MI5 Unveils Secrets of Espionage in New Exhibition at The National Archives

MI5 has launched the “MI5: Official Secrets” exhibition at The National Archives, showcasing 115 years of spy history. Director Ken McCallum aims for increased transparency about real intelligence work, highlighting notable pieces like a lemon used by a WWI spy and information about the “Cambridge Five.” The exhibition opens Saturday and runs until September.

MI5’s new exhibition “MI5: Official Secrets” at The National Archives in London showcases the history of espionage, revealing equipment and techniques from the agency’s 115-year existence. Developed by MI5 archivists, the exhibition aims to enhance transparency about the intelligence community.

Director General Ken McCallum elaborated that real espionage often involves “ordinary human beings together doing extraordinary things,” contrasting it with fictional depictions like those in TV shows.

Notable items include a 110-year-old lemon used by German spy Karl Muller for secret messages during WWI and confessions from notorious double agents of the “Cambridge Five,” who spied for the Soviet Union.

The exhibition opens Saturday and will continue until September, inviting the public to explore the realities of spying beyond popular fiction.

The “MI5: Official Secrets” exhibition serves to demystify espionage, offering insights into the real practices behind intelligence work that differ markedly from fictional portrayals. With items like Karl Muller’s lemon and items linked to the Cambridge Five, it presents a unique historical perspective while advancing MI5’s goal of transparency. The display exemplifies MI5’s approach to engage the public and sheds light on the often unseen but impactful nature of spy work.

Original Source: www.nst.com.my