VISITORS' RULES
Visitors entering the Fotomuseum Province of Antwerp are deemed to know and comply with the visitors’ rules. Any visitor can consult a copy of these regulations at the reception desk of the museum. In continuation, the Fotomuseum Province of Antwerp shall simply be referred to as Fotomuseum.
Access to the museum
The Fotomuseum is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. For security reasons, access can be denied to visitors arriving after 5.30 pm; the exhibition halls start closing 10 minutes before closing hour.
The Fotomuseum is closed on January 1, December 25 and on Mondays, unless a public holiday falls on a Monday. The museum will be open until 2 pm on 24 and 31 December, provided these dates do not coincide with the closing day.
Persons dressed or masked to the point where they are no longer recognisable will be refused entry to the museum.
Access to the halls
Article 1
Any person entering the exhibition space must be in possession of a valid entry ticket. Visitors should be able to present said entry ticket to the museum staff at any time.
All visitors should visibly wear the sticker obtained at the reception desk during their museum visit. The temporary or unexpected non-accessibility of some exhibition halls gives no right to reimbursement or reduction on the admission price, unless explicitly stated at the reception desk of the museum.
Article 2
The use of the unattended cloakroom is free. The Fotomuseum is not responsible for loss, theft or damage. After closing time, unclaimed items will be considered as lost items. The reception desk keeps lost items for a period of three weeks. Rightful owners can collect their belongings during the normal opening hours of the Fotomuseum. After the three-week period, the museum will transfer the lost items to the local police.
Article 3
It is prohibited to enter the exhibition halls and the halls of the permanent collection with the following articles:
-handluggage larger than 25 cm by 15 cm;
-walking-sticks with unprotected ends;
-umbrellas;
-objects which, by their very nature, constitute a threat for the safety of persons, artworks or buildings;
-pets, except guide dogs
-foods and beverages.
The above list is not exhaustive. The security personnel or official museum staff are authorised to assess whether an article may be taken into the museum or not.
Visitors refusing to store their prohibited articles in their car or the unattended cloakroom will be denied entrance to the museum.
Visitors' Ethics
Article 4
1. During the stay in the museum, visitors are expected to adopt an attitude consistent with public policy and good morals which does not interfere with other visitors.
Visitors are required to immediately follow the directions and instructions of the authorized Fotomuseum staff. Visitors failing to comply will be requested to leave the museum immediately.
2. Children under fourteen years old must be accompanied by adults.
Parents, attendants or teachers of children or groups of children are responsible and accountable for the conduct of the persons under their care. Group supervisors will receive a sticker that differentiates them from their group at the museum’s main desk.
Article 5
Visitors are responsible for the damage they may cause to (art) objects during their visit. They will have to compensate for the damage caused.
Article 6
It is also prohibited to:
- touch the exhibited objects, unless otherwise clearly indicated;
- run, push, slide or climb, lean against walls and lie or stand on the benches;
- intentionally obstruct or impede other visitors, obstruct entries and passage ways, in particular by sitting on the stairs;
- smoke or use drugs of any kind;
- use mobile phones, audio players or other sources of noise pollution;
- conduct trade, advertise, recruit or distribute propaganda, except with the express permission of the museum management.
This list is non-exhaustive.
Photography, Film and Video Recordings
Article 8
It is prohibited to make video and film recordings in the museum building, regardless of the recording device used, unless with express permission from the Fotomuseum’s Press and Communication manager. The same rules also apply to the use of microphone booms in the Fotomuseum. The application for permission must be addressed in writing to the Press and Communication manager at least one week in advance. Persons with permission to photograph will be required to visibly wear the sticker they have obtained at the reception desk during their museum visit.
Safety of Persons, Works of Art and Buildings
Article 9
In case of excessive crowding, riots or natural conditions which may endanger the safety of persons or property, partial or complete closure of the museum or the amendment of opening hours may be implemented, without entitlement to compensation or reimbursement of the entry ticket.
Article 10
Any unlawful or disruptive event may give rise to special measures, in particular the closure and control of all accesses and exits. This measure implies that visitors are expected to remain in the Fotomuseum until the arrival of the police.
Complaints and Suggestions
Article 11
- The visitor can never derive the right to compensation from the museum in the case of complaints and/or circumstances specified in continuance:
- the non-visibility or non-presence of objects from the collection of the Fotomuseum;
- the partial closure of the museum, including, but not limited to, partial closure due to the mounting or dismounting of exhibitions;
- inconvenience or discomfort caused by maintenance work, including but not limited to, renovation or refurbishing of one or more exhibition halls;
- inconvenience or discomfort caused by other visitors, including, but not limited to, noise pollution, inappropriate behaviour and theft;
- loss of goods;
- inconvenience or discomfort caused by the improper functioning of the museum facilities.
This list is non-exhaustive.
Visitors wishing to report complaints other than those in the abovementioned list are welcome to consult the complaints policy of the province of Antwerp at the reception desk and fill out a complaints form. A complaints form may also be registered with www.provant.be. The Fotomuseum’s complaints are handled by the museum director.
Article 12
Visitors can submit suggestions in writing or fill out a survey form at the reception desk.
Sanctions
Article 13
Visitors refusing to comply with the provisions of these Regulations will be requested to leave the Fotomuseum immediately. The museum staff will notify the police in case the visitor fails to do so.
Article 14
These rules are governed by Belgian law.
Article 15
All disputes arising from the provisions of these Regulations will be submitted for settlement to the courts of the judicial district of Antwerp.
This visitor’s rules of the Fotomuseum have been sanctioned by the Provincial Council of the Province of Antwerp on 25 November 2010 and have come into force as of that date.