LOWER EAST SIDE — The Lower East Side Tenement Museum is letting shutterbugs break its “no photos” rule in a special event next month.
The museum’s “Snapshot” program on Dec. 4 will let visitors whip out their cameras — and their phones — while walking through the building’s meticulously restored tenement apartments and German saloon.
“It’s a rare opportunity to just photograph the experience [of visiting the Tenement Museum],” said Jon Pace, its communications director.
Although many museums have relaxed their photo policies as cellphone cameras have become ubiquitous, the Tenement Museum has held fast to its indoor photography restriction, making it one of the few institutions in the city where picture-taking of any kind is prohibited for the most of the year.
“For us we believe that photography takes away from the unique visitor experience at the museum. All our tours are led by educators so we are trying to facilitate an interactive experience with our visitors,” Pace said.
“It really is what makes us unique.”
The “Snapshot” event will be a less formal visit. Museum staffers will escort photographers through the building but only offer a brief history of the 19th- and 20th-century families that lived there before giving participants time to explore the area on their own.
A cash bar and complimentary snacks from Russ and Daughters will also be available at the museum's Visitor Center and Gift Shop at 103 Orchard St., which will be open later than usual.
Tickets are $30 per person, with start times at 6:30 and 8 p.m. For tickets or for more information, visit the museum’s website.
