Prepare to dive into a world of undercover assignments, espionage secrets, and endless adventure at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. Relocated in spring 2019 from its original location, the museum now stands at L’Enfant Plaza and has more than double its previous exhibit space.
Boasting the largest collection of international espionage artifacts ever displayed, this was a must-do on our family’s weekend adventure to Washington, D.C.
Upon arrival at the museum, guests are whisked into an elevator and offered the opportunity to receive a badge with an undercover identity and secret mission with tasks to complete throughout the museum. They even have kid-friendly versions (age is one of the questions they ask), and this whole experience was my kids’ favorite aspect of our visit. It’s also fun to log in to the museum’s website and receive your full debrief upon completion!
Here is a look at one of the interactive kiosks where we practiced information retrieval and a secret rendezvous while scouting for hidden dangers.
One of our kids’ other favorite spots was trying to crawl through this air vent undetected!
When it came to the exhibits, the main two floors included information ranging from ninjas to code-breaking to the search for Osama bin Laden and espionage during the Berlin Wall period in Germany. Depending on the age of your kids, there is a lot of reading throughout the exhibits and some of the content is dark for kids.
If you have kids along who aren’t into reading all of the information, they’ll still enjoy walking through and seeing artifacts including a lipstick pistol, wristwatch camera, and code machines. They also have actual sections of the Berlin Wall on display. My kids even saw their first rotary phone!
You can explore more about all the museum offers on their website at www.spymuseum.org.
Know Before You Go
Admission tickets have timed entries, so it’s a great idea (and will save you time in line) to purchase tickets in advance (especially on a weekend). When we visited, the next available tickets were two hours away.
There is a lot of information on the first floor you visit upon watching the briefing video introducing the museum experience. We spent more than half of our time on this floor alone. It’s good to plan at least 3 hours if you want to participate in the interactive missions and read through the exhibits (allow more time on weekends or holidays).
The museum recommends visitors should be age 9 and older, but offers great tips on their website if you have younger kids along!
Strollers, food, and drinks (other than bottled water) are not allowed in the exhibit area.
Upcoming Special Event
The Parade of Trabants is scheduled for Saturday, November 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s the only Trabant rally in the US–a car that was huge in East Berlin at the time. They are rare, horribly-made, yet well-loved vintage cars that come in bright, pastel colors. It’s a special year for it, too, because it’s actually the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
We received two complimentary admissions to facilitate this review. However, all opinions expressed are my own.
