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[Dalek]

Museum visitors' photo stunt damages 800-year-old coffin

An 800-year old coffin on display in a museum was damaged when a child was placed inside it to pose for a photograph.

The ancient artefact, which is housed at Prittlewell Priory Museum in Southend, Essex, was accidentally knocked off its stand and broken after the child was lifted over a protective barrier.

The family left the busy museum on 4 August without reporting the damage, leaving staff to discover it for themselves. The incident was caught on CCTV.

The coffin was found in the grounds of the priory in 1921 complete with a skeleton that could have been a senior monk. The priory was founded by Cluniac monks in the 13th century and at its peak had as many as 100 monks living there.

The sandstone casket that was damaged is the last of its kind. ”It's a very important artefact and historically unique to us as we don't have much archaeology from the priory," said Reed.

Luckily for all, the council predict the repairs will cost well under £100. The coffin will now be completely enclosed so to prevent future damage while the curatorial team assess how best to carry out the repairs.

The council have reminded visitors that they should observe and respect any barriers and signs in place that are there to protect the important heritage and history of the local area.

”You can put all the risk assessments in place but you really don't expect people to try to get into the artefacts," Reed said.

 

[Arrowgigantic]

It was kinda already broken

 

[slider]

That's a real mantelpiece photo. Kid in a coffin.

 

[uncredited male]

An 800-year old coffin on display in a museum was damaged when a child was placed inside it to pose for a photograph.

Wait, what?

 

[Fuchsdh]

I'll never forget going to The Cloisters up in NY and seeing a guy lift his kid up to touch a statue right next to the big sign explaining why touching these statues is incredibly damaging.

This reminds me why we can't have nice museums without reflective glass everywhere.

 

[kmax]

Very shitty of the parents to not report the damage done.

 

[LiK]

Barricades are there for a reason. Hate idiotic parents.

 

[GoldenEye 007]

Some people are just incapable of functioning in society.

 

[Dalek]

That's a real mantelpiece photo. Kid in a coffin.

 

[Jenov]

People are so dumb

 

[wrowa]

Who thought putting a kid in a coffin makes for a great photo? What.

 

[FantasticMrFoxdie]

the museum should hire an actor to play a mummy and haunt the family for life

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

I was recently in Ephesus, and my friend wanted me to help her climb into a 2000 year old grave so she could take a cool picture for IG.

I looked at her like

 

[DrunkShogun]

There's just too many stupid people alive to even react with any shock. The fact it's clearly the parents making the mistake is more annoying.

 

[FrankCanada97]

Cowards.

 

[adamsapple]

The family left the busy museum on 4 August without reporting the damage, leaving staff to discover it for themselves. The incident was caught on CCTV.

I hope these fine specimens of humanity are swiftly caught and made to serve for this somehow.

 

[Sephzilla]

The real story is a couple of parents wanting a picture of their kid in a goddamn coffin

 

[cameron]

“You can put all the risk assessments in place but you really don’t expect people to try to get into the artefacts,” Reed said.

Challenge completed.

 

[LQX]

If these things are that valuable encase them. People can still get a great view of them under casing.

 

[wrowa]

The real story is a couple of parents wanting a picture of their kid in a goddamn coffin

"Oh, look! It's the world oldest bath tub!"

 

[Violence Jack]

Ban and fine them.

 

[dosh]

I'm honestly starting to spend most of my waking time rolling eyes with all the stupid shit going on.

 

[Dyle]

What a wild thing, making a coffin out of solid sandstone, and then not even giving it any decorative scheme. Thank god it wasn't seriously damaged

Working in a museum always reveals the incredible stupidity of the human race and our collective inability to follow rules. Where I work we take great strides to ask everyone not to touch anything and remind them what seats they can sit in, but people always try and often succeed to sit exactly where we tell them not to. Just because we arrange the house like it was in our period of significance and don't rope things off, doesn't mean you can do whatever you want to it.

 

[elyetis]

One could only hope that people this stupid wouldn't go into a museum in the first place.

 

[louiedog]

Sounds like a good way to get cursed.

 

[Dabanton]

Disgusting. It's a hard balance having worked at a museum between encasing everything in glass or leaving some exhibits open so the public can see them more closely.

 

[GK86]

Fuck the parents. Don't shit to do for stupid likes.

 

[JonnyDBrit]

...it occurs to me this is the first time I've seen that gif without game devs imposed on the faces.

Otherwise, this is an unfortunate issue you just kinda have to watch out for in the Museum sector. People just want to touch or get on the exhibits for whatever damned reason.

 

[MogCakes]

Parents probably didn't want to pay for repairs.

 

[His Majesty]

The monk in the coffin was probably an asshole. Good job to the parents for destroying it.

 

[SoulUnison]

That's a real mantelpiece photo. Kid in a coffin.

"And here's 'Lil Jimmy in a coffin. Hehe, can you imagine? If he was dead?"

*eye twitches*

 

[Rvaan]

Sounds like a good way to get cursed.

Sounds like a good way to reboot the Mummy cartoon.

 

[Earthbound64]

The family left the busy museum on 4 August without reporting the damage, leaving staff to discover it for themselves. The incident was caught on CCTV.

This is frankly the worst part.

People are ***holes.

 

[hydrophilic attack]

why do people keep doing this

 

[Vilam]

Fucking assholes make museums worse for the rest of us.

 

[Timedog]

Miracles, everywhere in this bitch

 

[Muppet of a Man]

See, this selfie bullshit is something that makes me want to punch Millennials in the face.

 

[Earthbound64]

See, this selfie bullshit is something that makes me want to punch Millennials in the face.

The baby was taking a "selfie"?
Or did you just not read the OP?

 

[daveo42]

Sounds like a good way to get cursed.

 

[super-famicom]

They should keep the kid in the coffin for a couple of weeks as punishment

 

[Deaf Spacker]

Typical Essex.

 

[orava]

It was kinda already broken

That's usually my excuse too.

 

[poppedcollar69]

 

[Shin K Dash]

Ok I must have backstory please.

 

[sixteen-bit]

When doing it for the 'gram goes wrong.

 

[WarLox]

release the footage, shame the parents.

 

[nicanica]

Ok I must have backstory please.

Kid was just tryin to be the Undertaker

 

[Sness]

There's just too many stupid people alive to even react with any shock. The fact it's clearly the parents making the mistake is more annoying.

I bet this family have made a series of mistakes, spanning several generations.

 

[ClosingADoor]

There is even a barrier around it. How stupid do you have to be...

 

[fallengorn]

Ugh, people are the worst.