Louvre Launches €57 Million Security Upgrade Tender
▼ Summary
– The Louvre is launching a €57 million security overhaul following the €88 million theft of the Crown Jewels from its Apollo Gallery in October.
– The renovation plan includes establishing a new digital safety management system with remote controls and cybersecurity solutions.
– It involves deploying a centralized security monitoring platform and revamping the CCTV network with a new video management system.
– The project will create new, certified access control mechanisms and renovate intrusion and artwork detection systems.
– The museum specified all new systems must be interoperable and scalable, with modernization to occur without suspending public visits.
Following a major theft of priceless crown jewels, the Louvre Museum is initiating a comprehensive security modernization project. The institution has issued a public tender valued at 57 million euros to fundamentally upgrade its protective systems. This decisive move comes directly after a brazen October break-in at the Apollo Gallery, where artifacts worth an estimated 88 million euros were stolen, an event the museum’s director called a “brutal theft” that deeply shocked staff and the public alike.
The ambitious plan aims to renovate the entire safety and security infrastructure with new software, network equipment, and advanced technologies. A core objective is establishing a new digital safety management system. This system will enable the remote operation of connected security devices and integrate robust cybersecurity measures to protect against digital threats.
A major component involves deploying a sophisticated monitoring platform. This software will consolidate and analyze data from various security applications across the museum. It promises an intuitive interface for staff and must seamlessly integrate with third-party systems, including those for logging incidents, internal telephones, and public address announcements.
The project also mandates a complete overhaul of the visual surveillance network. This includes installing new surveillance cameras and implementing a centralized video management system (VMS) to monitor footage more effectively. Furthermore, the museum plans to create new access control mechanisms certified by the French Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI), alongside a solution to manage all access points from a single location.
Additional critical upgrades target the intrusion detection systems and the specialized sensors that protect artwork at close range. In its procurement documents, the Louvre emphasized that all new hardware and software must be interoperable and scalable. This requirement ensures the system can adapt to future technological advances and avoids the pitfalls of vendor lock-in or closed, proprietary systems.
Officials have confirmed that the renovation work will be conducted without suspending the museum’s operations. Updates will occur either during public visiting hours or in designated closure periods to minimize disruption. Companies interested in bidding on this landmark project have until December 10 to submit their proposals and demonstrate how their solutions meet the Louvre’s stringent new requirements.
(Source: Info Security)