should invest in CCTV and allow photographers to catch the tea leaf in action!

Fiona

How big a bag do you need to spirit away an obsolete chunk of aeroplane. Mine is adequate for my K10 and a few filters.

There were no restrictions when I visited them 4 years ago, but I was using 35mm film then and didn't bother anyway. It is nice to know that the National Trust have opened up to photographers. I suppose a Chippendale Bureau is a bit big for a camera bag though.

My wifes handbag might get close, its got just about everything else we might need on a fortnights holiday, including.......

Bernard

The no photography bit annoyed me, but it lost all sense of being on this planet when it came to no notebooks...I notice on the website they refuse to refund if you go in with a camera and they want to take it from you later and they threaten they could call the police.

What an unfriendly and foolish base to start from.

It does occur to me that there may be a campaign to be had from pushing for "gift aid" and similar state assistance to privately owned museums to come with a few strings, including allowing people to take any photos they like for non-profit use?

I would imagine the Police absolutely love them. Never mind their actual purpose of enforcing the law and protecting the public, they've been scrambled to a museum where someone was taking photos of bits of ME109 and the owners are demanding action!

Grounds for a prosecution for wasting Police time, perhaps?

A simple two tiered approach would suffice...

Notice of policy regarding photography and videography:

Professional or commercial use:
We offer commercial and professional photo tours by appointment only.
The use of any images taken on these premises for commercial purposes subject to payment of fees.
The use of a camera on these premises constitutes an agreement to pay those fees.

Non Commercial or non professional uses:
You are free to take photos and video providing your activities do interfere with others enjoyment.
No tripods, or bright lights.
any images of our property or exhibits used commercially subject to payment of fees.
The use of a camera on these premises constitutes an agreement to pay those fees.

I could live with reasonable restrictions..... and wouldn't mind paying a reasonable fee to shoot indoors.

Now if Armstrong & Miller had been the norm for the Battle of Britain we would now have no Museum to view - eh blood ? Maybe the H&S brigade should read their own history books - without photos from holidaymakers to France there would have been a lot more Allied casualties because of unknown terrain !

Tony ( RAF Cosford fan )

They really do need to decide if they want people to come and view the exhibits there or not .

Visitors provide income for them - and I'm sure that all income is most welcome.

Don's suggestion above seems reasonable to me - and of course they can stipulate that any photos taken , NON-COMMERCIALLY, are not used on the Internet - yes it would preclude any being posted here , but as we all know there are ways round that.

To do a blanket ban as they have done is frankly ridiculous .

Cross that one off my list then. I went to Angelsey Abbey near Cambridge this weekend. It is a National Trust property and they were happy for me to take photos as long as I wasn't doing so professionally. That chimes well with Don's suggestion.

The no notebooks part is just daft.

K.

One of my passions is medieval carvings, usually found in cathehdrals and the like. I always sent the verger a CD containing copies of all the photographs I've taken. All I ask in return is that any they use for whatever purpose, are credited to me. It might be naive and over the top but as I'm an amateur I won't be getting paid anyway.

Surely a similar arrangement could be organised by them so that they are never short of advertising material. Also any item which is stolen will at least have been documented, probably in much better detail than their own and as such be available to the likes of "Crimewatch" etc

The British Museum and Science Museum, as I recall, are happy with photographers as long as tripods are not used (a monopod is apparently considered to be a tripod??). I would have thought that the value of the items on show is much higher than Kent's finest.

I don't recall any bother at Yeovil either

I'll also fly the flag for Cosford - great day out. It is chargeable on Airshow Days I'm told

Bernard