The Smithsonian, on Tuesday, struck a blow against the rampaging pace of modernizing technology in our daily lives by banning the use of the selfie stick in its museums and galleries in Washington, D.C. Museum-going used to be a simple, even quaint act, but the marauding hordes of tourists wielding sticks to help them take the perfect selfie had apparently begun to cause social media–induced pileups at the Air and Space Museum.
“For the safety of our visitors and collections, the Smithsonian prohibits the use of tripods or monopods in our museums and gardens. Effective today, March 3, monopod selfie sticks are included in this policy,” the Smithsonian said in a statement. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t take selfies the old fashioned way—with your arm. “We encourage museum visitors to take selfies and share their experiences—and leave the selfie sticks in their bags.”
