12 - Security Theory For A Large Museum

Abstract

For a large museum, security problems should be approached with a long-range security plan from an overall perspective. Factors to consider include the size of the budget, works of art on a large scale, too many rooms closed to the public, too many workers present at any given time, and so on. All these factors indicate that a security plan can be accomplished only by spreading it out over many years, perhaps even a decade. In modern times, many autonomous and portable detection and transmission units are used. The very nature of the medium of information transmission, the UHF radio channel, eliminates the interconnection problem among instruments, which is no small advantage. However, the number of units and the size of the departments covered can cause problems in the development of a central station. The availability of equipment with modular programmable microprocessors has expanded the horizons of those who plan and use security system installations. This type of installation does not offer the advantages of a security command post equipped with double computers fed by a standby electric network, but it has the advantage of being realistic budget-wise and it respects the principles of levels of security. It remains open to other forms of use, including the use of computer equipment for security.