The Use of RFID Technology for the Collection Management in the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki

This paper presents our preliminary approach for implementing radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in the full artifact collection of the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, one of the biggest museums in Greece that houses more than fifty thousand artifacts. For selecting the most cost-effective RFID tags, we develop a standard procedure for use in museums. This involves the measurement of the read ranges of various tags attached on different substrates and the study of the relationship between tag range and tag price. Our tests indicate that wet inlay tags represent the most cost-effective solution; even for attachment to conductive artifacts with the use of insulating material. Taking into account the experimental results and the need for safeguarding the antiquities in general, we propose various methods of attachment of the tags to the artifacts. Our study contributes to current cultural heritage practices since this is the first time that the development of a standard-practice for using RFID technology in a full museum collection is attempted.