Inside SSI’s 2017 Security Solutions Award Winners

VIDEO SURVEILLANCE [TIE]: Bosch Cameras Anchor Security for Museum’s Titanic Exhibition

The Western Heritage Museum & Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame, located at the New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, N.M., needed a security upgrade to prepare for an important visiting exhibit, “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition.” The exhibit includes authentic and priceless artifacts recovered from the wreck site of the Titanic and represented the largest exhibition ever to be held at the Western Heritage Museum.

New Mexico Junior College’s Department of Public Safety and Security turned to longtime integrator partner Sound and Signal Systems of Texas to help them meet the stringent requirements of the Titanic exhibition company, Premier Exhibitions. The museum upgrade was part of an ongoing initiative by the college to migrate to a modern IP video system over time and increase video coverage throughout the campus. Upgrades would also enable the college’s Department of Public Safety and Security staff to live-monitor video during exhibit visiting hours.

FLEXIDOME IP panoramic 7000 MP cameras from Bosch were implemented to provide 360° overview images of the exhibit hall for improved situational awareness, while FLEXIDOME IP starlight 7000 VR cameras focus on important display areas. The cameras are equipped with onboard Intelligent Video Analytics to alert staff if a person crosses a virtual line, stepping too close to a display area.

A centrally-mounted Bosch AUTODOME IP 7000 HD PTZ camera enabled operators to ensure coverage of any displays that were moved by the exhibition company after the fixed cameras were installed. With overlapping video coverage, the new system exceeded the requirements of Premier Exhibitions technicians, who noted it rivaled the security of many of the major museums that had previously hosted the Titanic Exhibition.

Video streams are viewed by Department of Public Safety and Security staff using the Bosch VMS, which was previously deployed as part of the college’s migration to IP video. This allowed for seamless management of the additional cameras at the museum. “The exhibition company’s advance team was impressed that our system met and exceeded their security requirements,” reports Dennis Kelley, director of public safety, New Mexico Junior College.