Visitor rules

Dear Visitors

To ensure that your visit is as safe and comfortable as possible, we request that you follow the recommendations stated within these visitor rules. These rules set out the conditions under which you may visit the Musée de la Romanité. These conditions exist to ensure the safety of visitors and their property, site conservation and the quality of your visit. 

These rules apply in their entirety to visitors to the Musée de la Romanité as well as – without prejudice to specific provisions that may be notified to them – persons or groups who are authorised to use certain areas for meetings, receptions, conferences, screenings or other events, and any other persons who are not museum staff and who attend the museum for professional reasons.  Any visitor who does not comply with these visitor rules or who causes a disturbance to public order may be refused admittance to the site or removed from site without being entitled to a refund of their admission fee.  Where applicable, non-compliance with these rules may result in legal action.

Article 1: Access to the site

• The main access to the Musée de la Romanité is at 16 Boulevard des Arènes – 30000 Nîmes

• The Musée de la Romanité comprises a number of different areas with access rules or characteristics which may be specific to them:

These areas are as follows:

• • • The permanent exhibitions area
    • The temporary exhibitions area
    • The roof-terrace
    • The museum shop
    • The restaurant located on the roof-terrace and the café area on the ground floor of the building
    • All of the other areas dedicated to different activities (auditorium, conference rooms, educational workshops, function rooms, etc.)
    • The Archaeological Garden
• Access is subject to opening hours that are available on various different media, including posters, the Internet and social networks.
  
• The Musée de la Romanité has areas of unrestricted and free access and others where an admission fee applies (refer to the prices in force displayed within the museum) but these areas are only available within the opening hours:

• • • The permanent and temporary exhibition areas are subject to an admission fee (outside of any specific provisions given in the general conditions of sale)
    • The Roof-Terrace, the Museum Shop and the Archaeological Garden are free to access during the stated opening hours
    • To access the restaurant “La table du 2” on the roof terrace and the Museum Café on the ground floor, please see the displayed times and access requirements.
    • All of the other spaces (auditorium, conference rooms, educational workshops, function rooms, etc.) are accessible under specific conditions and only with a booking.

• The ticket office at the Musée de la Romanité closes one hour before the visitor’s experience closes. No tickets may be sold beyond that time (refer to the annual timetable and opening hours of the museum). Access cannot be authorised beyond that time.

• The spaces within the Musée de la Romanité are subject to strict safety rules in terms of their capacity. The Musée de la Romanité reserves the right to offer a subsequent time for your visit or to refuse visitors in the event of high attendance levels and cannot be held responsible for significant waiting times which may arise from this.

In the event of excessive attendance, disturbances, strikes or any situation likely to compromise the safety of visitors or their property, the museum may be fully or partially closed at any time of the day or the opening hours may be changed. The management of the museum may take any measures imposed by the circumstances if occupation within the public areas exceeds the acceptable threshold for the site.

• If you leave the admission fee zone, known as the controlled zone, your exit will be considered to be definitive

Article 2: Dress, conduct and behaviour

• Visitors must strictly comply with safety instructions inside the building and within the permanent and temporary exhibition areas.
• Visitors are requested:
  • Not to touch the exhibits or items on display, or their descriptions, other than on displays where specific instructions indicate that you may do so.
  • Not to cross the barriers or devices designed to keep visitors in specific areas;
  • Not to press on the glass, display bases and other display equipment;
  • Not to put graffiti, inscriptions, marks or dirt anywhere in the museum;
  • To carry their rucksack at the front of their body (if they have a rucksack) 
  • To use the equipment made available during visits only for its intended purpose (screens, audio visual systems, etc.).
  • To take into account of and comply with any measures, instructions or observations made by the attendants present or the security and reception teams within the exhibition spaces and in all areas of the museum

In case of non-compliance with the instructions, visitors may be asked to leave the site without being entitled to any reimbursement whatsoever.

• Visitors must be correctly dressed for visiting the site: bare chests, swimming costumes or bare feet are therefore not allowed.
• Visitors must also queue in an orderly fashion and not disturb other people.
• It is strictly prohibited to shout, run or perform actions likely to endanger your own health or safety or that of others (jumping, jostling, etc.) on the site;
• The use of skateboards, roller skates, rollerblades, bicycles or any means of transport presenting a safety risk is not authorised in any part of the museum, either inside or outside.
• Visiting the exhibition with bulky objects (helmets, footballs, etc.) is not permitted. Those with suitcases, cool boxes and other bulky bags will be refused access to the site. 
• The use of lighters or matches in visiting areas is strictly prohibited, as is smoking and the use of electronic cigarettes.
• The toilet facilities may only be used for their intended purpose and it is therefore prohibited to wash yourself or to wash laundry in the basins.
• For the comfort of all, mobile phones must be set to silent mode.
• The relationship between visitors and staff of the Musée de la Romanité is based upon mutual respect. Visitors should keep noise to a minimum inside the premises and behave in an appropriate manner towards staff and other visitors. The staff are authorised to intervene if problems occur and may resort to calling the police in the event of serious disruption. However, SPL Culture et Patrimoine will not be responsible for any loss or damage following a dispute between visitors.
• The consumption of food and drink is prohibited in all areas of the museum outside of the dedicated catering areas: these are the Museum Café on the ground floor and The Table du 2, the restaurant on the roof-terrace of the Musée de la Romanité. Picnics are not allowed inside the buildings.
• Audio guides and the audio equipment provided during guided tours must be used with care and returned in good working condition following the visit. Parents are responsible for their children’s use of the video guide equipment.
• Visitors must treat the external areas with respect and not stand on, walk on or damage the planted areas for any reason whatsoever.
• No portable furniture of any kind may be used by visitors in any part of the Musée de la Romanité, including in the outside spaces.
• It is prohibited to distribute printed materials, to make collections or to carry out surveys or interviews within the establishment without authorisation from SPL Culture et Patrimoine management

Article 3: Security

• Under the “Vigipirate” Plan (anti-terrorism plan), the security staff may ask you to open your bags for a visual check. Anyone refusing this check will be refused access.
• It is forbidden to carry pointed or edged weapons or any other dangerous or potentially dangerous object within the Musée de la Romanité. Visitors carrying or holding items considered to be dangerous will be refused access to the Musée de la Romanité.
• Visitors are requested not to cross the security barriers, sit on them, lean on the guardrails or let children sit on their edges.
• In case of an alarm, visitors are requested to evacuate the building and the various areas of the museum in accordance with the safety instructions that are given to them and to move to the emergency exits following the evacuation plan.
• In case of any attempt to steal the exhibits in the museum, alert systems may be implemented, including the closure of access points and checks at the exits.
• SPL Culture et Patrimoine cannot be held responsible for theft. Visitors are advised not to leave their personal effects unsupervised.
• Visitors are requested to report to an attendant or reception agent any object that appears unusual and whose owner cannot be identified. Any abandoned object may have to be destroyed.

Article 4: Cloakroom

• The cloakroom is available free of charge for visitors on presentation of their admission tickets. SPL Culture et Patrimoine reserves the right to suspend access to this service without notice for any technical or operational reason
• Visitors may also borrow a wheelchair at the cloakroom
• For security reasons, visitors are requested to leave the following objects in the museum cloakroom:
  • Rucksacks, suitcases up to aircraft cabin size (56 x 45 x 25 cm). Any luggage larger than this size cannot be accepted. Small rucksacks may be accepted. If rucksacks are not left in the cloakroom, they may be worn but only at the front of the body to avoid any contact with the exhibits
  • Non-foldable umbrellas
  • Motorcycle helmets
  • Bulky photographic accessories and equipment (e.g.: selfie stick)
  • Pushchairs and buggies, baby carriers, skateboards, roller skates or any other small wheeled items.

All other forms of transport must remain parked outside the museum.

Anything left in the cloakroom must be collected on the same day before it closes. The Musée de la Romanité declines any responsibility for any of the following left at the cloakroom: sums of money, tickets, cheque books, valuable items such as jewellery, or photographic, cinematographic or audiovisual equipment.

For security reasons, all items or packets must be opened beforehand by the visitor before acceptance at the cloakroom. The reception team may refuse to accept items which appear to be detrimental to the safety or security of the establishment.

Article 5: Children

• Entry to the site is prohibited to unaccompanied minors aged under 13. From age 13, entry is allowed and presentation of an identity document may be required.
• Visitors aged under 13 are wholly under the responsibility and authority of the accompanying adult. Parents are requested to monitor their children throughout the visit.
• Children, including those aged under 7, must have a ticket corresponding to their age range, which may require verification by presentation of an identity document.
• You must obtain a ticket from the ticket office, including for children aged under 7 who are not required to pay an entry fee.
• Lost children are assigned to an attendant, who will take them to the reception area in the hall on the ground floor.

Article 6: Animals

• Dogs or other animals are not allowed on the site, other than guide dogs for people with visual impairments or assistance dogs for people with disabilities.

Article 7: Groups

• Booking is mandatory for groups, for a specific date and time agreed in writing. For groups visiting without a booking, access to the museum can only be guaranteed if there is sufficient capacity in the museum or if a guide is available
• When arriving at the museum, the person in charge of the group must have a signed contract and the previously completed visit form. A check will be made by the reception or reservation team.
• Any delay of more than 15 minutes after the booked time will lead to the session being cancelled and it will be invoiced according to the General Conditions of Sale.
• SPL Culture et Patrimoine management reserves the right to refuse access and escort any visitor from the premises if their appearance or behaviour is not compliant with the defined rules.

Article 8: Permission to lead a guided tour

The following persons are authorised to lead guided tours in the Museum after presenting proof of their qualification:

• Tour guides holding the professional tour guide licence, on presentation of the licence.
• Teaching staff who are supervising pupils or students
• Curators of national, classified or controlled museums or any curator of a museum who either holds a professional licence issued or recognised by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication or has had their licence pre-validated by the museum curation team.
• Commissioners of current exhibitions, or if pre-validated by the museum curation team.
• Any qualified person accompanying a person with disabilities   
• Persons who have been individually authorised by the museum curation team.

Requests for validation by the museum curation team should be emailed to the following address, leaving enough time for consideration: conservation-musee-romanite@ville-nimes.fr

In the absence of these documents, any person refusing to comply with these rules regarding guided tours may be escorted by museum staff to the end of the visit, where they will be asked to leave.

Attendants may decide to prohibit commentary in the event of high levels of attendance and to ensure visitor safety.

Guided tours are not authorised during free-access periods due to the corresponding high levels of attendance.

Article 9: Closure of spaces

SPL Culture et Patrimoine management reserves the right to close certain spaces or rooms for security or operational reasons and to close the whole museum in the event of overcrowding, strikes or any other situation likely to compromise the safety or security of people or their property.

Article 10: Provisions regarding the management of catering facilities

The Café du Musée located on the ground floor and the restaurant “La table du 2” (with a menu designed by Franck Putelat) located on the roof terrace are managed by MCDF Restauration of 150 chemin de la Capitelle pointue, 30900 Nîmes.

La Table du 2 is open every day from 12 noon to 3pm and from 7pm to 11pm and the Café du Musée from 8am to 7pm. These opening hours are not guaranteed and may be subject to change.

Opening hours for these facilities can be found within the museum or on the www.museedelaromanite.fr website.

The general rules of the Musée de la Romanité also apply in these areas and can be supplemented by any specific rules set out by these two catering areas.

Article 11: Photographs, recordings and copies

In the permanent and temporary exhibition rooms, the exhibits and displayed items may be photographed or filmed for the sole usage of the operator for private purposes in accordance with the following rules:

• Only non-flash photography is authorised
• The use of a telescopic boom (selfie stick) for taking photographs is prohibited

The museum declines all responsibility for any undeclared public use.

However, certain exhibits or areas may be subject to photography restrictions and these are stipulated on entry to the rooms or near to the exhibits. SPL Culture et Patrimoine declines all responsibility for any undeclared public use.

Photographs must be taken without causing any inconvenience to other visitors and in accordance with the instructions given. Visitors may disseminate their photographs on the Internet and social networks in accordance with the legislation in force. Visitors may not photograph any members of museum staff as the main identifiable character without their prior authorisation.

Professional photography, filming or the recording of radio or television programmes are subject to special rules. The use of visual elements, exhibits or the décor of the Musée de la Romanité for any purpose whatsoever, particularly for commercial purposes, is subject to request for prior authorisation and associated conditions will apply. All requests must be made in writing to the SPL Culture et Patrimoine communications team at the following address communication@museedelaromanite.com

Article 12: Video surveillance

A video surveillance system is installed in the various areas open to the public to ensure the safety of persons and property. This installation is governed by a prefectural authorisation (law 95673 dated 21/01/1995, decree n° 96-926 dated 17/10/1996).
Anyone may exercise a right of access to these images by sending a request to contact@museedelaromanité.com

These rules will be displayed to visitors in public areas of the Musée de la Romanité and on its website: www.museedelaromanite.fr

Nîmes, 1 June 2018

SPL Culture et Patrimoine management