A woman has been labelled "bloody stupid" by Te Papa after climbing onto a $700,000 motorcycle exhibit to take a photo.
Museum-goer Leon Watson told Stuff that the grey-haired woman told him she wanted a photo for her Facebook page before brazenly climbing over a barrier and onto the bike.
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The motorcycle is the Kiwi-invented and built Britten V1000, and is one of only 10 ever made.
After returning to the floor, the woman told Watson she was a close friend of the bike's inventor John Britten. However, her possible relationship to the famed inventor did her no favours in the eyes of Te Papa.
Spokesperson Kate Camp told Stuff the actions of the woman were completely out of line.
"It was dangerous, it was disrespectful and it was bloody stupid," Camp said.
Despite the incident, Camp said the museum had no plans to put the motorcycle behind glass, but it was a lucky escape this time around.
"We've checked the bike over. There wasn't any visible damage."
Users on Reddit were quick to condemn the actions of the woman.
"It's not like she'll get a huge amount of attention for it, the pair should have been arrested," one user posted.
"I'm glad they decided not to put it behind glass, it's because of idiots like this that shit needs to be locked away and squinted at through glass," another wrote.
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