This Canada museum is 'cool' with selfies

Toronto, July 16
"When taking a selfie in costume don't get too crazy, wear only one costume at a time, please" and "when attempting to take a selfie with a dinosaur, please ensure the dinosaur is actually in the shot".

These are some of the selfie guidelines put out by Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) and mark a welcome digression from the strict selfie rules formulated by most museums and galleries which actually discourage clicking selfies.

The light-hearted guide pokes fun at selfies oft gone wrong, advising visitors to "look closely" when mimicking a statue, avoid snapping shots in the bat cave, where low lighting ruins photos, and make sure heads line up with well-placed antlers mounted on walls for creative snaps, Toronto Star reported.

A safe selfie guide Russia put out this year -- after a hundred people were injured and a handful died while taking selfies -- was the inspiration, ROM spokesperson Cheryl Fraser was quoted as saying by Star.

"We have always wanted to be a fun and inspiring space," Fraser said.

ROM's approach is in stark contrast with most museums across the globe, such as New York's Museum of Modern Art, Rome's Colosseum and London's National Gallery, which have banned selfie sticks.

However, the guidelines do not leave safety to the winds.

An instruction reads: "We know a good selfie is important, but please do not interrupt other visitors to get your shot."

And, "GUYS! The stairs in the Museum are a safety first, not a selfie first zone."

Another says: "Barriers are there for a reason, please do not cross them, even if it means missing a great selfie opportunity."

The museum attracts around one million visitors a year.