International Spy Museum
Address: 800 F Street, N.W. Pricing: Permanent exhibit: $15-$18; special events: varies Phone: 202-393-7798 (202-EYE-SPY-U) Hours: 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. (occasional extended hours) How To Get There:
From the Northeast - Southbound on I-95 (New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore): Travel South on I-95.
At the split for I-95/I-495, follow the signs for Washington/Northern Virginia, staying in the left lanes to I-95 South/495 East. (I-95 South/495 East is the Inner Loop of the Capital Beltway). Take Exit 22B, the Baltimore-Washington Parkway (BW Parkway), Southbound towards Washington, DC. Follow the B-W Parkway to US Route 50/New York Avenue, NE Westbound into Washington, DC. Follow New York Avenue for 4.7 miles to 9th Street, NW. Turn left onto 9th Street, NW (one-way). Follow 9th Street 5 blocks to F Street, NW.
Museum Complex is located on the left at 800 F Street, NW - between 9th and 8th Streets.
Parking:$20 per day at local lots (see museum web site)
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International Spy Museum: An exclusive peek into the world's second oldest profession
Adopt an undercover identity. Learn how real-life U.S. agents were “exfiltrated” in the midst of the 1979 Iranian takeover of the American Embassy. Receive your Agent Briefing, and learn about some of the world’s greatest intelligence operatives. It’s all at the International Spy Museum – the first and only public espionage museum in the United States and the only exhibition in the world that presents a global examination of a profession still very much shrouded in secrecy.
Opened in 2002 just a block from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in downtown Washington, the International Spy Museum has the largest assortment of international snoop tools ever placed on public display. True narratives from spies, told through video and interactive exhibits, give visitors a realistic understanding of the history of espionage and the consequences to today’s world.
A five-building complex includes not just the museum, but a gift shop full of spy devices, technologies and how-to books; private dining and event facilities; and two restaurants.
A “mission” to the museum starts with an introduction to the techniques, tools and tradecraft used by spies of past eras. A briefing film is shown, and “cadets” are inducted into the "School for Spies," where 200 artifacts are displayed, covering audio surveillance, threat analysis and a spy’s traditional cloak and evasion tactics.
Two floors of exhibits trace the history of espionage from biblical times to the near-present day. Displays feature stories of real agents – their missions and their conclusions, and how those impacted world history.
While children of all ages are welcome, the exhibit is most appreciated by visitors 12 and older. Student groups are accepted beginning at the fifth grade. The museum offers a wide variety of lectures, films, book signings and family activities as well as special group tours and missions. For more information, visit the museum's web site or call their “24-hour spy line,” 202-393-7798 (202-EYE-SPY-U). Important: Don’t bring backpacks and large bags with you. Also, videography, photography, food, chewing gum and all beverages are prohibited within the exhibition areas.
- by Jim Brown , Washington Reporter for HelloMetro
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 Jim Brown Jim Brown is a longtime freelance aviation, travel and destination writer and communications professional. A former reporter for Aviation Daily, Air Safety Week and World Airline News, Jim served for more than 15 years as a senior public relations executive for American Airlines, TWA and AirTran Airways.
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The International Spy Museum is located at 800 F Street, N.W. in the heart of downtown D.C. and just one short block from the FBI building. (Photo courtesy International Spy Museum)
Learn about espionage during the Cold War in the latter half of the 20th Century in the "War of the Spies" exhibit at the International Spy Museum. (Photo courtesy International Spy Museum)
The Aston Martin DB5 first appeared in the 1964 James Bond thriller Goldfinger, inspiring real-life spy agencies to begin adding enhancements to their own espionage vehicles. (Photo courtesy International Spy Museum)
Explosive coal was used in sabotage operations by the OSS during WWII. The device, shaped like a large piece of coal, was actually a hollow shell into which explosives were packed. (Photo courtesy International Spy Museum)
Invented in 1923, the Enigma cipher machine was a device for coding and deciphering messages. German refinements to the Enigma increased the complexity of the cipher continually throughout the war. (Photo courtesy International Spy Museum)
No, it's not "Get Smart"! The shoe transmitter was produced by the KGB during the Cold War to monitor secret conversations. (Photo courtesy International Spy Museum)
(c. early 1970s, US, CIA issue) Created by the CIA, a listening device disguised as a tree stump was placed in the woods near a Soviet military base to capture secret military radio transmissions. (Photo courtesy International Spy Museum)
Referred to as "The Kiss of Death," the lipstick pistol was employed by KGB operatives during the Cold War. This 4.5 mm single shot weapon was disguised as a tube of lipstick, easily hidden in a purse. (Photo courtesy International Spy Museum)
"Operation Spy" combines live-action, themed environments, special effects, decoding messages and conducting a polygraph test of a suspect agent. (Photo courtesy International Spy Museum)
Examine over 200 spy gadgets, weapons, bugs, cameras, vehicles and technologies in the International Spy Museum's "School for Spies." (Photo courtesy International Spy Museum)
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