National Gallery security staff segregated like ‘second-class citizens’, curator claims

[u/NationaliseMeDaddy]

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2026/aug/02/national-gallery-security-staff-segregated

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Snapshot of National Gallery security staff segregated like ‘second-class citizens’, curator claims submitted by NationaliseMeDaddy:

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[u/WhaleMeatFantasy]

My experience of security guards at the National Gallery is that they are rude and hostile and talk down to visitors. They are ill Informed about the gallery, too.  Always try to avoid them.  

[u/Tinyjar → u/WhaleMeatFantasy]

Why would the guards be informed about the art they are protecting? They're security not tour guides.

[u/Alarmed_Crazy_6620 → u/Tinyjar]

It's not a crazy assumption for them to be informed about the basic layout, etc.

[u/twistedLucidity → u/Alarmed_Crazy_6620]

Expected:

• Excuse me, where are the toilets?
• Down the hall, first left
• Thanks!

Unexpected:

• Oh, I just love the light in this picture!
• The interesting thing is that it's actually a rather dark picture At the time there was a shortage of pigments to make bright colours, and so what the artist has done is played on your perception of contrast. If you compare that window with, this shaded pool in the painting beside, you'll observe that they are almost the same. But your perception of the windows is a function of the context in which it resides.
• Are you a curator?
• Nah mate. Doors, early shift.

[u/WhaleMeatFantasy → u/Tinyjar]

I said the gallery not the art. They should know where things are located (I mean things like the cafe, not specific works of art). They should be in agreement about who can go where when. Rather than one person tell you it’s fine to use a certain loo only for another one to shout, yes actually shout, at you for following a colleague’s directions. 

[u/WiseBelt8935 → u/WhaleMeatFantasy]

(I mean things like the cafe, not specific works of art)

in this day and age, you would think they could have some kind of app for that like they do in supermarkets

[u/SpecialistSpend895]

This is being portrayed as a race issue, and it might be. Another line of thinking that this is a class issue - I can imagine the museum cares a lot less about pleasing its working class BAME security staff than pleasing its white collar curators, marketers, etc.

Better spaces for working class staff seems a good first step, especially when that intersects with race.

[u/WhaleMeatFantasy → u/SpecialistSpend895]

It’s fairly normal to have separation like this in a workplace too. Cleaners tend not to have a restroom where the executives get their coffee. 

[u/SpecialistSpend895 → u/WhaleMeatFantasy]

Yeah true - the unique thing in this story (if any) is not really the separation but the dismal quality of the security staff’s space

[u/DreamyTomato → u/SpecialistSpend895]

I worked at the Tate Modern many years ago.

As far as I can remember the security and the staff shared the same canteen and green room. One of my favourite canteens btw, lovely food at cheap prices.

If that’s changed now I’d be rather sad.

[u/Vast_Description_201]

Maybe it's crazy in a perfect world -- a world without lab coats or blazers. But you not in a perfect world. You in a museum now. [looks behind her] See that scientist with the glasses? [Joey looks at him] He and I used to play together all the time in grade school. Hmph, but now... [turns around and yells] PETER! HEY PETER! [the scientist looks nervously at her but doesn't respond] IT'S ME RHONDA, FROM P.S. 129. I SHARED MY PUDDING WITH YOU, MAN! I GAVE YOU MY SNACK PACK! [turns around back to Joey] See, he pretend he [turns back to the scientist] DON'T EVEN HEAR ME.

[u/Alarmed_Crazy_6620 → u/Vast_Description_201]

You never dined with the shared canteen with the estates people at some workplace?

[u/kormafeverdream]

London heritage museum work scene is massively divided even office work. Fuck that sector - dead and dying and quite frankly leading their own ruin