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New CIA Tech Museum: Spy Scat and Robo-Fish

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the marshall-will-provide-the-op-tech dept.

PSaltyDS writes "According to this AP story, the CIA's Directorate of Science and Technology is celebrating its 40th anniversary by revealing a few dozen of its secrets for a new museum inside its headquarters near Washington. When the CIA's secret gadget-makers invented a listening device for the Asian jungles, they disguised it so the enemy wouldn't be tempted to pick it up and examine it: The device looked like tiger droppings. Besides the jungle transmitter, the exhibits include a robotic catfish, a remote-controlled dragonfly and a camera strapped to the chests of pigeons and released over enemy targets in the 1970s. There is also an International Spy Museum in D.C. with more pics, including an early version of the Pigeon-Cam."

8 of 91 comments (clear)

  1. If these cool gadgets are in a museum NOW... by pdaoust007 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Imagine what kind of gadgets the CIA have available to them today...

    What's also interesting is that the gadgets are not the type you would expect. I.e., not what we are used to see in movies and all.

    1. Re:If these cool gadgets are in a museum NOW... by scrod · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The article mentions that the museum "is accessible only to CIA employees, and guests admitted to those closed quarters".

  2. Re:Tiger droppings? by Brahmastra · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Think I'm joking?
    Check this out

  3. The Dark Side by handy_vandal · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Cool spook toys -- all very sexy.

    But what about the assassination devices -- shellfish toxins, flechette umbrellas, that sort of thing?

    What about MK-ULTRA -- the covert testing of hallucinogens on unsuspecting civilians?

    What about CIA/Mafia alliances?

    What about Operation Phoenix?

    -kgj

    --
    -kgj
  4. Spy Museum not that great...yet. by SpaceRook · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I went to the Spy Museum in DC a couple months after it opened. I wasn't that impressed. It seems like they still have some kinks to work out.

    A lot of stuff was recreations. Few of the exhibits seemed to be the actual items. There is a "James Bond" car exhibit which is literally just a car that has spotlights shined at certain parts while a radio says what secret weapon could be hidden inside.

    There is one section where children can climb through air ducts. The racket that is created as dumb parents let their children stomp and yell through the air ducts ruins the whole exhibit room.

    I think all museums are a little rough around the edges when they first open. Maybe I'll check out the Spy Museum again in several years. As it currently stands, you'll learn more about spies by surfing around on google.

  5. Re:I loved the NSA museum by replicant108 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    "free coloring books for the kids"

    You mean something like this?

  6. Re:Interesting, but ... by kruczkowski · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The Internation Spy Museum is a private thing. The CIA museum is on at CIA headquaters in Langly.

    BTW, the ISM is pretty cool.

    --
    hmm... for fun I enjoy launching DDoS attacks against 127.87.42.5
  7. Re:I loved the NSA museum by drinkypoo · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I'm thinking it's more like this (or this.) Here's a nice picture of an imaginary plushie getting busted by security for trying to enter CIA HQ without a badge.

    Also included: sniper's eye view of the cafeteria, and the evidence destroying facility in action.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"