One may use flash photography for dinosaur, mineral, geology, bird, mammal,
botany, and arctic halls, but not Ancient Egypt.  Tripods need special permission
anywhere! As does anything with an electrical cord to be plugged in.
Travelling exhibit photography is also not officially permitted.  We joke that
the curators would like the lights out altogether, all the time in our Egyptian
hall...oh, the compromises we make for our public :-) Lenore Adler CMNH