Community Guidelines

We ask visitors to follow these rules, guidelines, and policies.

Coat Check and Security FAQs Code of Conduct

Coat Check and Security

Our coat check, located on the Lower Level, is free for all visitors. For the safety of both visitors and artworks, we ask that certain items be checked before entering the galleries. The following list includes objects that must be checked, and the Museum reserves the right to check any other item that may be deemed to put people or artworks at risk.

Items to Check

Any backpack or bag that cannot be worn on the front of the body, such as hiking backpacks

Scooters
Skateboards
Hoverboards
Roller skates or blades

Selfie sticks
Tripods
Monopods
Professional video equipment
Drones or other flying devices

Banners or signs
Leaflets or other soliciting materials;
Confetti
Balloons
Flowers or plants

Portable speakers
Musical instruments
Sound-amplifying devices

FAQs

We welcome our visitors to sketch in the galleries with pencils. To protect our floors and the artwork, we ask that you do not use wet mediums such as paint, watercolor, adhesives, epoxies, glues, crayons, and markers. We welcome you to participate in art making activities with our Learning and Engagement team if you would like to explore a wider range of mediums and materials.

The Studio Museum in Harlem provides free coat check to all people visiting the museum, and you are welcome to leave your items with us. There are a few items that we ask visitors to check before exploring the museum including luggage, any backpack or bag you cannot wear to the front of your body including hiking backpacks, scooters, selfie sticks, tripods, monopods, professional video equipment, skateboards, hoverboards, roller skates/blades, banners and signs, confetti, balloons, flowers and plants, drones or any other flying device, leaflets or other soliciting items, portable speakers, musical instruments, sounds amplifying devices or any item that may be deemed to put people or art at risk.

Yes, for safety reasons we prohibit anyone from bringing in weapons of any kind. This includes firearms, ammunition, cutting tools including pocketknives, pepper spray, mace, explosives including fireworks, flammable liquids, aerosols, hammers, saws, poles, and sticks. We ask that you refrain from bringing in alcohol or illicit items and substances. Our security team will inspect the bags of all our visitors to ensure that you didn’t forget to leave these items at home. Due to the danger associated with e-bike and e-scooter batteries, we also do not allow these items within our building.

To ensure a good visit for all of our visitors, we ask that all smoking and vaping be taken off the Museum premises.

Visitors may bring water into the Museum, and water fountains are available throughout the building. The Studio Café, located on the Lower Level, does not require a ticket to enter. To help keep the Museum pest-free, we are unable to store food in the coat check.

You are welcome to take photos during your visit! Please be mindful of any signs that may restrict photos near specific artworks or in specific spaces. We do not permit professional photography projects that are not pre-approved by the Museum including wedding photos or school fashion shoots, monopods, tripods, flash or other professional photography equipment, are not allowed. We ask visitors to refrain from taking up sections of the Museum for personal photography if the behavior is obstructive to the art or interrupts other visitor’s experiences. Please refrain from photographing or filming other guests.

Code of Conduct

At the Studio Museum in Harlem, we are committed to fostering an open, inclusive, responsive, and empathetic environment for everyone. Our team is here to ensure your visit is both positive and welcoming, and our Visitor Experience staff is always available to support you.

By entering the Museum, you become part of a community built on mutual respect and consideration for fellow visitors as well as our staff. Discrimination, harassment, bullying, or any form of disrespectful or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. We reserve the right to refuse or revoke the admission of anyone engaging in such conduct.

Examples of unacceptable conduct include:

Engaging in violence, making threats, or using violent language
Damaging, defacing, or removing Museum property
Creating unsafe conditions that pose a risk to others or to property
Using discriminatory or offensive language, including sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, or ableist remarks
Making personal attacks, especially those targeting someone’s gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or disability
Taking photos or recording others without their consent
Unwelcome physical contact
Unwelcome sexual attention, including sexualized comments or jokes, inappropriate touching, groping, and unwelcome sexual advances
Intimidating, stalking, or following someone in person or online
Taking photographs for commercial or advertising purposes without prior approval
Soliciting or distributing promotional materials, advertisements, or flyers within Museum premises
Blocking access to public areas such as entrances, hallways, stairwells, elevators, or other shared spaces
Carrying or displaying signs, placards, or banners
Using, possessing, or attempting to sell illegal substances
Smoking or vaping
Eating, chewing gum, or drinking inside the Museum, except in the café area on the Lower Level, or in designated areas for school groups
Intentionally disrupting Museum programs, talks, or community events
Encouraging or supporting any of the above behaviors

Community Guidelines

Coat Check and Security

FAQs

Code of Conduct

Thank you for helping us keep the Studio Museum in Harlem a welcoming place for everyone.