As a university museum with active undergraduate and graduate fine arts
programs, we would be inconsistant not only with the educational mission of
an art museum, but also with the educational mission of the UNIVERSITY
mission if we were to ban sketching.  Further, as we restrict photography
(no flash, no tripods, advance permission, etc.) sketching is the only
option left to our students.  We do, though, ask students to use pencil
rather than pen.

Jennifer Jaskowiak
University of Southern California
Fisher Gallery

>A few smaller museums have begun to prevent visitors who are taking notes in
>loan exhibitions from making sketches in their notebooks of the works on
>display.
>The banned sketching activity does NOT involve wet media, easels, tripods or
>any equipment other than a pen and a small notebook.  Do you support such a
>ban or do you oppose it as inconsistent with the educational mission of an
>art museum?