Recently, ISIS terrorists destroyed the ancient Temple of Baalshamin, (which dates back to the 2nd Century BC) in Palmyra, Syria. Many ancient artifacts and items of cultural significance have been lost in the Syrian civil war, and the rise of ISIS continues to place people and historical sites in danger. Many parts of the world are not in such grave circumstances as the areas threatened by ISIS, but this latest incident provides a chance to bring attention to a particular field within the security industry: museums.

Thankfully, most security professionals guarding museums do not have to worry about terrorists from ISIS, but there are some important things to be aware of when assigned to a museum. Museums require specialized services and unique training to properly care for not only the priceless value of their collections, but also to handle diverse visitor populations who may not speak the same language. This will require extensive planning and proactive procedures for dealing with unique exhibits, and the patience to deal with large crowds who may not be well informed of security requirements. This understandably can create hectic situations, but it is absolutely imperative that security professionals display excellent customer service at all times. It is not just the job of the concierges or marketing staff to ensure visitors enjoy themselves. Security professionals are on the front line, and more often than not deal with customers that your organization is going to want to keep coming back, so make sure they leave with a positive impression by being helpful and courteous.

Every collection has individual security needs, and graveyard shifts especially require a prolific knowledge of electronics, emergency response, and access control, accountability. If the museum you work at has limited resources, a good resource that may help you is the International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection, which is one of the more exceptional organizations offering expertise to assist with security programs and procedures. They also offers professional certification of individuals involved in the protection of cultural heritage, which may help your organization boost its security plan.

With extensive security officer training, everyone within the organization benefits. Security officers will appreciate the opportunity for professional development and specialized training, and supervisors can be confident that they have a more effective team. From that point, your organization's managers will enjoy the benefits of investing in the performance and training of security professionals, because the visitor experience will flourish.