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MI5 Opens First Public Exhibition Showcasing 115 Years of Espionage

The free exhibition, launching April 5 in London, highlights the agency's historical milestones, controversies, and evolving role in national security.

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The exhibition includes the passport of double agent Guy Burgess
Burgess's personalised briefcase is part of the display at the National Archives
It also shows the lemon used by German spy Karl Muller for secret writing

Overview

  • The 'MI5: Official Secrets' exhibition is MI5's first public effort to reveal its history, featuring declassified files, artifacts, and spy gadgets.
  • Visitors can explore key moments in espionage, including the capture of German spy Karl Muller in 1915, who used lemon juice as invisible ink.
  • The exhibition addresses controversial episodes, such as the defection of Guy Burgess to Moscow and Anthony Blunt's exposure as a Soviet agent.
  • Modernization within MI5 is highlighted, including its shift to counterterrorism and a workforce that was nearly 48% women by 2022.
  • Interactive features allow visitors to test their potential as spies through memory and code-breaking challenges.