Axis Cameras Protecting Art Institute of Chicago

  • Oct 02, 2008

Axis Communications recently announced that the Art Institute of Chicago is using Axis network cameras to monitor the museum’s approximately 1 million square feet for the safety of its visitors and art holdings.

Axis partner Honeywell Building Solutions is providing the video management system and assisting the Art Institute in the network camera installation.

The Art Institute of Chicago was founded in 1879 as both a museum and school. The collection now encompasses more than 5,000 years of human expression from cultures around the world. Within the next decade, a new complex will continue this process of growth. Last year, the Art Institute served 1.4 million visitors.

The Art Institute is implementing Axis network cameras in order to ensure the safety of visitors as they move throughout the facilities and to ensure the security of irreplaceable artwork. Working with curators and the museum’s IT staff, the museum has placed both visible and hidden cameras throughout its buildings in a manner that is unobtrusive and aesthetically pleasing, while deterring criminal activity.

“We are excited about our new Axis network cameras and our increased ability to protect artwork while maintaining visitor accessibility to it,” said Michelle Lehrman Jenness, associate vice president for protection services for the Art Institute of Chicago. “With this new system, we are confident of our ability to serve our visitors while protecting our collection.”

The Art Institute previously had an older analog system in place, which did not provide the same level of quality or coverage as its new network camera system. Nor did it enable the museum to monitor any location from multiple review points on the network or easily share incidents on video.

Lehrman Jenness noted that the new surveillance system is expected to increase the productivity of current security staff, who can more easily observe museum activities. The Art Institute is using the lower-light and megapixel capabilities of Axis network cameras, including the AXIS 225FD, AXIS 223M, AXIS 233D and AXIS 209MFD-R, to alert staff monitoring the museum of notable occurrences and enable them to observe specific artworks more closely. Should problems arise, monitoring staff can be in immediate communication with museum officers nearest to the situation.

“Axis network cameras are ideally suited for demanding environments such as museums,” said Fredrik Nilsson, general manager of Axis Communications. “We are excited to work with the Art Institute to ensure it remains a premier location for art lovers in Chicago.”

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