How do you keep a museum safe? It is a question that appeals to the imagination – there are so many films about spectacular burglaries in museums for a reason. But security is much more than keeping criminals out. For example, how do you prevent someone from climbing on a work of art? And what should you do in case of fire? A conversation with Sietse Bijsterveld (1987), head of security at the Groninger Museum, about nosebleeds, fences and the danger of interactive exhibitions.
Are there things we shouldn't talk about in this interview?
"Well, everyone can see the cameras, of course, but we prefer not to reveal how the building will be further secured. Otherwise, someone might elaborate on that."
I must admit that when museum security comes to mind, spectacular break-ins and laser sensors immediately come to mind – what does your job actually involve?
"Actually, security is about safety in the broadest sense of the word – we do everything that has anything to do with it. As head of security, I manage the attendants and I am involved in the security of the building and the art, but we also ensure the safety of visitors and staff, such as fire safety and what to do if someone becomes unwell or injured."
What does your day look like?
"I arrive early in the morning and then I prepare for the day. When the staff arrives, it is time for a briefing about the coming day: are there any details or important things to keep in mind? After that there is mainly a lot of administration , meetings, phone calls. For example, this morning I had an appointment with a company about new products for our first aid kits. And at the end of the day I go home. I come first and leave last."
Does security also play a role in the realization of exhibitions?
"Yes, we think along about the safety of exhibitions. The different teams sit together from the start and then we monitor whether the plan is also safe – whether the emergency exit remains accessible and whether the fire extinguishers are accessible. It is important that a wheelchair or a stretcher can pass everywhere. Sometimes we adjust a little later. A good example is the exhibition by Daan Roosegaarde, where there was a room that was completely filled with small balls. There were children who all went diving in there before you knew it they crashed into each other and then we had a nosebleed again. A lot of balls were removed from the hall (also because they stuck to everything and could be found all over the city) and we added an attendant who ensured that a maximum of ten people entered the room at the same time. Things like that only become clear when there is an audience."
Do artists always agree with those adjustments?
"Not always, but it's also about safety. Look, you can think of something very beautiful, but if it's not safe, then we have to think together how we can do it differently. Sometimes that is a sign or a fence, sometimes is it regulating access, like Roosegaarde did. You don't want anyone to break their leg."
So does the interactive exhibition actually make the museum a more dangerous place?
"Yes, that's right. In the past you just went to look at a painting, but now that you are allowed to touch things and sometimes even climb on it, other risks come into the picture. For example, there is a kind of digital orchestra in the current exhibition Children's Biennale placed on an elevation, but there are only steps to the left and right, so people could easily misstep at the front, especially as it was also quite dark, so we put some extra light on it, and a sign saying 'think at the step'. And such a process then goes together with the people who make the exhibition and the technical service."
Every job has its professional deformities. How are you?
"When I go out to eat, I often sit so that I can see the emergency exit and I always know where the fire extinguisher is. And I prefer to sit facing the door, so that I can see who is coming in. That's what I do. just automatically, I don't even think about it anymore. I always just want to know: if something happens, how can I get out of it as quickly as possible?"
And then let's talk about that spectacular museum burglary – is it handy that the Groninger Museum is surrounded by water?
"It makes a difference. If you want to get in some places, you need a helicopter or a boat, or you have to swim. It's an advantage that people can't come in from all sides. Look, if you plan for years to get in here, you can probably do that, but that goes for any place. And once someone is in, enough people and alarms react so that you can't stay inside for long."
Note: This articles has been translated using Google Translate