CLEVELAND — An art museum in northeast Ohio has added selfie sticks to its list of prohibited items in an effort to get ahead of a social trend.

The Cleveland Museum of Art decided to ban the expandable sticks, which allow users to hold their cellphones a few feet away to take a self-portrait or group shot, as they became a popular gift item during the holidays.

A museum spokesman told The Plain Dealer this week that the ban is meant to protect artworks, protect visitors from each other and provide an optimal museum experience.

The Cleveland museum also based its decision on policies of other museums around the country. New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art in Washington have also prohibited the sticks.

First Published February 21, 2015, 1:44 p.m.