Client

Copenhagen

We're used to museum exhibits being enclosed in glass and protected by other physical barriers, but this time it's different. We'll tell you how Ajax ensured free access to football exhibits without compromising security.

In 2021, Denmark hosted UEFA European Championship matches for the first time in its history. To celebrate this football festival, UEFA, together with the Danish Football Association and with the support of the City of Copenhagen, launched a themed exhibition, "The History of the UEFA European Championship," at the Copenhagen Museum. The exhibition also marked the 60th anniversary of the Championship and ran from June 12 to July 9.

The main exhibits at the exhibition are the kits of famous football players such as Michel Platini, Gary Lineker, Eric Cantona, Frank Rijkaard, Michael Laudrup, and many others. There is even an exhibit displaying the plaster cast of Danish player Henrik Andersen's leg. He broke his leg in the semi-final against the Netherlands in EURO 1992. And in the final that same year, Denmark beat Germany 2-0 to win the European Championship. The trophy became the centerpiece of the exhibition.

The exhibition is being held at the Copenhagen Museum, located in the City Hall in the city's historic district, a popular tourist destination.

Challenge

To provide open access to exhibitions for a large number of visitors.

A unique exhibition requires that non-standard conditions be considered when selecting a security system.

Open access to exhibits: Exhibits are not surrounded by fences to hinder visitors; you can get as close as you want to see all the details. This supports the spirit of unity, safety, and respect that comes with the football festival.

Large crowds: The exhibition takes place at Copenhagen City Hall. It's a popular tourist attraction, especially during the tournament. Admission is free; everyone, including tourists and locals, can visit the exhibition.

Therefore, the sensors should not attract too much attention. At the same time, the security of the artifacts must be at the highest level, providing absolute protection against loss or damage. It is also important to prevent false alarms under conditions of free access to the artifacts. And, of course, the museum's security service needs to receive immediate notifications whenever there is any sign of loss.

The exhibition was only temporary, so it needed a reliable yet flexible solution that could be installed and dismantled quickly. Installers didn't have weeks to prepare, as everything had to be done within a few days.

All these factors create unusual conditions for finding a solution.

“Ajax was chosen because Kemp & Lauritzen recognized the application's functionality and the ability of Ajax wireless devices to handle challenges. Additionally, we needed a temporary solution, and Ajax was the only professional system capable of addressing such specific issues.”

Henrik Grejsen, Head of Security Services, Kemp & Lauritzen

Why use Ajax?

Ajax met the key requirements of the project:

Reliability. Stable radio communication and the absence of false alarms are crucial when allowing free access to the exhibits.

• Easy to move: With no wires, the displays can be moved as needed, and it only takes a few days to set everything up.

• Convenient notifications: All security personnel have installed the Ajax app to receive instant notifications on their smartphones.

Solution

Wireless sensors report changes in vibration and tilt angle.

The exhibition features various artifacts: football jerseys, football boots, a plaster cast of a leg, and the EURO 1992 trophy.

DoorProtect Plus is used to protect all artifacts. It's a wireless sensor used to detect door openings, tilting, and shocks. Typically, such sensors are installed on doors and windows, but in museums, they are used in a different way.

To protect the soccer jersey, the DoorProtect Plus sensors are bolted onto the doll to ensure that the devices don't fall off or trigger false alarms. Not a single false alarm occurred in a month.

In the settings, the shock and tilt detection function has been enabled. If someone pulls the doll's clothes or tilts it, as well as in the event of any significant vibrations, the museum's security guards will be notified immediately.

DoorProtect Plus sensors are attached to dolls wearing jerseys of football legends.

The same principle applies to the remaining exhibits, except that the DoorProtect Plus sensors are secured with double-sided tape. Technically, visitors can gently touch the exhibits but not move them. If someone moves them, for example, a shoe or a plaster cast, security personnel will immediately receive an alert and know which exhibit is at risk.

To protect Henrik Andersen's plaster cast foot, sensors were installed inside the artifact.

The sensors are wireless, so when necessary, exhibition organizers and security services can easily change the position of the exhibits. Of course, this is only possible when the security system is disabled.

The European Cup is housed in a glass case. The cup is protected by two DoorProtect Plus sensors – one located inside the cup and another on its underside. Two other DoorProtect Plus sensors protect the base. Any suspicious vibrations will trigger an alarm.

A representative from Kemp & Lauritzen was responsible for the trophy that Denmark won in 1992.

The DoorProtect Plus sensors operate within the Ajax system via the Jeweller radio protocol, providing communication with the hub at distances up to 1,200 meters. This is sufficient to maintain stable communication within the 50-meter x 50-meter exhibition space. To protect data, the protocol uses block encryption with a key. In case of interference, the system switches to a backup frequency. Simultaneously, the hub sends a notification to security personnel and triggers an alarm.

The DoorProtect Plus's operation is supported by the Hub 2 Plus control panel, which provides stable communication and control over up to 200 security devices. This is sufficient, as the museum used 45 DoorProtect Plus units for this project.

The hub is managed via an Ajax application. With the application, you can change the settings of the hub and connected devices, receive notifications, and configure automated scenarios.

The installer configured the system in the Ajax PRO: Tool for Engineers mobile app, and museum security staff used the Ajax Security System app on their smartphones to receive notifications and change security settings. In case of an alert, the app displays which sensor has been activated.

The security service used the Ajax system in conjunction with the Copenhagen Museum's existing fixed security system.

The installation and configuration of the Ajax equipment took three days, quickly and without any problems. One installer handled everything carefully and without any confusion.

The technician is configuring the system.

“At Kemp & Lauritzen, we are proud to have undertaken this project. The functionality and stability of Ajax have inspired us to take a closer look at these solutions and new installations that have been done in other museums and exhibitions. There are new projects underway.”

Henrik Grejsen, Head of Security Services, Kemp & Lauritzen