Lapis Lazuli - A couple of rocks sitting next to each other
Royal blue lapis lazuli is a semi-precious gemstone. The gem was highly prized by ancient Babylonian and Egyptian royalty. Today, miners recover the gem from only a few deposits around the world. A major site i... More
Untouchable - A fighter jet flying in the sky above the earth
by Dru Blair.Mixed Media on Illustration Board, 2007.Donated by Daniel K. Hilton.Under the highly secret Project OXCART, CIA developed the A 12 as the U-2’s successor, intended to meet our nation’s need for a v... More
Peacekeeper - A fighter jet flying through the air above the earth
By Dru Blair.2010.Mixed Media on Illustration Board.Donated Courtesy of Richard J. Guggenhime and Donald Elster..On 23 January 1968, North Korea seized the US Navy Ship Pueblo while it was on a signals intellig... More
M-209 - A brown box with four keys inside of it
The M-209 is a mechanical cipher device. Designed by Boris Hagelin, the machine was widely used by the U.S. Army during World War II. Compact and portable, it used a series of rotors to encode and decode secret... More
FBIS Text Message Announcing Yugoslavian President Tito's Death
Filed on 4 May 1980 from the FBIS Austria Bureau, this message regards the Bucharest Radio announcement of President Tito’s death. It states:..“The LYC Central Committee of the presidium of the Socialist Feder... More
Enigma Machine, World War II photo
During World War II, the Germans used the Enigma, a cipher machine, to develop nearly unbreakable codes for sending messages. The Enigma's settings offered 150,000,000,000,000,000,000 possible solutions, yet th... More
Earthquake’s Final Flight
by Jeffrey W. Bass.Oil on Canvas, 2006 .Donated by the Fairchild Corporation.This painting commemorates air operations of Civil Air Transport (CAT, an Agency proprietary) and its CIA contract pilots in support ... More
FBIS Central Eurasia Program Mongolian Typewriter
A Mongolian typewriter used on the Central Eurasia Program of FBIS during the 1950s...For more information on CIA history and this painting please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Helms Letter - A piece of paper with writing on it
A future director’s note to his son. As Americans celebrated victory in Europe in May 1945, Office of Strategic Services (OSS) officer Richard Helms wrote this touching and eloquent letter to his young son on ... More
Enigma Machine - Public domain dedication image
During World War II, the Germans used the Enigma, a cipher machine, to develop nearly unbreakable codes for sending messages. The Enigma's settings offered 150,000,000,000,000,000,000 possible solutions, yet th... More
Dragonfly Insectothopter
Developed by CIA’s Office of Research and Development in the 1970s, this micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) was the first flight of an insect-sized aerial vehicle (Insectothopter). It was an initiative to expl... More
Dragonfly Insectothopter
Developed by CIA’s Office of Research and Development in the 1970s, this micro Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) was the first flight of an insect-sized aerial vehicle (Insectothopter). It was an initiative to expl... More
“Studio Six Productions” Portfolio
To rescue six American diplomats who evaded capture during the seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran, on 4 November 1979, CIA technical specialists created a fake movie-production company in Holl... More
CORONA Film - A black container with a lid and a spool sticking out of...
CORONA is America’s first successful photographic reconnaissance satellite. When introduced in the 1960s, it revolutionized the collection of intelligence. CORONA’s first mission in August 1960 provided more ph... More
Persian Gulf War Leaflets
These CIA-produced leaflets were used during the Persian Gulf War. Copies of the leaflets were air-dropped over a selected area before an Allied bombing run. The leaflets gave the civilian people time to evacua... More
Black Rhythm - A painting with many different colors on it
Gene Davis.c.1964.Vincent Melzac Collection.Washington Color School.This is the Agency’s only work by Gene Davis, one of the most noted of the Washington Color School artists. In a conscious effort to “purify”... More
Subminiature "Dual Use" Camera
This subminiature camera isn't much larger than its film cassette. It could be used to photograph both documents at close range and building sites at a distance. ...For more information on CIA history and this ... More
William J. Donovan’s Eyeglass Case
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Distortion Measuring Set
Atlantic Research Corporation’s distortion measuring set was used to analyze the percentage of distortion on a communications circuit in Bangkok. ..For more information on CIA history and this artifact please ... More
The Airmen’s Bond - A painting of a military helicopter in a field
Keith Woodcock.2008.Oil on Canvas.Donated Courtesy of the Air America Association Board..When President Kennedy decided in 1961 to forcefully resist rising Communist aggression against the remote but strategica... More
Radio Receiver Concealment
A subminiature radio receiver is concealed in this modified pipe. The user hears the sound via "bone conduction" from the jaw to the ear canal...For more information on CIA history and this artifact please vis... More
Ambush in Manchuria - A painting of a plane flying over a body of wate...
Dru Blair.Mixed Media on Illustration Board, 2010.Donated Courtesy of Alan Seigrist.November 1950 marked the entry of Chinese Communist military forces into the Korean War. The Truman Administration tasked CIA ... More
CIA Semi-Submersible - A close up of a toilet in a room
CIA designed and manufactured this two-man semi-submersible in the 1950s. It carried no weapons, was cramped, had limited endurance, and required a "mother ship" for transport and recovery. However, the vessel ... More
Letter Removal Device - A close up of a knife on a white surface
Special devices were used in World War II to take letters from their envelopes without opening the seals. The pincer-like device was inserted into the unsealed gap at the top of an envelope flap. One could then... More
M-209 - A brown suitcase sitting on top of a white surface
The M-209 is a mechanical cipher device. Designed by Boris Hagelin, the machine was widely used by the U.S. Army during World War II. Compact and portable, it used a series of rotors to encode and decode secret... More
Medal of Honor, William Donovan, WWI
General Donovan – Director of the Office of Strategic Services – was the most highly decorated officer of World War I. He was awarded the medal for action in France in 1918. Donovan led his men to take the Germ... More
Afghan Hat, Afghanistan
A gift from Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai to former DCI George Tenet...For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Civil Air Transport Souvenir Bag
CAT travelers received flight bags as complementary gifts...For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Dynazoom - A microscope that is sitting on top of a table
The Dynazoom was a state-of-the-art device for stereo viewing of satellite and aircraft film in the 1960s and 1970s. It optically couples two commercial microscopes capable of magnifications up to 300x. Using... More
William J. Donovan’s Mirror and Case
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Distinguished Service Cross, William Donovan, WWI
William J. Donovan –Director of the Office of Strategic Services – received one of our countries highest honors while a lieutenant colonel with the 165th Infantry. On July 28-31, 1918 Donovan led his battalion... More
One of the Last Flags to Fly Over Checkpoint Charlie
The most famous crossing point between East and West during the Cold War, the iconic outpost in Berlin known as “Checkpoint Charlie” was a symbol of the post-World War II conflict between the Free World and the... More
OSS Escape and Evasion Map - Public domain map
Printed on silk, which is durable, this map doesn’t rustle at night and can be folded up very compactly to be more easily concealed. The map is printed with waterproof dyes so the colors would not run if it got... More
Woodsman's Pal Knife - A knife that is sitting on a table
An essential part of the survival kit for American forces in the Philippines, China and Burma, this knife was ideal for cutting through jungle brush. It also had potential as a combat knife—its manufacturer pro... More
U-2 Model - A close up of an airplane with a sky background
On May 1, 1960, U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down by the Soviets over Sverdlovsk. He spent 21 months in a Russian prison. In 1962 Powers was exchanged for Soviet intelligence officer Col. Rudolf Abel... More
U-2 Model - A model of a fighter jet flying through the air
On May 1, 1960, U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down by the Soviets over Sverdlovsk. He spent 21 months in a Russian prison. In 1962 Powers was exchanged for Soviet intelligence officer Col. Rudolf Abel... More
Concealment Device (Modified Ladies Make-Up Compact)
A code is a system of communication in which groups of symbols represent words. Codes may be used for brevity or security. Here, a code is concealed inside the mirror of a lady's make-up compact. By tilting the... More
Stella Uzdawinis’ OSS Pendent
During World War II, Stella Uzdawinis served as a civilian in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). She never told any of her family about her career with the OSS. They did not learn of it until after her dea... More
Continental Air Service's Pilatus Turbo Porter Landing Up Country in L...
Keith Woodcock.Oil on Canvas, 2010.Donated Courtesy of Owen Lee Gossett.Continental Air Service, Inc. (CASI) provided essential contract flying during the war in Southeast Asia in support of the CIA and other U... More
Escape & Evasion Survival Kit
Designed for use by special operations personnel, this kit contains a number of survival tools, including a diamond wire to cut metal, fishing equipment, a ceramic blade, a can opener, lock picks and a mini-Lea... More
William J. Donovan’s Razor and Case
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
CAT Notepad - A red and a black leather passport cover
Given as a souvenir to guests on CAT’s Mandarin Jet, this notepad includes a calendar from 1967. ..For more information on CIA history and these artifacts please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Golden Cigar Connector Out of US Embassy in Moscow
This gold- and silver-plated connector was an integral part of the collection system at the embassy office building. It was apparently placed near the top of a column in a dense rebar cage where items that refl... More
Former Soviet Pilot Viktor Belenko’s Military Identity Document
Soviet Lt. Viktor I. Belenko carried two personal items – this military identity document and a knee-pad notebook with flight data – on his dramatic flight to freedom in a MiG 25 Foxbat fighter from the USSR to... More
CIA Semi-Submersible - A close up of a metal object with a hole in it
CIA designed and manufactured this two-man semi-submersible in the 1950s. It carried no weapons, was cramped, had limited endurance, and required a "mother ship" for transport and recovery. However, the vessel ... More
Digital X-Ray Detector Panel
This glass panel is a component of a solid-state detector used in an X-ray imaging device. Etched onto the panel is an array of about 1,100 x 900 picture elements ("pixels"). Each consists of a field effect tr... More
"Matchbox" Camera - A couple of black boxes sitting next to each other
The Eastman Kodak Company developed and manufactured this camera for use by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). It was made in the shape of a matchbox of that era. It could be disguised by adding a matchbox... More
Enigma Machine, World War II photo
During World War II, the Germans used the Enigma, a cipher machine, to develop nearly unbreakable codes for sending messages. The Enigma's settings offered 150,000,000,000,000,000,000 possible solutions, yet th... More
Air America China, Thailand
This Noritake china (Pattern No. 3/458) was used in the Air America mess hall in Udorn, Thailand. A service included this dinner plate as well as a small plate, coffee cup and saucer....For more information on ... More
Air America China, Thailand
This Noritake china (Pattern No. 3/458) was used in the Air America mess hall in Udorn, Thailand. ..For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Blood Chit, Afghanistan
Blood chits are carried to request aid from people in enemy territory. An unspecified reward is promised to anyone helping the person to safety. This blood chit is made of waterproof Tyvek for use in Afghanis... More
PRC-112B1 Survival Radio
The PRC-112B1 is a hand-held radio providing line-of-sight voice, text, and data communications. It contains a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, which also allows it to transmit the user’s geographic l... More
Civil Air Transport Bottle, 中華民國台灣
This Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly bottle contained medicinal wine (intended for a strong and healthy heart) that was served on some CAT flights....For more information on CIA history and this artifact pleas... More
Office of Strategic Services Escape & Evasion Knife
This knife was used by British and American demolitionists during WWII. A member of an Office of Strategic Services Jedburgh team carried this on his first mission as he parachuted into Nazi-occupied France...... More
William J. Donovan’s Boots
Office of Strategic Services Director William Donovan wore these boots during his pre-World War I service with the New York National Guard Calvary Troop....For more information on CIA history and this artifact ... More
Minox B Camera - A silver camera and a black case on a white surface
The ultra-light aluminum-shell Minox B was produced from 1958 to 1972. Because of its small size, it was easy to conceal. It could take excellent photographs of documents at close range and was a natural for se... More
Concealment Device (Modified Ladies Make-Up Compact)
A code is a system of communication in which groups of symbols represent words. Codes may be used for brevity or security. Here, a code is concealed inside the mirror of a lady's make-up compact. By tilting the... More
Studies in Intelligence Volume 1, Number 1
Sherman Kent created the publication Studies in Intelligence in 1955. Kent – the most renowned analyst in American intelligence history – served as a CIA officer from 1950 to 1967. Kent envisioned a journal dev... More
NHB Groundbreaking Shovel
This shovel was used by then-President Reagan at the New Headquarters Building groundbreaking ceremony on May 24, 1984. ...For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http:/... More
Escape and Evasion Map - Public domain map
Printed on silk, which is durable, this map doesn’t rustle and can be folded up very compactly to be more easily concealed. It also is printed with waterproof dyes so the colors would not run if the map got wet... More
A-12 OXCART Flight Suit Gloves
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
A-12 OXCART Flight Suit Boots
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Beginner’s Flaps and Seals Kit
These tools were used for learning how to clandestinely open, read, and reseal envelopes or packages without the recipient’s knowledge. ...For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.... More
Air America Challenge Coin - coin, public domain photograph
During the Vietnam War, Air America, a CIA proprietary airline, flew a variety of missions in the Far East. These missions ranged from undercover CIA operations to overt air transportation. The Republic of Viet... More
Pointy-Talky Language Chart
Dari is the language commonly spoken by the tribes of northern Afghanistan. Americans not fluent in Dari could use this chart to communicate basic words and phrases in written and spoken phonetic Dari by speak... More
Shrade Tool, Afghanistan
A CIA medic carried this multi-purpose tool in Afghanistan. He used it to perform numerous surgical procedures, including three lower-leg amputations...For more information on CIA history and this artifact ple... More
William J. Donovan’s Whistle
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
First Sting, Afghanistan
Stuart Brown.2008.Oil on Canvas.Donated Courtesy of Richard J. Guggenhime and Donald Elster..First Sting depicts the turning point in the Afghan war with the first of many shoot-downs of Soviet helicopter gunsh... More
"Silver Dollar" Hollow Container
This coin may appear to be an Eisenhower silver dollar, but it is really a concealment device. It was used to hide messages or film so they could be sent secretly. Because it looks like ordinary pocket change, ... More
Memorial Wall Star Carving Tools
Shown here are tools used by Tim Johnston to create the stars found on the CIA Memorial Wall. First, the star is traced on the wall using a template. The hammer and chisels are then used to carve the marble ou... More
Bodyworn Surveillance Equipment
An intelligence officer’s clothing, accessories, and behavior must be as unremarkable as possible — their lives (and others’) may depend on it. This is a responsibility that operational artisans, technicians, a... More
Enigma Machine, World War II photo
During World War II, the Germans used the Enigma, a cipher machine, to develop nearly unbreakable codes for sending messages. The Enigma's settings offered 150,000,000,000,000,000,000 possible solutions, yet th... More
Air America Formal Pilot Hat
During the Vietnam War, Air America, a CIA proprietary airline, flew a variety of missions in the Far East. These missions ranged from undercover CIA operations to overt air transportation. The Republic of Viet... More
US Army Lensatic Compass - Public domain map
US Military forces have used this basic compass since the 1950s with only minor modifications. With its olive-drab aluminum case, sighting wire, magnifying eyepiece, and luminous dial, the compass enables the ... More
Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999
Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 specifies that CIA Headquarters compound is to be named after former Director of Central Intelligence and President George H. W. Bush. This is the legislatio... More
Civil Air Transport Picture
This graphic is from one of the Tang Horse calendars published by CAT. It is a reproduction of a stone rubbing of a miniature replica of one of the six bas-reliefs adorning the entrance to the tomb of Emperor ... More
Civil Air Transport Cigarette Lighter
This Civil Air Transport (CAT) lighter is from the Hong Kong-to-Bangkok inaugural flight of Civil Air Transport on July 20, 1957....For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov... More
Concealed Compass - A close up of a pair of cuff watches
American servicemen going into harm’s way had a variety of ingenious places to hide small, even miniature, compasses for escape and evasion—in combs or razors, uniform buttons or, as seen here, in cufflinks. . ... More
FBIS Central Eurasia Report Glossary of Selected Russian Social Scienc...
FBIS Central Eurasia Report Glossary of Selected Russian Social Science Terms...For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Artist’s Concepts for Argo
To rescue six American diplomats who evaded capture during the seizure of the United States embassy in Tehran, Iran, on 4 November 1979, CIA technical specialists created a fake movie-production company in Holl... More
Pan Am 103 Lapel Pin - A lapel pin with the state of michigan on it
This pin was designed by the widow of one of the victims of Pan Am 103. It is given to the victim’s family members and supporters by Victims of Pan Am Flight 103, Inc. This group is made up of family members ... More
U-2 Model - An airplane is flying in the sky on a cloudy day
On May 1, 1960, U-2 pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down by the Soviets over Sverdlovsk. He spent 21 months in a Russian prison. In 1962 Powers was exchanged for Soviet intelligence officer Col. Rudolf Abel... More
CIA Semi-Submersible - A model of a boat on display in a museum
CIA designed and manufactured this two-man semi-submersible in the 1950s. It carried no weapons, was cramped, had limited endurance, and required a "mother ship" for transport and recovery. However, the vessel ... More
Pigeon Camera - A bird is standing on a piece of wood
CIA’s Office of Research and Development developed a camera small and light enough to be carried by a pigeon. It would be released, and on its return home the bird would fly over a target. Being a common specie... More
Enigma Machine, World War II photo
During World War II, the Germans used the Enigma, a cipher machine, to develop nearly unbreakable codes for sending messages. The Enigma's settings offered 150,000,000,000,000,000,000 possible solutions, yet th... More
Piece of Metal from A-12
During a routine A-12 training flight on 5 January 1967, a fuel gauge failed to function properly, and the aircraft ran out of fuel only minutes before landing. The pilot, Walter Ray, ejected but was killed whe... More
Admiral Calland’s Desert Combat Uniform Top
Vice Adm. Albert “Bert” M. Calland III was the first US military flag officer to set foot in Afghanistan in 2001. He served as commander of all Special Operations Forces for US Central Command during Operation ... More
Les Marguerites Fleuriront ce Soir
by Jeffrey W. Bass.Oil on Canvas, 2006.Donated by Richard J. Guggenhime..When France fell under the Nazi boot in June 1940, Great Britain stood alone against the enemy. Fearing a similar fate for his country, ... More
William J. Donovan’s Monogrammed Leather Shoulder Bag
For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Miniature Volume of Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago
Copy of the original Russian-language edition of Doctor Zhivago, covertly published by the CIA. The front cover and the binding identify the book in Russian; the back of the book states that it was printed in ... More
Machete - A knife and a knife sheath on a white surface
One of the most famous knife types in the world, the machete was quite capable of cutting its way through the dense jungles of Burma. Its lengthy blade could also deliver a devastating blow to an enemy. OSS acq... More
U-2 Film Canister - A close up of a black pipe with a label on it
Original canister of U-2 film from one of the first flyovers of Russia on 5 July 1956. U-2 cameras had the finest lenses in the world and could see objects on the ground just two feet across from an altitude of... More
D-21 Tagboard (1/48 Scale Model)
CIA developed the D-21 Drone for surveillance missions over enemy territory. It was launched from a modified A-12. The D-21's engine propelled it to speeds over 2,000 mph. During missions, the D-21 would follow... More
Seismic Intruder Detection Device
This Cold War-Era intrusion detector was designed to blend in with the terrain. It can detect movement of people, animals, or objects up to 300 meters away. The device is powered by tiny power cells and has a b... More
"Silver Dollar" Hollow Container
This coin may appear to be an Eisenhower silver dollar, but it is really a concealment device. It was used to hide messages or film so they could be sent secretly. Because it looks like ordinary pocket change, ... More
Gas Mask - A gas mask hanging from the ceiling
Shown here is one of many gas masks found in an al-Qa’ida safe house in Kandahar, Afghanistan in December 2001....For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
President Eisenhower Trowel
The CIA celebrated the construction of its new headquarters building with a cornerstone ceremony on Nov. 3, 1959. This trowel was used by President Eisenhower to lay the cornerstone. ...For more information on... More
Caltrop (Tire Spike) - A pair of scissors that are in the air
No matter how the caltrop is tossed, it will land with one of its four prongs up. Whatever rolls over it will be punctured or injured. They are effective when left along enemy roadways or airport runways. ...Fo... More
Air America China, Thailand
This Noritake china (Pattern No. 3/458) was used in the Air America mess hall in Udorn, Thailand....For more information on CIA history and this artifact please visit www.cia.gov ( http://www.cia.gov )
Mine Probing Tool, Afghanistan
In December 2001 a team of CIA/DS&T officers used this tool to uncover a 2,400-pound Improvised Explosive Device (IED) buried in the dirt-covered roof of the governor’s palace at Kandahar—rendering it safe just... More