Smart sensors help Karlovac City Museum save money and energy

The installation of the sensors is part of its “Smart Museum” project

Last week, Croatia's Karlovac City Museum presented its “Smart Museum” project, which aims to protect its exhibits and help realise financial and energy savings. As part of the project, the rooms and displays of the Vjekoslav Karas Gallery and the City Museum have been equipped with temperature and humidity detection sensors that allow staff to monitor the indoor climate conditions remotely.

In this way, the system facilitates the protection and preservation of the museum’s items, which are otherwise sensitive to humidity and temperature. In addition to this, the new system also features motion detection sensors that alert staff when visitors are in close proximity to unprotected exhibits.

“Such innovative projects in the Karlovac City Museum strive for better care of museum material. Museum objects are particularly sensitive, even to the slightest fluctuations in humidity, temperature, and light. Prolonged exposure to inadequate conditions can lead to a variety of problems. Through a smart system, employees can collect and analyse critical data about the environment in which the objects are located in real time,” explained the Director of the Karlovac City Museum, Hrvojka Božić.

Realising savings and preserving cultural heritage

Božić went further, explaining that the ‘smart museum’ project will ensure the rapid and accurate adjustment of conditions, reduce labour costs and decrease the frequency of restoration projects as exhibits will now be better protected. In other words, the project will help realise both financial and energy savings.

In a press release, the Karlovac City Museum explains that the “Smart Museum” project is part of the municipality’s “Smart City” project. According to Mayor Damir Mandic, the implementation of such actions is crucial as it helps preserve the country’s cultural heritage.