The annoying selfie sticks that tourists often use to film themselves while haphazardly walking and inevitably bumping into others have been characterized as “tripods”. The National Gallery in London and the former royal residence of Versailles near Paris recently joined Rome’s Colosseum in banning the sticks. According to an announcement in Versailles, the measure was taken “in order to protect paintings, individual privacy and the overall visitor experience.”
There is concern that the sticks act like extendable arms, allowing a broader field of vision but also causing accidents as hundreds of sticks twirl around.
It is believed that the Pompidou Museum and Louvre are likely to follow suit.
