- Keep the talk to a bare minimum, and whisper. Marble echoes terribly.

Do NOT take flash photos without prior approval. Make sure that you take a camera which allows you to turn the flash function off. If you happen to enter a church during a mass or service, stand silently in the back. If you wish to stay, walk to a side pew. Don’t walk down the center aisle. Do your part in art preservation. Refrain from taking flash photos of tapestries, paintings, and frescoes. The intense light of a flash deteriorates paint, and greatly accelerates the aging of other works of art. Even daylight is harmful to some more fragile works, and for this reason many churches keep their artworks in dark chapels, and some are illuminated only on request, or by pressing a button. NEVER use a flash on works displayed in this manner.

Mosaics and sculptures are usually safe to photograph using a flash, but, as stated, you should ask permission to do so. It really shouldn’t be necessary, though. You can find all but the most obscure works of art on postcards, which usually cost less than the price of a photo, and are typically of better quality than any picture you might take. If you are desperate to take pictures of paintings, you may do so without a flash by using very high-speed film - 1000 ASA or better. Those who intend to take a number of photos of works of art probably know more about this subject than I do, but ) recommend that you bring twice as much film as you think you will need. Some museums, such as the Prado, if I remember correctly, sell this stuff, but it is likely to be old, and you will have to take out a second mortgage to buy more than a few rolls.