World Class Security

World Class Security

Museum upgrades system to protect rare, valuable art

Dallas, Texas, considers itself a world-class city. Whatever the qualifications, the arts district in the city is certainly world class, and, therefore, the security must also meet high-caliber specifications.

The Dallas Museum of Art is located in the heart of one of the largest urban arts districts in the world. It houses a collection of more than 24,000 works of art from around the world and plays host to at least 600,000 visitors. Inside the facility, there are a variety of interactive displays and traveling collections of priceless art, spanning all ages of time.

Cameras in Place

The museum has about 175 Vicon cameras in place, including some 60 PTZ cameras; about half are fixed-dome. Keith Walker, owner and general manager of Security 101 in Dallas, served as the integrator and said all the head-end equipment was replaced but existing cameras remained.

“Some of the cameras are IP-based, but many are still analog,” said Lance Childers, DMA’s director of security. “We are updating as we can. These cameras feed into two servers, both on our backup power system.”

As the museum security department upgrades its system to a network- based system, the main thought is to provide a video management platform with a proven track record of reliability and performance in a key high-security environment. To Childers, the security department within the museum is considered a separate entity, and each of the departments within the facility is set up as a client. For the security department within the museum, the goals for the new installation are a more user-friendly system for the officers, an enhanced ability to isolate and record incidents, and increased capacity and options for configuring monitors. They also know that with the integration of IP video, they will experience a great improvement in the quality of the video recordings.

“There are two primary objectives that we hold fast to, including providing an educational opportunity for our guests,” Childers said. “The other is preservation of the art itself.

“The art is very fragile. In training, I often compare the canvas that paintings are on to a washcloth or dishtowel, a year old or 10 years old. Some of our canvasses are 100 to 200 years old, or more.

“Our choice to help run the cameras, both IP-based and analog, was to go with Salient Systems CompleteView. They offered us a hybrid capability and approach to transitioning from analog to IP camera technology, which allows us to be protected as we upgrade and expand our video security system.

“By upgrading to CompleteView, we have been able to integrate video and access control platforms and provide features such as video verification of access control events and alarms.”

Security 101 got involved via a telemarketing campaign last year, which brought the company to the attention of Childers. “We felt we were in a good position with product and support, and that’s what led us to pursue the security upgrade.”

Too Much Love

Most people who visit the art museum do not do so with the intent of doing harm to the art, but inadvertently sometimes things happen.

“In their enthusiasm, for example, sometimes they get too close,” Childers said. “Either they will reach to touch it, or even close examination of it could result in moisture from their breath getting on the art. We ask the guests to enjoy the art from further back, rather than up so close, possibly causing damage to the art.”

That’s where CompleteView comes into play—protecting the patron and the art, and also providing security to the museum and an enjoyable experience for today’s visitors and future visitors.

“When protecting such valuable assets, immediate notification of events becomes important,” said Brian Carle, product manager at Salient Systems. “The Alarm Client and Pop Up Monitor provide realtime alerts of motion or alarm activity. Audio alarms can accompany live video of the events, ensuring guards will not overlook incidents on critical cameras.”

As integrators know, no installation is without its challenges, and the integration at DMA is no exception.

“Our first challenge was that the existing system had to remain functional during the upgrade process, given the security needs of the museum,” Walker said. “Then we had to be flexible enough with the installation to be able to respond to unexpected challenges and the need for quick substitutions of equipment in a few areas.”

Back to Business

DMA is truly world-renowned when it comes to art. Security at the museum has taken a front row, and it’s all managed by a video management system that has enough power and traction to stay on top of all security applications. The venue’s security helps create a world-class experience for visitors but also for staff, who are now able to do their respective jobs with peace of mind.

This article originally appeared in the December 2011 issue of Security Today.

Featured

  • The Key to Wellbeing in the Office

    A few years ago, all we saw in the news was the ‘great resignation.’ Now we have another ‘great’ to deal with. According to CBRE, 2023 was the start of the ‘great return’ as office workers returned to their normal offices after working from home. The data shows that two-thirds of all U.S office buildings were more than 90% leased as of Q2 2023. Read Now

  • Failed Cybersecurity Controls Costing U.S. Businesses $30 Billion Yearly

    Panaseer recently released ControlWatch and the Continuous Controls Battle: Panaseer 2025 Security Leaders Report examining the cost of cybersecurity control failures and the impact of growing personal liability for security failings on security leaders. The report analyzes the findings of a survey of 400 security decision makers (SDMs) across the US and UK. It shows that security leaders feel under increasing pressure to provide assurances around cybersecurity, exposing them to greater personal risk – yet many lack the data and resources to accurately report and close cybersecurity gaps. Read Now

  • The Business Case for Video Analytics: Understanding the Real ROI

    For security professionals who may be hesitant to invest in video analytics, now's the time to reconsider. In a newly released Omdia report commissioned by BriefCam (now Milestone Systems), the research firm uncovered a compelling story: more than 85% of North American and European organizations that use video analytics achieve a return on investment within just one year. The study, which surveyed 140 end users across multiple industries, demonstrates that security technology is no longer just for security — it's a cross-organizational tool that delivers measurable business value far beyond traditional safety applications. Read Now

  • Survey: 54% of Organizations Cite Technical Debt as Top Hurdle to Identity System Modernization

    Modernizing identity systems is proving difficult for organizations due to two key challenges: decades of accumulated Identity and Access Management (IAM) technical debt and the complexity of managing access across multiple identity providers (IDPs). These findings come from the new Strata Identity-commissioned report, State of Multi-Cloud Identity: Insights and Trends for 2025. The report, based on survey data from the Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), highlights trends and challenges in securing cloud environments. The CSA is the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation. 3

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions. 3

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols. 3