The International Spy Museum
A really fun and quirky museum — a must-see with something for everyone in the family, which is why there are lines for the International Spy Museum on most weekends. This is a private (for-profit) museum dedicated to the history and craft of spying, the only one in the country.
An Intriguing Collection
Although there are some exhibits from ancient and European history, the bulk of the museum covers twentieth-century espionage involving Americans, and the exhibits are fascinating and fun.
Kids can crawl though an air-duct tunnel, place a bug, spot a bug, listen to conversations with the KGB, and learn how to disguise themselves. James Bond's famous Aston Martin is on display, with all its wonderful gadgets, and there's a media room of pop culture spying, with I Spy games and
What's Covered in the Exhibits
It will take about two hours to see the museum from start to finish. You can pick an alias when you enter, which you are quizzed on when you leave to see if you have successfully completed your mission. The next section is the School for Spies, where the tricks of the trade (use of cameras, bugs, disguises) are explained. Then it's on to the Secret History of History, with displays on spying in the Soviet Union, female spies throughout history, and use of birds and balloons in early spying. There's even a section on spying during the American Revolution.
Then you'll meet celebrity spies of World War II, where you are reminded that Josephine Baker and Marlene Dietrich did some espionage work for the Allies, with an overview of spying during World War II. Then it's on to the Cold War and spying in Berlin during the 1950s and 1960s, and Eastern Europe until the present. When you exit, you are asked a number of questions about your cover to see if you have been successful at your own spying missions.
The International Spy Museum store is a kick, and there's something for everyone, from Spy Museum T-shirts for teens to espionage kits to a pen shaped like a lipstick holder modeled after a KGB pistol. The Spy City Café is large and offers a good selection of “Killer Sandwiches,” salads, and soup.
FAST FACT
The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library is the main city library of Washington D.C. and an architectural landmark. It is the only building in this city designed by the founder of the international style of architecture, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. It is a stark black and glass-paneled rectangle on the street facing the Museum of American Art and the National Portrait Gallery.
Location and Hours
The museum is located on F Street, accessible from the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro station (Red and Green Lines) in the heart of the city. It is open at varying times, generally from 9
Expect lines during the season and school holidays. Admission is $19.95 for adults (ages 18-64); $14.95 for seniors (ages 65+), active military and law enforcement; and $13.95 for children (ages 7-17). Children age six and under are free (note: the "Operation Spy" exhibit is not appropriate for kids under 12). Advance tickets can be purchased at the museum or through TicketMaster online or at 1-800-551-7328.
