When it comes to storing art, security should be one of your top priorities. Although art heists capture headlines, inspire interesting movie plots, and make international news when they happen. Thankfully, art heists as depicted in the movies is relatively uncommon. However, the on-site security of art is still a major concern and something we take seriously at A2. Theft can not only be dangerous for the people protecting it, but it’s also for the art itself. Art that is stolen is frequently damaged and, in some cases, never recovered. A2 Art Storage & Services has built its entire facility around the safety of artwork.
A2 consulted with both security specialists and museums to help us not only meet but exceed the industry security standards. We do this because it’s important to us that our clients feel safe and secure in the storage of their artwork. The standard museum security system consists of a 24/7 alarm system, security trained staff, background-checked employees, access control, and locked doors. But here at A2 Art Storage, we’ve blown these standards out of the water. According to Rebecca Shearier, Director of Registration, “We work with a highly proficient, high-tech security company to help run our entire system. They had a lot of fun building the security system with us because they got a chance to take the gloves off and throw the kitchen sink at making the best security system they could.”
At A2, we treat every piece of art that we store as if it were our own. Our facility is protected by a UL certified security system with central station monitoring and our building is equipped with a comprehensive camera system that covers the entire interior and exterior of our building. It is impossible to enter or pass by our building without being captured on our high-resolution security cameras. All of our cameras operate 24/7 and send their footage to secure off-site cloud storage networks. The building’s perimeter is also fully fenced with a controlled access gate.
We also have off-hour motion sensors that can be remotely monitored by A2 staff members. If these sensors are ever tripped, the local police department will arrive on site rapidly. Every door within the storage facility is equipped with a magnetic lock that is programmed to only open for key fobs with access privileges and these steel doors require an immense amount of pressure to force open.
As for allowing guests on property, we operate with appointment-only visits and do not allow public access to our facility. All guests and contractors are required to present a photo ID upon entry. Guests and contractors must also be chaperoned by an A2 staff member to their desired location within the facility. All staff members and contractors undergo a detailed background check process and it is important to us that we trust the people within our facility just as much as you do.
Lastly, we track every work of art that enters our facility through a barcode-based inventory management system. This ensures that we always know where a piece is within the facility.
Our security system and protocol is built to exceed museums, galleries, and collectors’ expectations. After all, you and your art are why we’re here.