Visitor Code of Conduct

The Stevens & Smith Center is a place for everyone to learn about Thaddeus Stevens, Lydia Hamilton Smith, and others who fought for equality and championed citizenship in the United States. LancasterHistory is committed to carrying on their ideals and providing a welcoming and respectful environment for all visitors.

If you choose not to, the Center reserves the right to refuse or revoke admission based on the guidelines below.

General Visitor Conduct

All Stevens & Smith Center staff, volunteers, and other visitors should be treated respectfully. Any behavior that poses a risk to visitors, staff, volunteers, or collections is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Harassment, discrimination, or any form of abusive, threatening, or offensive language or behavior;
• Running, rough play, excessive noise, or disruptive behavior;
• We provide accommodations for a variety of audiences. Please view our Accessibility page for more information.
• Smoking and/or vaping, which are prohibited inside and in all outdoor areas of the Center, including entrances;
• Conducting flash mobs, protests, or other disruptive gatherings anywhere on Center property without previous permission from the Center;
• Firearms, weapons, or other hazardous materials inside or anywhere on the Center’s property;
• Charitable solicitations, leafleting, petitioning, picketing, unauthorized photography, or hosting press conferences by visitors or anywhere on the Center’s property without prior permission from the Center.

Prohibited Items

Prohibited items are defined as those that pose a risk to visitors, staff, volunteers, or collections. Individuals who have such materials will be asked to leave or denied entry. The following items are strictly prohibited:

• Any weapon, including, but not limited to, firearms, knives, or other sharp objects, regardless of held licenses;
• Explosives, fireworks, sparklers, or any flammable, combustible, or hazardous material;
• Spray cans, aerosol cans, or paint
• Clothing or insignia with obscene, discriminatory, or threatening images or language;
• Signs, placards, or banners of any kind;
• Laser pointers;
• Expandable selfie-sticks;
• Pets, emotional support animals, and other non-service animals. Only ADA-compliant service animals are permitted in the Center, and must remain under handler control at all times. Please see our Accessibility page.
• Outside food or drink. The only exceptions are diaper bags or sealable bottled water.

Conduct in the Center’s Galleries

We want to make sure our visitors have a safe and excellent experience. To ensure this, we require visitors to follow the below conduct guidelines:

• Do not touch artifacts, artwork, or cases. Tactile maps, touchscreens, and other tactile aspects of our galleries where this is welcome will be clearly marked.
• Be mindful of others regarding speaking volume, cellphone calls and notifications, and other cellphone usage; Refrain from playing music or audio without headphones.
• Use of pens, colored pencils, markers, crayons, charcoal, and other writing or drawing tools is prohibited;
  Drawing or writing is allowed with graphite pencils only.
• Do not block stairs, elevators, or other pathways which may prevent other guests’ mobility;
• Children under 17 years of age must be accompanied and supervised by an adult at all times;
• Food and beverages are not allowed in the galleries, except sealable water bottles;
• Leading an organized group, whether in person or online (livestreaming) is prohibited, unless previously arranged with the Center’s Education or Visitor Services teams.

Filming & Photography Guidelines

We’d love for you to share your experience with others, but encourage you to do so in a safe and respectful manner. The Center and its staff reserve the right to ask visitors to immediately cease any still photography, video photography, or live broadcasting when in violation with the below or in instances deemed inappropriate.

• Still and video photography is permitted for non-commercial use only in the Center and galleries, unless otherwise posted;
• Tripods, monopods, extendable selfie sticks, and flash photography are not permitted at any time;
• Commercial photography or videography (including live broadcasting) inside the Center is prohibited, unless approved by the Marketing & Communications team in advance;
  We define ‘commercial’ as using the Center, the collections, and galleries as a visual backdrop for any business, service, or public service announcement, whether the resulting visuals are distributed for profit or for free.
• The Center does not allow onsite programs, virtual programs, or other offerings (including galleries and exhibits) to be fully or continuously recorded or broadcast by outside parties, except for training, archival, or accessibility purposes as identified and permitted by the Center.

Consequences for Violating These Guidelines

Anyone who violates the above guidelines may:

• Be asked to cease the disruptive behavior or, if the behavior or issue can not be immediately addressed, be asked to leave immediately without a refund;
• Face a temporary or permanent ban from the Center, which may include revocation of membership without a refund; and/or
• Be reported to law enforcement if their behavior poses a security threat.