BLOGProduct

How an electronic master key system makes day-to-day business in museums easier

2023-10-27

4 min read

It is estimated that there are around 50,000 to 100,000 art thefts worldwide every year. Although only a small part of this takes place in museums, these often attract lots of attention and cause immense damage. While the number of attempted burglaries is increasing here, the number of “successful” thefts is decreasing at the same time.

After the recent attacks, vandalism has now also come into focus – and finding the perfect balance between openness and security is becoming more and more urgent.

People responsible for security face conflicting priorities every day:

The curators want to keep access to the exhibitions as unrestricted as possible;
Historic preservation plays a major role in old buildings;
The security systems in place must be easy to operate for all employees;
External service providers and temporary staff should be able to operate the solutions easily;
Fire protection and escape route regulations must be taken into account;
The security technology must not be noticeable for visitors;
The overall impression of the building should not be affected by security solutions.

What is the best way to solve this daily balancing act? How can managers ensure optimal security and make the day-to-day business even easier for everyone involved? We give you 7 examples of how this can be easily achieved with the eCLIQ electronic master key system:

Example 1: An exhibition change is coming

Changing exhibitions lead to changes in access authorisations: With CLIQ^® technology, these can be set flexibly and conveniently. In addition, authorisations with time and room restrictions can be configured, for example to grant cleaning staff or external service providers access at specific times. Any keys that are lost or that people forget to return or knowingly do not return can be deactivated just as easily with the system.

The large variety of cylinders including over 60 different cylinder types, offers suitable solutions for every application, from padlocks to special cylinders for explosive atmospheres, for example. All cylinders in the master key system can be managed directly from the museum with the CLIQ^® Web Manager via a simple, scalable and flexible cloud-based platform.

Example 2: Modern access control is suitable for use in historic doors

Many buildings are listed, which means that many additional requirements must be observed. Usually, no structural work is permitted in protected elements such as doors, windows or walls. For these buildings, a system that can be installed without additional work and without affecting the appearance is ideal: With eCLIQ, the locking cylinders can be replaced 1:1 and there is no need to drill holes in the valuable historic doors and frames to route cables. This means that the system also blends in visually with any ambience, as no disturbing knobs protrude from the doors – and nothing can be damaged if nothing is protruding.

Example 3: No disturbing installation work during ongoing operation

If no wiring is required, no slots need to be chiselled out and no holes need to be drilled. This means that the installation is noise-free and dirt-free and can also be carried out during ongoing operation. This also keeps installation and follow-up costs under control.

Example 4: Maintenance costs reduced to a minimum – sustainability included

Robust, durable and secure components that can be installed in a way that protects the material and is practically invisible reduce maintenance work considerably: CLIQ cylinders are maintenance-free in accordance with VdS. The batteries in the Professional key last up to 10 years and can be easily replaced by any user. This removes the need to walk to the specific location to replace batteries and carry out reprogramming. Sustainable battery-free keys are also available that generate their own energy.

Example 5: So lost keys are not a risk

In case of loss, each key can easily be removed from programming. Authorisations with time or location restrictions also provide additional security. Individually defined authorisations allow each employee to use their key to open only doors relevant to them in different areas. This also applies to lockers, alarm system, lifts, office containers and much more. This means that decentralised facilities can also be included easily.

Example 6: Security in case of emergency

All eCLIQ cylinders offer wireless operation and are battery-free, the power supply is provided by the battery in the key. This means that doors fitted with CLIQ cylinders can also be opened without their own power supply – an important function for facility managers or in emergencies when rescue services such as the fire brigade require rapid access, for example.

Example 7: These references speak for themselves

Many renowned cultural centres have already reported positive experiences with eCLIQ in daily use:

The video about installation and the advantages of security technology in the Humboldt Forum is certainly of interest to you:

https://youtu.be/qro8xSKJPAs?si=FBuwHJVVuVu7d