Australian Spy Museum
@aus-spymuseum.bsky.social
Our mission - is collection, preservation, sharing and education on the history of espionage, and evolution of modern threats.
Our vision and goal - is to establish an independent and permanent museum home for our collection and educational programs.
Our vision and goal - is to establish an independent and permanent museum home for our collection and educational programs.
Here are:
- One of Powers flight suits
- A page from his prison notebook, learning Russian
- His autograph and Time Magazine cover
- Soviets propaganda "No Return for u2"
- And an original piece of wreckage from Powers U2.
I was honoured to meet his son Gary Jr who signed "Spy Pilot" for me
2/2
- One of Powers flight suits
- A page from his prison notebook, learning Russian
- His autograph and Time Magazine cover
- Soviets propaganda "No Return for u2"
- And an original piece of wreckage from Powers U2.
I was honoured to meet his son Gary Jr who signed "Spy Pilot" for me
2/2
February 12, 2026 at 6:45 AM
Here are:
- One of Powers flight suits
- A page from his prison notebook, learning Russian
- His autograph and Time Magazine cover
- Soviets propaganda "No Return for u2"
- And an original piece of wreckage from Powers U2.
I was honoured to meet his son Gary Jr who signed "Spy Pilot" for me
2/2
- One of Powers flight suits
- A page from his prison notebook, learning Russian
- His autograph and Time Magazine cover
- Soviets propaganda "No Return for u2"
- And an original piece of wreckage from Powers U2.
I was honoured to meet his son Gary Jr who signed "Spy Pilot" for me
2/2
CIA pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down in a U2 spy plane on May Day (May 1st) 1960. He was captured, put on trial in the Soviet Union and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
On Feb 10th 1962 he was exchanged for Rudolf Abel on the "Bridge of Spies" in Berlin.
Here's some nice U2 artefacts:
1/2
On Feb 10th 1962 he was exchanged for Rudolf Abel on the "Bridge of Spies" in Berlin.
Here's some nice U2 artefacts:
1/2
February 12, 2026 at 6:45 AM
CIA pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down in a U2 spy plane on May Day (May 1st) 1960. He was captured, put on trial in the Soviet Union and sentenced to 10 years in prison.
On Feb 10th 1962 he was exchanged for Rudolf Abel on the "Bridge of Spies" in Berlin.
Here's some nice U2 artefacts:
1/2
On Feb 10th 1962 he was exchanged for Rudolf Abel on the "Bridge of Spies" in Berlin.
Here's some nice U2 artefacts:
1/2
So that collection includes:
- Turing's pre-WWII thesis, and now more of his papers
- Original material from Bletchley Hut 8 (U-boot decrypt)
- Operational Enigma machines, and parts of Tunny
- The costumes from "The Imitation Game"
- Very early compute items
We'll exhibit some in SYD in 2026.
3/3
- Turing's pre-WWII thesis, and now more of his papers
- Original material from Bletchley Hut 8 (U-boot decrypt)
- Operational Enigma machines, and parts of Tunny
- The costumes from "The Imitation Game"
- Very early compute items
We'll exhibit some in SYD in 2026.
3/3
February 2, 2026 at 7:37 AM
So that collection includes:
- Turing's pre-WWII thesis, and now more of his papers
- Original material from Bletchley Hut 8 (U-boot decrypt)
- Operational Enigma machines, and parts of Tunny
- The costumes from "The Imitation Game"
- Very early compute items
We'll exhibit some in SYD in 2026.
3/3
- Turing's pre-WWII thesis, and now more of his papers
- Original material from Bletchley Hut 8 (U-boot decrypt)
- Operational Enigma machines, and parts of Tunny
- The costumes from "The Imitation Game"
- Very early compute items
We'll exhibit some in SYD in 2026.
3/3
I know some are thinking "Wait - that's not a camera / recorder / spy gadget!" No - no it's not. But a credible museum needs an INcredible reference library.
And y'know - Turing / Enigma - so these fit into our larger Maths/Codebreaking collection and along an evolutionary timeline.
more ...
2/3
And y'know - Turing / Enigma - so these fit into our larger Maths/Codebreaking collection and along an evolutionary timeline.
more ...
2/3
February 2, 2026 at 7:37 AM
I know some are thinking "Wait - that's not a camera / recorder / spy gadget!" No - no it's not. But a credible museum needs an INcredible reference library.
And y'know - Turing / Enigma - so these fit into our larger Maths/Codebreaking collection and along an evolutionary timeline.
more ...
2/3
And y'know - Turing / Enigma - so these fit into our larger Maths/Codebreaking collection and along an evolutionary timeline.
more ...
2/3
Some bookish and nerdy Australian Spy Museum Acquisition News.
We've recently added some more Turing papers "Computability and Lambda Definability" in the Journal of Symbolic Logic - 1936, and "The Word Problem in Semi Groups with Cancellation" in Annals of Mathematics - 1950.
more ...
1/3
We've recently added some more Turing papers "Computability and Lambda Definability" in the Journal of Symbolic Logic - 1936, and "The Word Problem in Semi Groups with Cancellation" in Annals of Mathematics - 1950.
more ...
1/3
February 2, 2026 at 7:37 AM
Some bookish and nerdy Australian Spy Museum Acquisition News.
We've recently added some more Turing papers "Computability and Lambda Definability" in the Journal of Symbolic Logic - 1936, and "The Word Problem in Semi Groups with Cancellation" in Annals of Mathematics - 1950.
more ...
1/3
We've recently added some more Turing papers "Computability and Lambda Definability" in the Journal of Symbolic Logic - 1936, and "The Word Problem in Semi Groups with Cancellation" in Annals of Mathematics - 1950.
more ...
1/3
Lots of cool zine style inspo there, pretty happy to appear alongside screenprint, scraper board, hand drawn etc
January 26, 2026 at 9:48 AM
Lots of cool zine style inspo there, pretty happy to appear alongside screenprint, scraper board, hand drawn etc
Well, looks like we are a hit with the kids
You've know you've made it when someone spots you in the wild and posts you on F*ck Yeah Stickers
fuckyeahstickers.tumblr.com/post/8039319...
You've know you've made it when someone spots you in the wild and posts you on F*ck Yeah Stickers
fuckyeahstickers.tumblr.com/post/8039319...
January 24, 2026 at 9:21 AM
Well, looks like we are a hit with the kids
You've know you've made it when someone spots you in the wild and posts you on F*ck Yeah Stickers
fuckyeahstickers.tumblr.com/post/8039319...
You've know you've made it when someone spots you in the wild and posts you on F*ck Yeah Stickers
fuckyeahstickers.tumblr.com/post/8039319...
Twenty years ago I ran a promotion in Australia that took our biz partners up in BAC Strikemasters - two seat jet fighter bombers - to experience some G-forces and simulated dogfighting. That was for a computer networking company not gaming but I think the kind of thing gamers would like
January 23, 2026 at 7:29 AM
Twenty years ago I ran a promotion in Australia that took our biz partners up in BAC Strikemasters - two seat jet fighter bombers - to experience some G-forces and simulated dogfighting. That was for a computer networking company not gaming but I think the kind of thing gamers would like
Yeah that’s a total vibe killer
January 23, 2026 at 7:24 AM
Yeah that’s a total vibe killer
TTY Siemens T68D receiving i-telex message
YouTube video by DF2AR
youtu.be
January 19, 2026 at 9:26 PM
Australian Spy Museum acquisition news! We've completed our NATO 1950's teleprinter cipher system.
It includes the Hagelin T-55 cipher appliance that sits in between our T68D teleprinter and a comms circuit, providing a high security point to point link.
In below comment, link to T68D demo video
It includes the Hagelin T-55 cipher appliance that sits in between our T68D teleprinter and a comms circuit, providing a high security point to point link.
In below comment, link to T68D demo video
January 19, 2026 at 9:26 PM
Australian Spy Museum acquisition news! We've completed our NATO 1950's teleprinter cipher system.
It includes the Hagelin T-55 cipher appliance that sits in between our T68D teleprinter and a comms circuit, providing a high security point to point link.
In below comment, link to T68D demo video
It includes the Hagelin T-55 cipher appliance that sits in between our T68D teleprinter and a comms circuit, providing a high security point to point link.
In below comment, link to T68D demo video
“We need a society that once more values its dreamers and visionaries, those *** who uncomfortably go against the grain of what and who we are, exploring our nightmares *** so we might better know ourselves …
Yep - 💯 this, might have been lifted from Aust Spy Museum’s mission statement website
Yep - 💯 this, might have been lifted from Aust Spy Museum’s mission statement website
January 12, 2026 at 6:24 AM
“We need a society that once more values its dreamers and visionaries, those *** who uncomfortably go against the grain of what and who we are, exploring our nightmares *** so we might better know ourselves …
Yep - 💯 this, might have been lifted from Aust Spy Museum’s mission statement website
Yep - 💯 this, might have been lifted from Aust Spy Museum’s mission statement website
Reading history served you well
January 11, 2026 at 3:35 AM
Reading history served you well
I don’t think people understand what this really means
January 5, 2026 at 10:26 PM
I don’t think people understand what this really means
Can you please share the document the above post was taken from, these are all very interesting data points.
December 21, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Can you please share the document the above post was taken from, these are all very interesting data points.
Something seasonal - for 30+ yrs NSA, then later the CIA, DIA and NRO have been putting out Christmas decorations.
Here's some of NSA & CIA's greatest hits - including Enigma, U2 and portraits of Donovan, Dulles, Helms and Tenet.
Thoughts are with all of you over the break, we'll see you in 2026.
Here's some of NSA & CIA's greatest hits - including Enigma, U2 and portraits of Donovan, Dulles, Helms and Tenet.
Thoughts are with all of you over the break, we'll see you in 2026.
December 17, 2025 at 5:00 AM
Something seasonal - for 30+ yrs NSA, then later the CIA, DIA and NRO have been putting out Christmas decorations.
Here's some of NSA & CIA's greatest hits - including Enigma, U2 and portraits of Donovan, Dulles, Helms and Tenet.
Thoughts are with all of you over the break, we'll see you in 2026.
Here's some of NSA & CIA's greatest hits - including Enigma, U2 and portraits of Donovan, Dulles, Helms and Tenet.
Thoughts are with all of you over the break, we'll see you in 2026.
There’s a global audience for this as the US giving up soft power creates power vacuums & instability in other regions - we’re watching with keen interest. Set a fair price for digital access maybe $10 a month/$100 annual?, we appreciate interview recordings we can watch in our timezone.
December 14, 2025 at 1:41 AM
There’s a global audience for this as the US giving up soft power creates power vacuums & instability in other regions - we’re watching with keen interest. Set a fair price for digital access maybe $10 a month/$100 annual?, we appreciate interview recordings we can watch in our timezone.
2/2
Second - a stunning new find from Germany - an allied strip cipher of a type I've not seen before, complete with 6x pages of instructions.
It uses double transposition and is marked "This is a Top Secret Document", likewise the instructions say to destroy them after memorising the method.
Second - a stunning new find from Germany - an allied strip cipher of a type I've not seen before, complete with 6x pages of instructions.
It uses double transposition and is marked "This is a Top Secret Document", likewise the instructions say to destroy them after memorising the method.
December 10, 2025 at 4:06 AM
2/2
Second - a stunning new find from Germany - an allied strip cipher of a type I've not seen before, complete with 6x pages of instructions.
It uses double transposition and is marked "This is a Top Secret Document", likewise the instructions say to destroy them after memorising the method.
Second - a stunning new find from Germany - an allied strip cipher of a type I've not seen before, complete with 6x pages of instructions.
It uses double transposition and is marked "This is a Top Secret Document", likewise the instructions say to destroy them after memorising the method.
Australian Spy Museum Featured Artefacts this week are from WWII Europe - a mysterious allied cipher device and a clandestine radio
First - a British B2 spy radio used in Occupied France by agents of the British SOE, American OSS and the French Resistance. Alongside it more B2 spares.
1/2 More ...
First - a British B2 spy radio used in Occupied France by agents of the British SOE, American OSS and the French Resistance. Alongside it more B2 spares.
1/2 More ...
December 10, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Australian Spy Museum Featured Artefacts this week are from WWII Europe - a mysterious allied cipher device and a clandestine radio
First - a British B2 spy radio used in Occupied France by agents of the British SOE, American OSS and the French Resistance. Alongside it more B2 spares.
1/2 More ...
First - a British B2 spy radio used in Occupied France by agents of the British SOE, American OSS and the French Resistance. Alongside it more B2 spares.
1/2 More ...
Nice little Ricoh Half - you might be interested to know they were used as concealed cameras by Stasi & other intelligence agencies. Cheap, reliable, light and spring powered so a good choice to hide in a bag etc
There’s also a whole series of them with patterned facades - super 60’s retro styling
There’s also a whole series of them with patterned facades - super 60’s retro styling
December 8, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Nice little Ricoh Half - you might be interested to know they were used as concealed cameras by Stasi & other intelligence agencies. Cheap, reliable, light and spring powered so a good choice to hide in a bag etc
There’s also a whole series of them with patterned facades - super 60’s retro styling
There’s also a whole series of them with patterned facades - super 60’s retro styling
Yes to the pod kitty - here’s Spookcat and The Void - they run QA sniff tests on our inbound shipments and love buzz / click / blinkenlights action
November 23, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Yes to the pod kitty - here’s Spookcat and The Void - they run QA sniff tests on our inbound shipments and love buzz / click / blinkenlights action
Two weeks ago I shared a photo of our Enigma at The Beehive, the New Zealand parliament.
Here it is at the Reichstag in Berlin.
Here it is at the Reichstag in Berlin.
November 21, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Two weeks ago I shared a photo of our Enigma at The Beehive, the New Zealand parliament.
Here it is at the Reichstag in Berlin.
Here it is at the Reichstag in Berlin.
Point here being - in the age of relays and other electromechanical gear a Chinese cipher machine is a bridge too far - look at the incredible effort just to build a Chinese typewriter.
But OMG what a thing of beauty this Missing Link object is … amazing
But OMG what a thing of beauty this Missing Link object is … amazing
November 20, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Point here being - in the age of relays and other electromechanical gear a Chinese cipher machine is a bridge too far - look at the incredible effort just to build a Chinese typewriter.
But OMG what a thing of beauty this Missing Link object is … amazing
But OMG what a thing of beauty this Missing Link object is … amazing
At an Enigma demo a few months ago someone asked “How would a Chinese Enigma work?” I’d never seen an electromechanical Chinese machine (closest I could think of was Japanese Purple). Now this super interesting relic has been found in the US. Not cipher, But Look At It 😍
www.npr.org/2025/07/05/n...
www.npr.org/2025/07/05/n...
How this long-lost Chinese typewriter from the 1940s changed modern computing
The concepts in the MingKwai typewriter underlie how Chinese, Japanese and Korean are typed today. The typewriter, patented in 1946, was found last year in an upstate New York basement.
www.npr.org
November 19, 2025 at 11:38 PM
At an Enigma demo a few months ago someone asked “How would a Chinese Enigma work?” I’d never seen an electromechanical Chinese machine (closest I could think of was Japanese Purple). Now this super interesting relic has been found in the US. Not cipher, But Look At It 😍
www.npr.org/2025/07/05/n...
www.npr.org/2025/07/05/n...