The National Gallery in London is allowing visitors to take photographs of its collection for the first time after staff realised they were fighting a losing battle against mobile telephone cameras.
The change in policy came after it was found to be increasingly difficult to differentiate between guests using their mobile phones to research paintings on the gallery's free Wi-Fi and those trying to take photographs.
Having encouraged the public to interact with the gallery on social media, it will now lift the ban on photography in its main public collection.
It brings the National Gallery into line with other British art institutions, including the Tate, which permits photographs of its permanent collection. Both galleries will maintain restrictions on the public photographing temporary exhibitions, for reasons of copyright.
The National Portrait Gallery has restrictions on temporary exhibitions and certain works, which are individually marked.
