Museum rules

In reference to my earlier post:
At the beginning of Classen's book there is a quote by Getty Museum (2004) stating rules of the museum:

-          DON’T run, push other people, or play in the museum.

-          DON’T touch pictures: Fingers and fingernails scratch varnish and paint.

-          DON’T touch picture frame: Fingers dislodge fragile gilding and very old wood.

-          DON’T touch furniture and sculpture: Oils from your fingers stain wood and stone and etch your fingerprints into metals.

-          DON’T enter the museum with crayons or pencils

-          If in a wheelchair, be careful that your foot-rest doesn’t bump into furniture or walls.

These rules came about when museums went public. The public included everyone from lower to upper class. The upper class saw it as disgusting to see the 'filthy commoners' touch all the artefacts as well as risking theft of the pieces. The lower class would, as seen in the eyes of the upper class, run around and touching everything with their dirty hands. They would push and shove each other. Because of these actions those from the higher class started on the creation of these rules. To the point where they are today as shown in this extract written in 2004.