Camera's at Museums

No one actually took my camera away from me. They said "no photos" and I just put my camera in my purse and that was that. Unfortunately a lot of people still try to take pictures, sometimes the guards do something, sometimes not. But nowhere in either Rome or Florence did any museum actually take any of my stuff. So, no worries!

In July, we were standing in front of David in the Accademia in Florence along with a lot of other people. Many of these individuals seem to be talking on their cell phones--ha, ha! I turned to my husband and indicated that people were taking pictures--he said they weren't the only ones. As previous posters have said, IF they see you taking a photo or video, they will tell you to put it away. Have fun!

Like Debra said - they won't take your camera away or deny you entry if you have one on you. Just keep it in your bag. There will be guards in each gallery and if they see you trying to take a photo, they'll just tell you to put it away.

Michael - We were able to take pictures in the Louvre (no flash) and also at the Musee D'Orsay and at the Vatican Museum. The Prado would not let us even take our camera out...we had to have our bags scanned at most museums but we were surprised at how many places we COULD take pictures...it all depends on the particular museum. In Florence, we could keep our bags but could not take pictures at the Academia Museum (so no David photos) and I think the same held for the Uffizi. We just returned last Sunday and have wonderful pictures of Rome and Florence! Enjoy your trip!
Tom and Sherry Trojanowski

We had the same experience as Debra above. In most museums, we had to check our day packs but we did not have to check our cameras. Mine was around my neck most of the time but I didn't take pictures where I wasn't supposed to. Some museums, such as the Bargello, Science Museum and the Duomo Museum permit photos. Others don't. As Debra stated, we saw people trying to take pictures anyway. Enforcement wasn't always on top of it. We saw somebody take a flash picture of David at the Accademia and the security was most attentive to that situation. We saw the cell phones also.

They won't take away your camera. I too have seen the cell phones out - and did see one guard at The David escort a young gentleman out - but only because he argued with the guard...

the big issue is using a flash; then u will be promptly asked to refrain..i think it was the Borghese i was asked to stop, i went in another room, and there was someone taking a photo.....if i had a chance to do it again? i would be cautious, and when "the coast is clear" would try to photo[NO flash]...it is kinda a dumb rule..the issue with flashes is that it might degredate the paintings, but with the new technology dosen't seem so, and it CERTAINLY dosen't apply to marble statues..then again i can see it would bother other patrons..i did manage to take a few shots in various museums, and looking back, regret i didn't do more..the national museum in naples is ok with taking pics.

There really doesn't seem to be a firm rule on this. I was in the Sistine Chapel earlier in the year and the noise from people speaking and the lights from flashes going off was incredible. The guards were constantly saying 'no talking' and 'no pictures' but they were being totally ignored. I'm sure you'd get away with a low key approach, just don't be too obvious. I have been in other churches in Florence with large signs saying 'no photos' and no one takes any notice at all.

Most museums and churches allow camera with no flash. Beyond that, why not obey the rule? It is to protect the art and/or decoration from damage. Yes, I well know that many churches and museums use the rule to sell more cards and souvenirs. BUT, people who wantonly break the rule are not being very good tourist and are adding to the dislike some institutions now have for American Tourists in particular. Besides, having watched many of you take pictures, I am dead certain that any postcard you buy will be infinitely better than the pictures you take.

We were in many, many museums in Rome, Florence, Amsterdam, and we did not take any photos where we weren't supposed to. Why be labeled as a rude American? We did see several cameras taken away from people--have no idea what their nationalities were--who just refused to behave and took flash photos all over the place.
It's rude in the Sistine Chapel, because, in spite of all the tourists, it's still a chapel.
Some places don't mind, most do.

We found that most places sell fantastic postcards (better photos than we can manage), so we just got those, and the occasional book of the museum.

Besides, nobody's going to try and steal your postcards. :)

i take a mini tripod, and do timed exposures so I can avoid using a flash- look at the rules on entry, and just STOP if a guard asks you to.

its funny, you can flash away ad infinitum in St. Peter's, but in Dominican churches they really have a cow if you try to take pictures.

finally... the books you can purchase, for generally less than 10 Euros at most museums will have professional lit and photographed reproductions of the items you'd like to shoot. in some museums, they have DVDs or JPEG CDs as well...all much better than you could shoot yourself, amongst the crowds. better still you can get more enjoyment out of your time NOT shooting, rather enjoying!