March 2009
In Our Own Backyard
Cracking the Code at the Spy Museum
By Gina Hagler
At the International Spy Museum, you'll see real-life spy gear, from explosive coal to wristwatch cameras. You'll also see exhibits that detail the strategies and techniques of the people behind some of the most secretive missions in world history. Most appropriate for kids 10 and up, the entire museum is a step into the world of spies and spying.
Your visit begins with the creation of your cover identity and continues with a briefing before you head into the School for Spies. In there, you'll use interactive tests and scenarios to see if you can spot a threat and avoid detection while you carry out your mission. You'll also see real gear--much of it on public display for the first time--as you move on to "The Secret History of History" exhibit, where you'll learn about spies of ancient times and royal courts.
My middle-school son was fascinated by the ingenious methods used to devise codes as far back as the Romans. One of my favorite coded message devices was nothing more than a strip of leather with letters punched into it. When the leather was wrapped around a sword or pole of the right circumference, the letters formed a message that was easy to read. Your high-school kids will see that early espionage success depended upon personal loyalty to a monarch. When that monarch died, the entire network had to be rebuilt.
Famous Spies
The next stop is "Spies Among Us." I was amazed to learn about the Enigma, (a machine used by the Nazis to encrypt secret messages) and what it took for the Allies to crack it. My kids and I also enjoyed the video presentations of famous spy cases. Many of them were about contemporary cases, like Aldrich Ames, that I followed in the news, and we got a better sense of the impact of these cases. There's also an entire exhibit about the Rosenberg Trial and a center that focuses on the McCarthy era. In short, this place is rich with Cold War history presented in a way that keeps your attention.
"Spies in the Skies" appealed to two of my kids. My college freshman was very interested in the spy plane and satellite exhibits. My 9-year-old loved the homing pigeon with the spy camera, which actually took useful aerial photos of targets in the days before satellites. All three of my kids loved the listening device hidden in the tree stump and the radio transmitter secreted inside the sole of a KGB operative's shoe. It turned him into a walking radio!
In "War of Spies," the exhibit about the Berlin Wall gripped all of our attention. It was very realistic and made us think about what it would be like to live in a city cut in two. Even my college son has no memory of the Cold War and the Berlin Wall. The exhibit initiated a discussion about what it was like. Since we were in the museum while we discussed it, there were many opportunities to view other parts of the history of that time--and what countries around the globe were up to.
"The 21st Century" exhibit is all about challenges facing intelligence professionals today. It begins with Ground Truth, a film about asymmetrical warfare--terrorism--and continues with a simulation of the power grid going down and what our reliance on technology means to our society.
But there's more than exhibits at the Spy Museum. Operation Spy allows visitors ages 12 and up to complete a mission. You can act as a spy who must locate a nuclear trigger. You find clues, polygraph agents, steal secrets--everything real spies do behind the scenes to keep things around the world running. The mission lasts an hour and has a separate admission fee as noted below. It combines live-action, video characters, hands-on activities, themed environments and special effects. It's at the top of the list for our next visit!
The International Spy Museum also has a 5,000 sq. ft. store filled with the neatest gadgets around. There's an extensive collection of spy-related books for all ages. Spy gear, disguise kits, maps, collectibles--it's all there and nicely displayed. If you're looking for a place to eat, visit the Spy City Café.
The educational programs at the museum include Spy Magic for ages 7 and up, Espionage in the Dark for ages 10 to 13, where the kids learn about the equipment that makes nighttime spying possible, Operation Secret Slumber, where kids ages 9 to13 spend the night inside the museum, and Operation Beat the Heat, a summer camp for ages 10 to 13. You can see a complete list of programs at the link below.
Here's the Scoop
The International Spy Museum is located at 800 F Street, NW in Washington, D.C. There is no public parking facility at the museum. It is directly across the street from the National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum, close by the Verizon Center and within one block of FBI headquarters.
Website: spymuseum.org
Phone: 202-393-7798
Metro Accessible: Red/Yellow/Green lines Gallery Place/Chinatown stop
Tickets: Required for ages 5+ Advanced tickets recommended. Current prices are listed at spymuseum.org/plan/ticketing.php Leave about two hours for a thorough tour.
Hours: Scheduled but subject to change: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Often extended hours.
Gift Shop: First floor.
Plan Your Visit: spymuseum.org/plan/index.php
Strollers: Not allowed inside the exhibits. There's a cloakroom to check the stroller, and baby carriers are available. You give them an ID, they loan you the carrier.
Gina Hagler lives in the Maryland suburbs with her husband and three children. She runs an after-school writing program, KidWrite!, and is working on a book about hydrodynamics. Read her blog at http://ginahagler.blogspot.com.