Should I Take Photos in Art Museums? If So, What Kind?

Are you the kind of museum-goer that loves to take photos of artworks? Or the kind that thinks artworks should only be appreciated by eyes, not camera lens? Read on and see if my take on this will get you to think differently about taking photos in museums.

Photo by Author at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Photo Title: The Girl Who Wanted the Moon. Original Moon Photos by Charles Le Morvan.

When I travel to different cities around the world, visiting art museums is one of my go-to activities. Even I have been disappointed by boring cities, the museums within those cities would still spark joy and inspiration. Since the very beginning when I started to visit museums, there is a question that always lingers in my mind — Should I take photos in a museum? Of course, I am not talking about those no-photo-allowed kinds of exhibitions. Even for the ones that don’t have any photography restrictions, should I? In this story, let me share with you my take on this topic, and then show you what kind of photos do I take in art museums.

Should I take photos in museums?

Photo by Author at Mori Arts Center Gallery, Tokyo. Artwork by Takashi Murakami.