Security, like all questions of risk management, is a question of
probability, not a question of possibilities. The easiest way to determine
actual risk is by discussing the problem with your insurance company. If the
insurance company charges a substantially large premium for having unguided
tours then one knows that the risks are large, if there is no greater
insurance cost, or it is minimal, then there is little or no risk.

In your case, if it were my shop, I would fire the head of your security and
with the money saved buy a few video cameras that would feed to the security
post.

Good luck,
Nicholas Burlakoff

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf
Of Ellerbee, Genevieve
Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2003 10:33 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Visitors and Security

We're a Washington, DC museum that is having some issues crop up regarding
visitors and the heightened security of the moment.  It's coming down to a
tug-of-war between our director and the head of security as to how free our
visitors can be walking through the museum.  It's not so much security for
visitors as they enter, but rather how to treat them once they're physically
in the building (which also holds offices and a library).  We offer docent
tours, but also have a self-guide that takes visitors to the first and
second floors of the museum only, and that is what our head of security is
wanting to abolish.  Are people doing anything special to restrict access to
any parts of their building by visitors?  We considered having a roving
patrol monitoring the first and second floors, but that would pose a
manpower problem.  I'd really appreciate people sharing their experiences
and concerns and practices to see if we can come up with something that
satisfies our needs and doesn't compromise security.

Genevieve Ellerbee
Associate Registrar
DAR Museum
Washington, DC
202.628.1776 x331

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