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I agree that there are some museums for whom security extends to photography and videography. The Holocaust museums in Washington, Los Angeles and New York, and the Museums of Tolerance are a few such museums in the US. Actually, they are also worried about weapons coming in via “so-called” photographic equipment.

That being said, after talking with countless museums about their photographic policies, both in the US and Europe, it seems clear that their photography bans (altogether or only flash) are generally based on three main themes:

1. Copyright & Sales – the museum wants to limit photographic, and video images of their objects and exhibits which may infringe on copyrights, and may reduce sales of catalogs, and their photographs and video of the same.

2. Damage to Art – the museums are concerned with some works of art which will degrade from exposure to UV light from electronic flashes. Actually with more and more museums putting more paintings and drawings under protective glass, this problem is quickly disappearing for the most part.

3. Interference with visitors’ experiences – the museums have rightly concluded
that one of the most annoying things that visitors do to each other is take incessant flash photos. When last in the Louvre, in front of the Mona Lisa, much of the time, while trying to photograph it myself (see above) I constantly fought flash reflections, and red dots from digital cameras focusing. (I didn’t use a flash, and I used manual focus.) It was awful, as it was at many of the more famous works of art there. The Louvre needs to enforce its flash ban.

For most museums, in my opinion, banning photography, especially still photography, for security sake, is a waste of time. In most museums you can get a map, and easily note where things are. Plus for a dedicated terrorist, they will find a way to document, even surreptitiously via photos, the museum. In many cases, the Louvre, for example, you can even get a detailed map on the Internet.