When I was about 12, I sneaked a book out of my parent’s bedroom. It was Ian Fleming’s James Bond thriller, The Man with the Golden Gun. I read the book late at night and successfully returned it without detection. There has been no turning back for me – I’ve been fascinated with spies, real and fictional, ever since.

My trip to the International Spy Museum in Washington D.C. was a super-treat. The museum surpassed my expectations. History buffs will enjoy the focus on spy-craft through the centuries, from the Trojan Wars, Washington’s spies during the American Revolution, how spies shaped the Civil War, and more. I learned so much.

Well-placed videos help set the stage and creative design guarantees visitor engagement. Fascinating artifacts from both World Wars and the Cold War are on display, as well as personal stories of spies known and not. Double agents, traitors, the pickaxe that killed Trotsky, cleverly hidden cameras, listening devices of every description, poison-tipped pens, cyber-spying, invisible ink, and code-breaking. It’s all here. And, interactive modules play off the ID cards on lanyards distributed as your ticket allows you to experience real-life scenarios. Even the attack on Bin Laden.

I will return.

Of Note:
Advance info I read said to allow 2 – 2.5 hours, but I felt we could have spent all day. A senior discount is available. Although fabulous for school-age children, those with babies need to know they are not allowed to use strollers but must carry the baby or use one of the back-packs provided at the museum. Spymuseum.org