Home > Courses > MUSEUM METHODS | Elizabeth Kryder-Reid

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Facilities Outline

(see Museum Security Network http://museum-security.org/ for sample plans, info., resources, organizations, etc.)

1. Disaster Planning
   
   1. Preplanning: "What can go wrong here?"
      • establish priorities (human safety!) - internal and external evacuations depending on threat (ex. tornado vs. fire) - evacuation routes, roll calls, etc.
      • have resources on hand (materials, phone numbers, known storage and restoration facilities, cooperative agreements with other institutions)
      • drills
      • triage plan (time is critical in response)
      • assess and inventory
      • response
      • restoration
      • ex. Windsor Castle - tapestries on velcro for planned quick evacuation (thrown out the window during fire and saved
        
   2. Plans should be reviewed and revised as needed
      • ex. Norfolk Museum - began as 2 pgs and after 10 years and several disasters was 120 pp.
2. Security
   
   1. Human - guards
      • boring job
      • volunteer or paid
      • good communication btw. guard and central security is key (radio contact useful, esp. if rotating staff in a larger space)
      • ideal setting is stationary guard with clean sight lines to all objects - EXPENSIVE!
        
   2. Electronic
      • works well in conjunction with humans; cost - 10 yr. replacement cycle
      • different levels:
        • perimeter (like house alarm) for after hours (need to consider all access points - windows, doors, ventilation system, etc.
        • surveillance - cameras with remote monitoring, etc., but hard to monitor multiple screens, lag time for response, able to disable cameras
        • electronic access (key cards, etc.); some keep track of who's going where
   3. Physical
      • vitrines and other protective cases (the more physical protection, the less needed of the other kinds) - offers climate control as well as theft and damage protection but people want to "be with the art"
      • risers – passive barriers which control traffic flow and create "psychological barriers"
      • ex. Getty - salon furniture on the floor - major damage
        
   4. other security issues
      • timing and scheduling of transitions (installations and deinstallations)
      • special events
      • media events (lights, cameras in galleries, etc.)
      • fire detection and suppression
      • art handling
      • signage - wayfinding and warnings, exit, etc.
      • toxins
      • housekeeping
3. Facilities Reports (AAM)
   
   1. pass out hard copy of form
   2. work through projected form
      
4. Universal Access: "Everyone's Welcome" video and manual
   
   1. nine building blocks to accessibility (see overhead)
      • accessibility statement
      • accessibility coordinator (or group)
      • accessibility advisory council
      • staff training
      • review of existing facilities, policies, and programs
      • planning for accessibility
      • promoting and advertising accessibility
      • grievance process
      • ongoing review of access efforts

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© 2003 MATRIX
Project Director: Anne Pyburn
Indiana University Bloomington