Man Reportedly Ignores Museum Rules And Breaks Clock Exhibit, Surveillance Footage Goes Viral


Have you ever wanted to ignore museum rules?

All of the signs and warnings posted throughout the average museum may seem to make the overall experience very restrictive – a little too restrictive for some people. Most museums are filled with captivating exhibits that are posted in highly visible spots throughout the building.

The typical museum guest simply enjoys the average exhibit in passing, taking a moment to observe and examine it with their eyes instead of their hands. However, there is also the impulsive urge to touch an exhibit when there is a sign posted next to it that forbids you from doing so.

Perhaps it’s somehow connected to the childhood instinct to do something just because your parents told you not to do it. On the other hand, it could be based on the impulsive desire to “live on the edge” — a mentality that quite a few adventurous adults maintain long after their childhood years have ended. Whatever the reason for it, the reaction to break the rules and ignore posted warning signs seems to be an ongoing epidemic.

Sadly for one visitor at the US National Watch and Clock Museum, the “epidemic” led to him being caught breaking the rules on a surveillance camera in a now-viral video.

The museum is filled with a vast number of cherished clock exhibits — many of which have been preserved and maintained for many years. This is one of the reasons why the museum has enforced a “no touching” policy for its guests in order to continue protecting and preserving the condition of its fragile exhibits and showpieces.

However, as seen in the now-viral video, one man in particular apparently could not resist the urge to break the museum rules and touch one of the clocks. Unfortunately, his decision to touch the exhibit led to the clock being damaged. As shown in the footage, moments after he touched the clock, it fell to the floor and broke.

According to CBC News, Noel Poirier — the museum’s director — addressed the incident with a simple yet profound statement.

“I think it’s important that people and visitors are aware that there’s a reason for these policies. This is certainly a dramatic example of that… I think it’s a different kind of setting that a lot of folks aren’t used to. But, I’m not sure why folks really feel an entitlement, at times, to touch things that are not theirs.”

Even though it appears that the couple in the video tried to make a run for it after breaking the clock exhibit, Poirier confirmed that was not the case at all. According to Poirier, the couple “went out and tried to find a staff person to come help them and accumulate the other parts.”

The clock that was broken by the rule-breaking man was reportedly created by James Borden, an artist from the United States. According to the report, Borden has agreed to help repair the clock since the broken bits “can all be put back together.”
Perhaps after watching this viral video, you may think twice about ignoring museum rules the next time that you’re observing a captivating exhibit. At the very least, you will more than likely check the area for nearby surveillance cameras before doing so.

[Image Credit: Shutterstock]

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