MI5’s new exhibition “MI5: Official Secrets” reveals the agency’s 115-year history, showcasing real spy equipment and methods. Director Ken McCallum emphasises the difference between real espionage and fiction, presenting unique artefacts including a lemon used for secret messages and insights on the “Cambridge Five.” The exhibition opens in London this Saturday.
MI5 is unveiling its secrets in the exhibition “MI5: Official Secrets,” in collaboration with The National Archives. This exhibition showcases the real equipment and methods used by spies over MI5’s 115-year history. It aims to increase transparency about the agency’s operations.
Director General Ken McCallum stated that while television portrays the dramatic aspects of espionage, the reality involves “ordinary human beings together doing extraordinary things.” The exhibition features unique artefacts, including a 110-year-old lemon that was used as evidence against a German spy during WWI, who wrote secret messages with lemon juice.
Additionally, the exhibition includes confessions and surveillance reports from the infamous “Cambridge Five,” Britain’s double agents for the Soviet Union between the 1930s and 1950s. McCallum highlighted that real espionage operates differently than fiction, referencing characters from spy literature.
The exhibition opens this Saturday at The National Archives in southwest London and will run until September, providing visitors a glimpse into the real lives of British spies.
The MI5 exhibition aims to provide insight into the agency’s genuine operations compared to fictional representations. By showcasing real items and narratives, it highlights the significance of ordinary individuals in extraordinary roles. The exhibition serves both educational and transparency purposes regarding the agency’s historical contributions to national security.
Original Source: www.firstpost.com