Safeguarding and securing rare and expensive art is a critical concern for museum curators and art collectors everywhere. Annual losses from art theft, according to FBI estimates, topple $8 billion annually, with experts agreeing the real figure is actually even greater.
MedixSafe has brought to market two offerings ideally suited to museum and art gallery security: The Key Care Cabinet and KARE [Key Access Ready Enclosure].
They allow the user to not only organize their access keys, but to control them, as well. [related]
Rare and expensive paintings, sculptures, artifacts and other precious art pieces locked in glass display cases can be more effectively safeguarded from theft, both externally and internally, with a MedixSafe key control solution, according to the company announcement.
The MedixSafe Key Care Cabinet “delivers added art gallery security because it requires more than a single PIN code to be accessed,” according to the press release.
Dual, triple and/or biometric authentication credentials (PIN, proximity cards, and fingerprint) are required before access to the key cabinet is granted.
It can be used as a standalone or a networked solution, accommodates more than 1,000 authorized users and provides an audit trail of up to 50,000 access events. The Key Care Cabinet is accessible via a remote Ethernet network.
It has a manual key override so the cabinet can still be accessed via a single authorized key in the event of an electronic failure.
The MedixSafe KARE cabinet connects directly to the user’s existing access control system via a card reader, allowing users to keep their existing cards. Access to the KARE is then controlled by the existing access control database.
The KARE reader features a Wiegand output, so it can be connected to an access control panel. A key override is built right into the electronic lock.
“The Key Care Cabinet and KARE allow [art galleries and museums] to keep the wrong people out instantly, remotely unlock the cabinet, and track who has accessed keys and when,” said MedixSafe president Jim Turner.
“The results are enhanced art gallery security of often priceless art pieces and protection against revenue lost to art theft.”
