Mishap
One Selfie, Three Priceless Vases
A backward step with a very forward camera
Share
Image: Wikimedia Commons (public domain)
Incident ReportCOA / MISHAPS
Accidental Damage Rating
- Repair Cost
- Extensive
- Curator's Blood Pressure
- 94%
- Embarrassment Level
- 9/10
- Recovered?
- Partially
- Selfie Involved?
- Emphatically yes
A visitor backing into a display pedestal to take a selfie toppled a stand holding three delicate Qing dynasty ceramic vessels. All three shattered.
Few museum accidents have gone viral quite like the selfie mishap in which a visitor, edging backward for the perfect photo, lost his balance against a pedestal.
The stand tipped, and three fragile Qing dynasty vessels crashed to the floor. Security footage caught other visitors freezing in disbelief as fragments scattered across the gallery. Sometimes the perfect selfie comes at an imperfect price.