Selfie sticks embraced by Canadian Museum of Nature

While the National Gallery of Canada has banned the use of selfie sticks, the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawais openly embracing the latest expression of human nature.

• Selfie sticks not welcome in Washington's famous museums
• Selfie stick bans go into effect at French, U.K. attractions

The selfie stick dubbed by critics as "the wand of narcissism" are arms-length devices that attach to mobile phones and allow people to take self-portraits from further away.

But earlier this month, prominent American and European cultural institutions like the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., andBritain's National Gallery in Londonbanned the devices for fear of damaging artworks or injuring other visitors.

The National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa has taken a similar stance. The art gallery already bans professional photography equipment like tripods and monopods for fear someone could damage one of its art works, and has included selfie sticks in that larger ban.

But Canadian Museum of Nature marketing director John Swettenham said his museum embracesand even encouragesthe trend.

"Primarily we want folks to be able to share their experience," Swettenham told CBC Radio's All in a Day host Alan Neal.

"Think about us as a species when you look at a dinosaur that is 65 million years old or arock that's 4.2 billion years old, you are in the story and if there's a way in the moment that you can share that, that's great."

Swettenham saidsince most of the museum's exhibits are behind glass and the dinosaur bones are rock-hard and sturdy they are not as concerned about damage as other museums.

But he said museum attendees still need to make sure they are considerate to other visitors.

As for the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum, both of those institutions refused to take a stance just yet. They toldCBC News they are going to wait and see what happens during the peak tourist season this summer, and make a decision based on that experience.

• Listen to Lexie Buchanan at the National Gallery of Canada and Swettenham debate the merits of selfie sticks.