Managing security for Tutankhamun in London

info4security

A behind-the-scenes look at the Tutankhamun exhibition at London's O2 Bubble.

After a 35-year absence, the treasures of Tutankhamun have returned to London for the stunning ‘Golden Age of the Pharaohs’ Exhibition. With – literally – priceless artefacts on display, the event presents the Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) and service partner G4S Security Services (UK) with a unique protection challenge. Brian Sims chats with Paul Bullen, Tom Bell and Sally Davies to unearth the security solutions put in place. . . .

Maintaining the myriad features that make The O2 Bubble such a popular destination for visitors – while at the same time delivering robust protection for priceless treasures – presents AEG’s venue manager Sally Davies with a rather unique security challenge.

“The accessibility of the venue and its position in the wider O2 complex makes it attractive to members of the public who would otherwise probably not even consider visiting a ‘museum’ in the traditional sense,” suggests King. “However, because The O2 Bubble wasn’t built as a traditional museum, it didn’t benefit from the established security infrastructures normally found in such an environment. Necessarily, we had to make those infrastructures our foremost priority.”

At the start of the project, AEG employed independent risk assessors who were brought in to evaluate the integrity of the site in relation to the value of King Tut’s treasure trove.