New York spy museum to feature ‘Seafood from Slaves’ investigation
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New York spy museum to feature ‘Seafood from Slaves’ investigation

The Pulitzer Prize-winning AP reporting that exposed modern day slavery in the fishing industry in Southeast Asia will be showcased at a new interactive spy museum in midtown Manhattan.

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Artifacts from the AP investigation that exposed modern day slavery in the fishing industry in Southeast Asia are on display in the Spyscape museum's surveillance gallery in New York. (Courtesy: Spyscape)

Part of Spyscape’s gallery on surveillance, the “Seafood from Slaves” exhibit explores how a team of AP reporters combined shoe-leather journalism with new technology in their efforts to document labor abuses and trace slave-caught seafood to U.S. supermarkets and pet food suppliers.

Tools that journalists Esther Htusan, Margie Mason, Robin McDowell and Martha Mendoza used during the course of their reporting will be on display, as well as a film explaining how intelligence technology and techniques played a role in the investigation.

“Part of the magic of this project was that it combined cutting-edge reporting tools with old-fashioned, on-the-ground reporting,” said AP Managing Editor Brian Carovillano. “There was GPS tracking and satellite photography, but there were also all-night stakeouts and great source reporting. And of course, the impact it had was astounding. Thousands of slaves were freed because of the journalism of some very dedicated and talented women.”  

The AP investigation freed 2,000 slaves and led to the arrests of a dozen people, the seizure of ships worth millions of dollars and the introduction of legislation in the U.S. Congress to create greater transparency from food suppliers. It earned AP the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2016.

“We want to explain how spy skills are used within other careers, and the AP investigative story is a perfect example,” said Shelby Prichard, Spyscape’s chief of staff. “We are honored to exhibit a Pulitzer Prize certificate in our surveillance gallery and we hope this story will inspire other people to consider how they can put their own spy skills to good use.”

Opening on February 16, Spyscape is a contemporary, interactive museum that aims to help visitors see themselves and the world around them more clearly through the lens of spying.

Spyscape is located at 928 8th Avenue. Visitors may call 212-549-1941 or visit www.spyscape.com for more information.


About SPYSCAPE

Situated two blocks from MoMA in midtown Manhattan, SPYSCAPE is a contemporary, interactive museum which aims to help you see yourself, and the world around you more clearly, through the lens of spying. SPYSCAPE illuminates secret intelligence, from espionage to hacking, and investigative journalism. It offers a balanced perspective on the big issues - including privacy, security and surveillance - and inspires and empowers visitors to seek the truth, form their own opinions, and QUESTION EVERYTHING.

SPYSCAPE is truly experiential - visitors can discover their inner spy using an authentic personal profiling system (developed with a former Head of Training at British Intelligence), and learn how their spy skills can help them every day. Visitors can also engage in real spy challenges, including lie-detection in interrogation booths, a 360 degree surveillance challenge and agility in special ops laser tunnels.

The museum also features a Spy Shop, Book Shop, Cafe and private event spaces. Developed and funded by private investment group Archimedia, and designed by world-renowned architects, Adjaye Associates.

SPYSCAPE is located at 928 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10019. For more information, visit spyscape.com and follow @spyscape on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About AP

The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world's population sees news from AP. On the web: www.ap.org

Contact

Lauren Easton
Director of Media Relations
The Associated Press
212-621-7005
leaston@ap.org

Heather Muhleman
Vice President
The Door Online
646-340-1709
heather@thedooronline.com