Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is a U.S. government agency responsible for gathering intelligence and supplying it to the nation’s senior policy makers. Stories abound about the clandestine service and public access to agency accounts are limited. To bring to light the agency’s history, the CIA Museum, housed at agency headquarters, is organized to inform, instruct and inspire members of intelligence community. Over the years, as more information was declassified, the agency built an online presence for the museum to allow public access to a wealth of fascinating American history.