MUSEUMS in Barcelona are beginning to ban 'selfie sticks' to prevent injuries to members of the public.
Poles of around 110 centimetres (3'7") to hold a mobile phone at a distance enabling their users to take better pictures of themselves are becoming rife in major tourist attractions and, although the Sagrada Família cathedral and the Barça Museum still allows them, several other venues in the city have added them to their banned list along with spiked umbrellas, large rucksacks, tripods, flashes, food and drink, chewing gum and animals other than guide dogs.
These so far include the Casa Amatller, the Casa Lleó i Morera, the Picasso Museum and the Catalunya National Art Museum.
The Sagrada Família is strict on 'any items which may cause danger or annoyance' to visitors or which 'impede the normal visiting process' of the cathedral, and bans skateboards, rollerskates, bikes, scissors, knives, highlighter pens, paint sprays, any clothing or accessories which prevents a person from being identified, and anyone entering under the influence of alcohol or drugs - but as yet, 'selfie sticks' are still permitted.
And the Barça FC Museum allows 'selfie sticks' as long as they are no more than 70 centimetres (2'3") long, even though it prohibits entry to visitors carrying objects weighing more than half a kilo (1.1lbs) and handbags, rucksacks and all other personal belongings are subject to searches.
The Barcelona History Museum is currently on the fence as to whether it will eventually ban 'selfie sticks', but as yet the La Pedrera, Casa Batlló, Barcelona Contemporary Art Museum (MACBA) and Barcelona Contemporary Culture Centre (CCCB) still allow them although their security guards keep a close watch on anyone using them to make sure they do not put any other visitors at risk.
Long umbrellas, motorbike helmets or any other object which may cause a nuisance or injury risk or damage any of the artefacts on display are banned from the CCCB, but its spokeswoman Irene Ruiz says at present the centre 'does not follow any concrete policy' about 'extendible poles'.
As the Picasso Museum does not allow photographing or filming anyway, a 'selfie stick' would not be of much use to visitors, although its luggage lockers for cameras and other personal effects are free of charge to use.
Other famous museums around the world are considering their stance on 'selfie sticks' - the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York has banned them, although the Louvre in Paris still allows them at the moment.
