Museums with Gold Collections – Updated Security Advice
Security review for museums with gold collections
With recent reports of increased break-ins at museums across England who have collections of gold items, Valentina Sabucco, Security and Protection Advice Manager for Arts Council England has some advice to share:
“With the steady increase of gold prices since October 2023, golden items may continue to attract criminals interested in the metal value.
Cultural venues that have on display jewellery, hoards, or any other item which can be targeted for their metal value, should review their security, making sure that access points are adequately protected with robust doors, shutters, bars, or other appropriate means. Alarms should provide an early notification of any attempt of break-in and be checked regularly to ensure they work effectively. Equally, operational procedures and plans must be tested to ensure a timely response to alarm activations.
These attacks can be very quick, so the more layers of security measures are in place, the more criminals are delayed and potentially discouraged to proceed. Arts Council has recently updated its security advice documents available on the Collection Trust website. These cover general advice on physical, technical, and operational measures and provide a good starting point for venues looking at reviewing and enhancing their security.”
Share
