Inside the International Spy Museum
By Mahira Ahmed
Have you ever loved the adrenaline rush of a James Bond film? Laugh seeing Mater become a secret agent in Pixar’s Cars? Wondered if gadgets like glasses with a “secret microchip” were real? Then the International Spy Museum might be the right place for you!
All images sourced by Mahira Ahmed. Entrance of the Spy Museum
As a particular enjoyer of spy movies and history, this museum provided a perfect opportunity for me to learn about the development of espionage and the effects of American intelligence during the World Wars.
After just a short walk from the L’Enfant Plaza Metro station, you will see the International Spy Museum, an interactive experience for espionage enthusiasts of all ages. The museum takes visitors on a tour throughout history by displaying the different gadgets and techniques used by key players to shape history in the United States and beyond– all while undercover.
At the beginning of the tour, guests are led to a small theater to watch a 6-minute short film about the dangers of being a spy, narrated by Morgan Freeman. Although I could personally never be James Bond, the video alone gave me an adrenaline rush that made me feel like I was starring in one of his films.
The most notable aspect of the experience is the plethora of interactive games that test visitors’ espionage abilities throughout the museum. After watching the video, “agents” like me were given our own codenames, which we had to remember throughout our personalized “mission”. Although this part was optional, it was fun to have a “secret identity” and create my own gadget (I created a pen with a hidden microphone to record secret information).
For me, it was fascinating to learn how intelligence spheres intertwined across the world. From important documents from the Cuban Missile Crisis to a simulation of how American and British intelligence crossed the Berlin Wall during the Soviet Union. There was always another interesting tidbit to learn, and an intriguing selection of inventions that advanced spies’ abilities to collect information and share it with others.
Tunnel made through the Berlin Wall used by British and American Intelligence
One fascinating piece of information that hits particularly close to home for GW students was that George Washington is considered one of America’s first spies. In the 1700s, our school’s namesake used the pigpen cipher to communicate with other soldiers on the battlefield. In the museum, there was an interactive game where you could try and decode messages using his method, along with Thomas Jefferson’s method which was called the “Wheel Cipher”.
A significant component of the exhibit that I appreciated was recognition of unsung spy heroes throughout history. For example, in World War II, a British resistance spy named Noor Inayat Khan maintained communications between London and occupied Paris. An exhibit on the museum’s final floor highlighted her bravery as she was captured in a Nazi concentration camp but refused to give away information. Her last words were “Liberté”, meaning “liberty”, before she was executed. Khan is considered a hero in the spy world and it was fascinating to hear her story.
One glass case showing part of Noor Inayat Khan’s exhibit
Because there was so much to read and see, time passed very quickly during my visit to the International Spy Museum. The museum reminded me that so many people may be living under a disguise, right under our noses. This walk through history made me grateful for the unknown risk-takers who ensure I can live safely in the public eye!