i am just wondering why flash photography in prohibited in museums?
they say it can damage the paintings but i dont understand how?

can anyone please shed some light into these?

thanks,
-3nit

Several reasons come to mind.
It can indeed damage paintings and other old objects (like Greek painted pottery). The light from a flash contains an amount of IR and UV wavelengths. Those slowly change the pigments in paint (which is why the paint on your house slowly fades over time).
The lights in museums are specially designed to minimise or eliminate those wavelengths.

Also, dozens of people popping flashes in a museum is not nice to the other visitors so for the comfort and enjoyment of those banning flashes is also a good PR move.

any size is fullframe for a given definition of frame

The other reason is that with flash you could take very good and detail images of their security system.

Have a great time
JRP (Founder & Administrator. Nikonian at the north-eastern Mexican desert) Gallery, Brief Love Story, The Team
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Never thought of that. Does that make me naive or honest?

any size is fullframe for a given definition of frame

That's probably the real reason. I never believed that story about fading artwork with a flash. It would take thousands of flashes to equal the effect of 5 minutes of sunlight.

Kerry