Circa 1917–1918: Pigeons carrying tiny cameras were often released over military sites during World War I to snap photos.
COURTESY INTERNATIONAL SPY MUSEUM
Shoe with heel transmitter
Circa 1960s: Russian agents used this device to listen in on secret conversations. Agents stationed at a nearby post could hear everything going on around the person wearing the shoe.
COURTESY INTERNATIONAL SPY MUSEUM
Steineck ABC wristwatch camera
Circa 1949: A miniature camera allowed undercover agents to take photographs while pretending to check the time.
COURTESY INTERNATIONAL SPY MUSEUM
Secret-writing detection kit
Circa 1980s: Spies in Europe used this kit to detect secret writing. Agents were given pens containing special ink that was visible only under the UV lights in the kit.
COURTESY INTERNATIONAL SPY MUSEUM
Enigma cipher machine
Circa 1930s: The Germans used this to code and decipher messages during World War II. The Allies were finally able to crack the complex codes in 1943, using the world’s first computing machine.
