Jinny, a content creator on Twitch, was recently hit with a massive surprise bill. Jinny had livestreamed from the Natural History Museum of London, and was stunned to see a charge of $2,500. She was charged in accordance with the Museum’s policy regarding video recordings and streaming of its exhibitions.

The Museum’s policy states that anyone wishing to take part in any video or streaming activity must first request its permission. Streaming activities are then subject to a fee of £2,000 which is the equivalent of $2,500. This fee must be paid before the activity can take place.

The Museum hasn’t publicly commented on the fee. However, the Museum’s policy on its website explains that this fee is charged to help preserve and protect its collection of artwork and artefacts. These activities, such as recording footage of the displays, security to ensure that proper permissions are followed, and maintenance of the museum and its grounds, are costly and the revenue generated from the streaming fees help to cover these costs.

Jinny’s experience has brought to light the Museum’s policy and sparked some debate about the cost of using its exhibits for streaming activities. Many have argued that the high cost of using the Museum’s possessions could be keeping content creators from using it, but the Museum has continued to stand by their policy.

While Jinny has been hit with a hefty surprise charge, her experience has served as a warning to others and alerted them to the Museum’s streaming policy. Moving forward, content creators should be sure to seek permission from the Museum when streaming before any activity takes place.