Sat Down for a Photo, Then Crash... Tourists Shatter Museum Artwork

Crystal Chair Damaged While Taking Photos
Startled Couple Leaves Exhibition Hall, Abandoning the Broken Chair

A crystal chair on display at an Italian museum was damaged by a visitor who was taking commemorative photos. On June 15, 2025 (local time), the BBC reported that the Palazzo Maffei Museum in Verona, Italy, released video footage related to the incident and appealed to visitors to "respect art." Previously, on June 12, the museum shared CCTV footage from inside the exhibition hall on social media, stating, "What you just saw is not a prank but something that actually happened in the museum." The video, believed to have been filmed in April, shows a man and a woman taking photos of each other.

Visitors at the Palazzo Mappei Museum in Italy were leaving the exhibition hall after a crystal chair on display broke while they were taking commemorative photos sitting on it. Palazzo Mappei Museum

At the time, a chair decorated with crystal was on display at the museum. The video shows the woman first pretending to sit on the chair while the man takes her photo. The man then strikes a similar pose for a photo, glances at the chair, and sits down on it. Unable to support his weight, both legs of the chair broke, and the startled man and woman left the exhibition hall, leaving the broken chair behind.

The chair they damaged was a work by Italian artist Nicola Bolla, created as a tribute to Vincent van Gogh's painting "Vincent's Chair." The museum explained on social media that "although the chair appears sturdy on the outside, the inside of the frame is actually hollow," and added that "the artwork, which was displayed on a pedestal, had a sign attached that read 'Do not touch.'"

Visitors at the Palazzo Mappei Museum in Italy were leaving the exhibition hall after a crystal chair on display broke while they were sitting on it for a commemorative photo. Instagram of Palazzo Mappei Museum

The museum further stated, "The authenticity of the artwork has been put at risk due to this disrespectful behavior," and pointed out that "these individuals waited for the security guard to leave and then completely disregarded all principles of respect for art and cultural heritage while taking photos." The museum added, "We want to emphasize once again that art should be appreciated and experienced, but above all, it must be respected." The artwork was restored and returned to the exhibition hall. It is reported that the man and woman in the video left the scene before museum staff discovered the damage. The museum has reported the pair to the police.