You may have visited many museums, and you may have come across many sculptures or portraits or paintings that are decades or even centuries old. Many historical pieces of art are kept for public attraction. They are preserved with intensive care and maintained under vigilance. But, have you ever wondered, if you accidentally trip onto any of this priceless artwork and result in breaking them? But not much happens after this!
There are two reasons why it is no big deal: one is that museums have a right insurance cover for any such loss. Second, the people who own the museum understand that such kind of accidents may happen. Many such cases are also reported where no charges were pressed against individuals who accidentally damaged a piece of artwork. Instead, the worst that could occur in this instance is that you will be banned for a lifetime from the museum.
Here’s one such case
For example, Nick Flynn, a man who tripped over his shoelace and broke 17th-century vases worth 175,000 Euros. He damaged three of them, and Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge only banned him for a particular period. They warned him with a notice saying, ‘do not enter the museum and do not visit the museum soon’. Yes, that is it! He wasn’t even permanently banned from the museum. It was just a temporary thing. Also, the museum didn’t even reveal his identity to save him from embarrassment.
Destroyed Masterpiece of $1,500,000!
Another incidence is of a 12-year-old boy who fell on a 350-year-old painting, worth $1,500,000. It was a painting Flowers by Paola Porpora. The organisers of this exhibition ensured that the kid or any of his family members are not to be blamed and they are not liable to pay any penalty. In all such similar cases, no charges were put on the person who accidentally damaged something in the museum. They were forgiven considering this as an honest mistake.
