The museum, which is situated at the heart of Oxford University’s campus, is the most visited museum outside of London.
More than 460 showcases have been fitted with more than 1,500 locks as part of a grand masterkey system, incorporating sub-masterkeys for different sections of the museum.
The advantage of a masterkey system across a large scale, and diverse project, is that it allows the necessary accessibility for personnel authorised for a given area, while maintaining the security, which is vital.
The showcases used at the museum are all custom made in Belgium by Meyvaert, who ensure that the locks are not visible to the untrained eye. During the manufacturing process for these showcases, eight samples were brought over to the UK and attacked in the same way that a prospective thief might attempt to gain entry.
Henry Kim, project director at The Ashmolean, said: “If you are museum that cares about the security of its artifacts, you pretty much specify Abloy locks.
“We have spent over GB pound 5 million on the new showcases and ensuring that they meet the MLA guidelines, along with our own security standards, is an enormous thing for us.”
Sid Clarke, regional market development manager for Abloy, said:
“At The Ashmolean you can see some of the most impressive historical items in the world but, as technology becomes more advanced and thefts continue to occur, it is important to provide a high level of security without detracting from the visitor experience.
“The system in place at The Ashmolean allows visitors to get close to pieces without the need for an ‘in your face’ locking solution.
“For Abloy products to be used on such a prestigious project, only further serves to enhance our commitment to providing a market leading solution that can be tailored to any project’s individual requirements.”
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