International Spy Museum

International Spy Museum Welcome to the International Spy Museum....we've been expecting you!

The International Spy Museum is a private non-profit museum dedicated to the tradecraft, history and contemporary role of espionage, featuring the largest collection of international espionage artifacts currently on public display.

WATCH: Spy Museum's Executive Director Christopher P. Costa on ABC News commenting on Ukraine and President Zelensky's p...
09/21/2023

WATCH: Spy Museum's Executive Director Christopher P. Costa on ABC News commenting on Ukraine and President Zelensky's proposal to the UN.

Costa served as the Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism on the National Security Council (NSC). He was responsible for coordinating counterterrorism policy and strategy as well as U.S. hostage recovery activities.

Watch now ➡️

President Joe Biden is seeking an additional $24 billion in security and humanitarian aid for Ukraine.WATCH the ABC News Live Stream Here: https://www.youtub...

Spies can have hobbies too! Pictured is Ana Montes's office-famous, handwritten cheesecake recipe 🎂. A former coworker o...
09/21/2023

Spies can have hobbies too! Pictured is Ana Montes's office-famous, handwritten cheesecake recipe 🎂. A former coworker of Montes’s came to a program at the Spy Museum covering Cuban spies. He brought the recipe with him and allowed us to scan it for our collection.

Today in : On September 21, 2001, DIA officer Ana Montes was arrested for spying for Cuba. Montes spied for 17 years and passed along secrets concerning American surveillance efforts in Cuba. After her arrest, Montes acknowledged revealing the identities of four American undercover agents in Cuba.

She pled guilty in 2002 and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Montes was released January 6, 2023 and now lives in Puerto Rico.

📸 : FBI (mugshot)

Join us, educators, for an exclusive evening at the International Spy Museum! 📚✨ Uncover the secret history of history a...
09/20/2023

Join us, educators, for an exclusive evening at the International Spy Museum! 📚✨ Uncover the secret history of history and discover exciting resources to enrich your students' learning across subjects.

On Wednesday, September 17 from 5:00 - 8:00 PM, explore exhibits, meet our education team, plan field trips, access free curriculum, and more! Plus, enjoy a special discount at the SPY Store. Register now for FREE Museum admission, a welcome bag, and a chance to win prizes: https://bit.ly/3sOKqhM 🎉

This event is generously supported by Booz Allen Hamilton.

Today in  : CIA officer Brian J. Kelley, 68, once wrongly accused of being a Russian mole, died at home in Vienna, 2011....
09/19/2023

Today in : CIA officer Brian J. Kelley, 68, once wrongly accused of being a Russian mole, died at home in Vienna, 2011.

The real mole was FBI agent Robert Hanssen, the nation’s most damaging turncoat. https://wapo.st/3RRhxcx

*NEW*   - “Former Senior Indian Intelligence Officer” – R&AW Special Secretary Vappala Balachandran. This week, Balachan...
09/19/2023

*NEW* - “Former Senior Indian Intelligence Officer” – R&AW Special Secretary Vappala Balachandran. This week, Balachandran joins Andrew Hammond to discuss his career and the ancient roots of espionage in India.

Balachandran formerly served as Special Secretary for India's Cabinet Secretariat.

Listen now ➡️ https://bit.ly/3LtrlZc

Happy 76th Birthday, CIA! On this day in  , the National Security Act of 1947 formally took effect, creating the Central...
09/18/2023

Happy 76th Birthday, CIA! On this day in , the National Security Act of 1947 formally took effect, creating the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), our nation's premiere foreign intelligence gathering service.

🍎 Calling all educators! Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to enjoy an exclusive evening at the Internati...
09/17/2023

🍎 Calling all educators! Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to enjoy an exclusive evening at the International Spy Museum where the red carpet will be rolled out just for teachers! Uncover the secret history of history and discover new and exciting resources to enrich your students' learning across all subjects! During this open-house event, teachers can:

✅ Explore SPY's exhibits with fellow educators.
✅ Meet SPY's youth education team.
✅ Plan your students' next in-person or virtual SPY field trip.
✅ Browse SPY's free curriculum and classroom activities.
✅ Check out SPY's recently launched Digital Learning HQ - an online multimedia tool for educators.
✅ Be the first to check out SPY's new Exhibit Learning Guides!
✅ Special discount at the SPY Store!

Registration includes FREE Museum admission, a welcome bag, a chance to win prizes, and more! Register now ➡️ https://bit.ly/3sOKqhM

This event is generously supported by Booz Allen Hamilton.

To master the art of espionage, agents must learn to control body, mind, and spirit. Experience an all-level yoga flow s...
09/16/2023

To master the art of espionage, agents must learn to control body, mind, and spirit. Experience an all-level yoga flow session led by instructor Beth A. Wolfe, accompanied by a sound bath led by Mel of Beyond Yoga, a yoga teacher certified in crystal alchemy sound healing. Harmonic chords and binaural sounds will be played which promote balance and relaxation.

Join us on Sunday, September 17, 9 a.m. - 10 a.m. We will practice in the inner sanctum of the Museum's Ballroom which offers a sweeping view of the SW waterfront (the Wharf), National Airport, and Nationals Park.

All are welcome--the class is open to brand new and seasoned yogis alike! No previous yoga experience required. Please purchase tickets in advance and BYO yoga mat. https://bit.ly/3PFu1Fp

For the first time, the CIA has revealed the identity of a second officer who played a key role in a 1980 rescue mission...
09/16/2023

For the first time, the CIA has revealed the identity of a second officer who played a key role in a 1980 rescue mission in Iran that later inspired the Oscar-winning film Argo.

Until this week, only one of the officers - CIA disguise and forgery specialist Tony Mendez - had been publicly identified. Now, the CIA has named the second officer as Ed Johnson, an expert in covert extractions.

Dr. Andrew Hammond, the historian and curator of the International Spy Museum, told the BBC News that publicizing his name 42 years after the operations sheds a rare public spotlight on a successful CIA mission.

Among those who knew him at the CIA was Tony Mendez's wife Jonna Mendez, herself a 27-year veteran who rose to become the spy agency's "Chief of Disguise".

Speaking to the BBC, Mrs. Mendez described Mr. Johnson as a "remarkably skilled linguist" who was also an expert in creating false documents.

"Many, if not most, of the CIA's successful operations go publicly unrecognized. That is understood and accepted by those in its service," Mick Mulroy said.

"But it is really good to see the heroes who carried out those operations get the recognition they deserve."

The elaborate mission to rescue six US diplomats later inspired Ben Affleck's Oscar-winning film.

09/16/2023

Agents, grab the whole family and join Netflix + the International Spy Museum for a FREE advanced screening of Spy Kids: Armageddon. When a game developer unleashes a powerful computer virus, the children of two secret agents must work together to save their parents — and the world. 💻 🌐

The screening will be held at AMC Tysons Corner 16 in McLean on Wednesday, September 20 at 6:00 PM ET. Registration is required.

Get your tickets here: https://bit.ly/3ZbWXYO

Join us tomorrow, September 16 in the Spy Museum Store for a special book signing event for The Syndicate Spy: A Juliet ...
09/15/2023

Join us tomorrow, September 16 in the Spy Museum Store for a special book signing event for The Syndicate Spy: A Juliet Arroway Novel with author Brittany Butler.

More intel --> https://bit.ly/45CYDNr

C.I.A. Discloses Identity of Second Spy Involved in ‘Argo’ OperationThe movie about the daring mission to rescue America...
09/15/2023

C.I.A. Discloses Identity of Second Spy Involved in ‘Argo’ Operation
The movie about the daring mission to rescue American diplomats from Tehran portrayed a single C.I.A. officer sneaking into the Iranian capital. In reality, the agency sent two officers.

For the first time on Thursday, the C.I.A. is releasing the identity of that second officer, Ed Johnson, in the season finale of its new podcast, “The Langley Files.”

Mr. Johnson, a linguist, accompanied Mr. Tony Mendez, a master of disguise and forgery, on the flight to Tehran to cajole the diplomats into adopting the cover story, that they were Canadians who were part of a crew scouting locations for a science fiction movie called “Argo.” The two then helped the diplomats with forged documents and escorted them through Iranian airport security to fly them home.

Until recently, Mr. Johnson preferred that his identity remain secret.

“He was someone who spent his whole life doing things quietly and in the shadows, without any expectation of praise or public recognition,” said Walter Trosin, a C.I.A. spokesman and co-host of the agency’s podcast. “And he was very much happy to keep it that way. But it was his family that encouraged him, later in life, to tell his side of the story because they felt there would be value to the world in hearing it.”

Thanks to the “Argo” movie, the C.I.A.’s role in the rescue of the diplomats, who were being sheltered by the Canadians, has become one of the agency’s best-known operations.

The movie about the daring mission to rescue American diplomats from Tehran portrayed a single C.I.A. officer sneaking into the Iranian capital. In reality, the agency sent two officers.

  - Rat Concealment Device (replica), France, ca. 2016During the Cold War, the CIA used gutted rats as dead drops-places...
09/14/2023

- Rat Concealment Device (replica), France, ca. 2016

During the Cold War, the CIA used gutted rats as dead drops-places to hide messages, money, and film to be passed to agents. The rats were doused with pepper sauce to deter scavenging cats. 🌶️ 🐈

See this concealment device (and more) in our Tools of the Trade exhibit! Learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/2Xcoc6X

09/13/2023

: An Engineer's Nuclear Betrayal, a riveting new podcast series from , uncovers the secret world of spying in Silicon Valley, the tech capital of the world. And the tale of James Harper, a Silicon Valley engineer turned spy, who sold nuclear secrets to the Soviets.

Tune as the podcast series takes you on a journey of nuclear spying, technology theft, FBI spy hunters and double agents, with intelligence that might still help Moscow in a nuclear exchange today. LISTEN to the podcast here: https://apple.co/3sSamJp

And then, join us tomorrow, Thurs., Sept. 14 for a live panel with a host of key players Dr. Raymond J. Batvinis, John Gibbons, Dr. Vince Houghton + Sharon Weinberger and Zach Dorfman. *FREE reception to follow. Register: https://bit.ly/44JNl8K

Silicon Valley is an innovation incubator, but not just for tech — hand in hand with its growth have been efforts to ste...
09/12/2023

Silicon Valley is an innovation incubator, but not just for tech — hand in hand with its growth have been efforts to steal enticing secrets. Join us Thursday, September 14 at 6:30 PM ET for Spy Valley: An Engineer’s Nuclear Betrayal, as we explore the story of a man named James Harper, a Silicon Valley engineer turned spy, and how he began selling nuclear secrets to the Soviet Bloc.

This LIVE panel will be moderated by Sharon Weinberger, the national security and foreign policy editor at The Wall Street Journal, featuring Zach Dorfman, investigative journalist and host of Spy Valley podcast series; historian and former FBI Special Agent Dr. Raymond J. Batvinis; John Gibbons, who headed the United States Attorney's prosecution team in the case against James Harper; and nuclear historian and National Cryptologic Museum Director, Dr. Vince Houghton. They’ll explore how the tech capital of the world became a hotbed for Soviet Bloc spies and what James Harper’s betrayal of his country has meant for modern day warfare.

After their conversation, you can ask Zach, Ray, John, and Dave for their insight into other aspects of nuclear spying and technology theft. FREE reception to follow.

Register here ➡️ https://bit.ly/44JNl8K

*NEW*   - “Irish Garda Intelligence Chief” – with Assistant Commissioner Michael McElgunn. He joins Andrew Hammond to di...
09/12/2023

*NEW* - “Irish Garda Intelligence Chief” – with Assistant Commissioner Michael McElgunn. He joins Andrew Hammond to discuss intelligence in the Republic of Ireland. Michael is the Assistant Commissioner of An Garda Síochána’s Crime and Security Intelligence Service.

Listen now ➡️ https://bit.ly/3P7ysr6

Today, we solemnly remember the tragic terror attack that took nearly 3,000 lives at the Pentagon, World Trade Center & ...
09/11/2023

Today, we solemnly remember the tragic terror attack that took nearly 3,000 lives at the Pentagon, World Trade Center & Shanksville, PA.

Experience SPY's 'Fateful Failures' Exhibit which examines 9/11 through the critical lens of intelligence.

Happy Commanders season opener to all of our DC-based Agents! 🏈 😎
09/10/2023

Happy Commanders season opener to all of our DC-based Agents! 🏈 😎

09/10/2023

Need a docuseries to binge this weekend? Check out Netflix's gripping new series, . Intelligence operatives from MI6 to the CIA share insider stories of spy craft, Cold War campaigns, and coups carried out by covert agents. https://www.netflix.com/title/81474104

Why did the spy cross the road?She didn't. She was never really on your side. 😄 All jokes aside, have a great weekend, a...
09/09/2023

Why did the spy cross the road?

She didn't. She was never really on your side. 😄

All jokes aside, have a great weekend, agents! Make sure to reserve your tickets in advance. Visit spymuseum.org for more intel on ticket availability.

Pour yourself a stiff one, agents. 🥃 You deserve it. While the label reads Truth Serum, we can't guarantee results. 😉Sho...
09/08/2023

Pour yourself a stiff one, agents. 🥃 You deserve it. While the label reads Truth Serum, we can't guarantee results. 😉

Shop the spymuseumstore.org for more spy-approved drinkware.

📸 :

  - Bulgarian Umbrella (replica), ca. 1978.On September 7, 1978, Bulgarian émigré Georgi Markov waited for a bus on a bu...
09/07/2023

- Bulgarian Umbrella (replica), ca. 1978.

On September 7, 1978, Bulgarian émigré Georgi Markov waited for a bus on a busy London street, he felt a sharp pain on the back of his leg. Insect bite? Bee sting? He thought little of it at the moment. Four days later, his heart stopped. What had happened?

The KGB used an umbrella like this—modified to fire a tiny pellet filled with poison—to assassinate dissident Georgi Markov on the streets of London. See the Bulgarian Umbrella (replica) on display in the Museum's "Covert Action" gallery.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3tEb5tP

Happy  ! 💗 On September 6, 1959, the very first   donned in an iconic black and white swimsuit hit the shelves and rocke...
09/06/2023

Happy ! 💗 On September 6, 1959, the very first donned in an iconic black and white swimsuit hit the shelves and rocked the toy world.

Fast forward to 2009, Mattel unleashed the one-of-a-kind Barbie Loves Bond Collection. In our collection are two beloved characters: Honey Ryder from Dr. No and P***y Galore from Goldfinger. 🍯 🕵️ 💋

Learn more about espionage and pop culture in our License to Thrill gallery, only at SPY. 😉

📸 : Erik Sharar

Join us for our first in-person Spy Chat since 2020! This will be a timely discussion of the latest intelligence, nation...
09/05/2023

Join us for our first in-person Spy Chat since 2020! This will be a timely discussion of the latest intelligence, national security, and terrorism issues with a very special guest. Spy Museum Executive Director Chris Costa will lead the briefing. He will be joined by Christopher A. Wray, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Following the speakers’ discussion of key issues, you’ll be able to ask questions whether you are attending online or in-person.

Learn more and register: https://bit.ly/3qXW1uh

*MISSION UPDATE* -- The Museum is OPEN today with normal hours, 10AM-6PM. Thanks for your patience, agents! For more int...
09/05/2023

*MISSION UPDATE* -- The Museum is OPEN today with normal hours, 10AM-6PM. Thanks for your patience, agents!

For more intel, visit spymuseum.org.

To our SPY visitors, we know you were looking forward to visiting the Museum today and that this is a disappointment and...
09/04/2023

To our SPY visitors, we know you were looking forward to visiting the Museum today and that this is a disappointment and inconvenience. We apologize and hope you’ll come back and spy on us in the near future.

~~The Spy Museum Team
SPYMUSEUM.ORG

Due to an air conditioning issue, the Museum is temporarily closed today. All guests are being contacted for existing re...
09/04/2023

Due to an air conditioning issue, the Museum is temporarily closed today. All guests are being contacted for existing reservations. Tickets will be fully refunded or if preferred can be exchanged for a different date. We apologize for the inconvenience. If you have any additional questions, please email us at [email protected] or call us at 202-393-7798.

The Spy Museum Team
SPYMUSEUM.ORG

Shop apparel, drinkware, gadgets and more during SPY Store's Labor Day Weekend Sale! Take 25% off your entire purchase w...
09/02/2023

Shop apparel, drinkware, gadgets and more during SPY Store's Labor Day Weekend Sale!

Take 25% off your entire purchase when you enter code LABOR25 at checkout. Promotion valid through September 4th. Online only.

Shop here --> https://spymuseumstore.org/

Today marks the 78th anniversary of Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II in Asia. On September 2, 1945, Foreign...
09/02/2023

Today marks the 78th anniversary of Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II in Asia. On September 2, 1945, Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijiro Umezu signed the Instrument of Surrender (pictured) while aboard the USS Missouri.

📸 : National Archives (Instrument of Surrender)

Agents, we are OPEN this Labor Day Weekend! Our holiday hours are below:Friday, September 1 --> 9:00 AM - 8:00 PMSaturda...
09/01/2023

Agents, we are OPEN this Labor Day Weekend! Our holiday hours are below:

Friday, September 1 --> 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday, September 2 --> 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday, September 3 --> 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday, September 4 --> 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Limited tickets will be available! Plan your visit now: https://bit.ly/3PeL3db

Happy  ! Are you ready for a dose of  ? Pictured is a Chess Set with Concealed Escape Kit (UK), ca. 1941.During WWII, th...
09/01/2023

Happy !

Are you ready for a dose of ? Pictured is a Chess Set with Concealed Escape Kit (UK), ca. 1941.

During WWII, the special British military intelligence unit MI9 devised cunning escape tools for downed airmen and aircrews flying missions over enemy territory. This original MI9 chess set was built with a hidden compartment containing paper maps, a sw***er compass, and emergency currency.

View it on display now in our Tools of the Trade exhibit, only at SPY!

📸 : Erik Sharar

During WWII, Allied intelligence agencies used specially altered playing cards to help POWs escape and evade their N**i ...
08/31/2023

During WWII, Allied intelligence agencies used specially altered playing cards to help POWs escape and evade their N**i captors. Created by the OSS and Britain's SOE, the Bicycle® Escape Map Cards when soaked in water revealed a piece of a map inside!

"According to the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC, the altered card decks (pictured) directly contributed to the successful escape of at least 32 Allied POWs from the infamous “escape-proof” Colditz Castle in Germany. The successful getaways inspired hundreds of other escape attempts throughout the war." 🃏

To date, the only two known surviving decks are right here at the Spy Museum.
Read more about these extraordinary playing cards via : https://coffeeordie.com/playing-cards-allied-pows

Today in  : On August 30, 1963, President John F. Kennedy established a direct phone line to the Kremlin in Moscow. The ...
08/30/2023

Today in : On August 30, 1963, President John F. Kennedy established a direct phone line to the Kremlin in Moscow.

The Moscow-Washington hotline was designed to facilitate communication between President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev during the height of the Cold War.

Although in popular culture, it was known as the “Red Telephone,” the hotline was never a telephone (it was an entirely text-based Teleprinter) and never red.

*NEW*   - “David Petraeus on Ukraine & Intelligence” – with the former CIA Director & 4-star General. He joins Andrew Ha...
08/29/2023

*NEW* - “David Petraeus on Ukraine & Intelligence” – with the former CIA Director & 4-star General. He joins Andrew Hammond to discuss his strategic analysis of the war in Ukraine. Listen now ➡️ https://bit.ly/3PhxgTd

We are thrilled to have reached the milestone of 600 episodes of SpyCast! This episode with General Petraeus kicks off our 5-part Spy Chief Special – stay tuned this month to hear from Spy Chiefs around the world, including India, Ireland and Kenya.

Join us this week, either Tuesday, August 9 from 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET or Thursday, August 31 from 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET, for  ,...
08/28/2023

Join us this week, either Tuesday, August 9 from 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET or Thursday, August 31 from 2:00 - 3:00 PM ET, for , an interactive virtual program for individuals living with dementia and their care partners. Using music and artifacts, we explore some of our favorite spy stories for this one-hour virtual program. Register here ->

SPY with Me is an interactive virtual program for individuals living with dementia and their care partners. Explore spy stories using music and artifacts.

  – Iron Concealment Device, ca. 1970s-1980s. All is not what it seems especially during the Cold War. This ordinary sil...
08/28/2023

– Iron Concealment Device, ca. 1970s-1980s. All is not what it seems especially during the Cold War. This ordinary silver iron used in West German households acted as a concealment device for undercover female Stasi agents.

A hidden compartment in the iron held a single use “one-time pad” and a schedule for communicating with an agent’s Stasi handler. In an emergency, plugging in the iron incinerated 🔥 the evidence.

Explore the Museum's exhibit Berlin, City of Spies—an immersive recreation contrasting West and East Berlin during the Cold War. View the iron concealment device (pictured) and other tools of the trade. https://bit.ly/3oCXboW

Looking for a weekend read? Check out this  article filled with stories from former FBI agents ➡️
08/26/2023

Looking for a weekend read? Check out this article filled with stories from former FBI agents ➡️

"FBI trainees go to the Holocaust Memorial Museum in DC. The lesson is what can happen if you blindly follow orders without questioning the morality behind them."

Summer is coming to an end...but there's still time to visit the coolest spot in DC before school starts next week! Assu...
08/25/2023

Summer is coming to an end...but there's still time to visit the coolest spot in DC before school starts next week! Assume your cover and complete your undercover mission, only at SPY. 😎

Tickets are limited! Plan your visit now: https://www.spymuseum.org/visit/

"Some age, others mature..."Happy 94th birthday to the late Sir Sean Connery! The original Bond, James Bond. 🍸
08/24/2023

"Some age, others mature..."

Happy 94th birthday to the late Sir Sean Connery! The original Bond, James Bond. 🍸

Today in   – On August 23, 1861 DC's very own confederate spy, Rose O’Neal Greenhow was arrested for spying on the Union...
08/23/2023

Today in – On August 23, 1861 DC's very own confederate spy, Rose O’Neal Greenhow was arrested for spying on the Union. During the Civil War, Greenhow wrote ciphered messages to the Confederate army providing them with intel about the Union’s plans.

One of her operatives provided intel that concerned the deployment of Union troops before the First Battle of Bull Run. Union general, Pierre G. T. Beauregard, testified that Greenhow’s findings were instrumental in a clear victory for the Confederates.

Greenhow was placed on house arrest and defiantly continued to spy for the Confederates. After she was caught (again), she was moved to Old Capitol prison for a short sentence. In June of 1862, Greenhow was released and exiled to the South.

Learn more about Greenhow and other female, Civil War spies ➡️ https://bit.ly/45l9smH

📷 : National Archives

Address

700 L'Enfant Plaza, SW
Washington D.C., DC
20024

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 7pm
Sunday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

+12023937798

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The Force is strong at the Spy Store! Celebrate Star Wars Day with our curated selection of and get 20% off. Discount is automatically applied at checkout.

Visit spymuseumstore.org | https://bit.ly/3AXVBp6
Happy Star Wars Day, agents! 💫 May the 4th be with you...always.

📷: sniw_travels |
- “I make the enemy see my strengths as weaknesses and my weaknesses as strengths while I cause his strengths to become weaknesses and discover where he is not strong.” — Sun Tzu, from The Art of War |

Over 2,000 years ago, Chinese general Sun Tzu wrote, "The Art of War" - the first and earliest-known text on warfare and espionage. In it, he devoted a chapter to spying, the importance of intel/counterintelligence.

From Ancient China to WWII, discover the rich tapestry of untold stories and history of Asians in the intelligence world through the lens of SPY’s permanent exhibition, artifact collection, and virtual talks.
Happy ! 📚 We've had the pleasure of working with amazing teachers from all over the country including SPY's Youth Education team.

We are in awe of the dedication and passion for your students and communities.

From all of us at SPY, T H A N K Y O U! 🍎 https://bit.ly/3FaN5V3
"May Day, where have you been? I've been waiting for you..." Happy to you, agents!

📷: Grace Jones as the iconic May Day in the 1985 James Bond classic, A View To A Kill.
😍 New Merch Alert 😍 We can't deny how adorable Agent Baby Luke and his spy pooch are!

Check out the Spy Store's exclusive new plush toys including the Deny Everything Dog, the perfect cuddly canine companion for your next mission and the Spy Pigeon aka Sir Veillance, our favorite fluffy bird cam.

Shop the spymuseumstore.org and grab yours here: https://bit.ly/41O4fmb
We're thrilled to be included in Forbes DC's Hottest New Neighborhood - the district's southwest waterfront, The Wharf and beyond!

New restaurants, bars, apartments, parks, music venues and piers flank the one-mile stretch along the Potomac...." the fun, interactive Spy Museum is a 13-minute walk from the bustling waterfront."

Following your museum mission, be sure to come back to the Wharf and live out your James Bond dream at a must-visit spot, Hotel Pendry Washington DC. Enjoy drinks with a view at Moonraker Bar! https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestravelguide/2023/04/21/why-you-should-visit-dcs-hottest-new-neighborhood/?sh=698e8d7f69b4
SPY’s very own Amanda Ohlke (Director of Adult Programs) sat down with the ultimate covert agents of — Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Richard Madden, Stanley Tucci, Joe Russo and showrunner David Weil to talk about their thrilling new spy series streaming TODAY on Amazon Prime Video.

Watch as Priyanka touches on her action-packed fight sequences and stunts, Stanley and Richard share their favorite spy gadgets, shooting in cool spy locations and so much more!

Episodes 1 & 2 of is streaming now.
*NEW* Installation Alert! ⭐ -- The Spy Museum is excited to showcase two new iconic objects from the latest James Bond 007 film, No Time To Die now on display.

Visitors will get a first look at Bond’s Omega Seamaster Diver 300M watch from Q-branch, alongside the Bionic Eye with SPECTRE cradle worn by Ernst Blofeld's proxy Primo (aka Cyclops).

View these Bond objects + a wide array of exclusive spy toys and games from past to present pop-culture film and television in the Museum's License to Thrill exhibit! https://bit.ly/2mhokBT
Every year, the federal government classifies tens of millions of documents. To see the most sensitive ones, you need top-level security clearance. And you need a SCIF. A Sensitive Compartmented Information facility, much like Get Smart's famous Cone of Silence.

In today's Washington Post, SPY's historian Andrew Hammond shares his insights on the SCIF - an ultra-secure room where officials and government contractors take extraordinary precautions to review highly classified information.

"The idea of a SCIF is nothing new," said Hammond. "Societies have always wanted protected spaces to discuss national security issues."

In 1836, scientist Michael Faraday invented the Faraday cage, which is viewed as a precursor to the SCIF. The enclosure blocked electromagnetic fields — one of the technologies used at the time to spy — and government officials would store or read materials in the cage.

According to Hammond, another pivotal moment that contributed to the development of the modern-day SCIF, came in 1945, when a group of Soviet children visited the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and gifted the ambassador a hand-carved seal of the United States.

U.S. officials didn’t notice that the seal had a high-tech bug on it that could be activated by a van that would drive by the embassy and emit a radio beam, allowing the people in the van to hear the conversations unfolding inside.

It took seven years to detect the bug. After that, according to Hammond, officials determined they needed protected spaces to discuss secretive national security issues.

Since then, Hammond said protocols to protect American secrets have become more standardized and widespread, with big changes and advancements typically emerging after wars.

“People have always had ways and means to try and protect information,” Hammond said. “But some of those ways and means were not aligned with the most cutting edge technology, so there was an effort to make it professional and more standardized.”

Read full article via WaPo. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/interactive/2023/scif-room-meaning-classified/
: Covert listening devices—bugs—use a hidden microphone & transmitter to collect sounds and send them to a listening post nearby. Bugs can lurk anywhere: a phone, picture frame, even a belt buckle. Here’s a look at a variety of bugs from the Museum's collection. https://bit.ly/35JJCNz
Tokyo Rose, the seductress of the airwaves, charming and demoralizing the Allies with every broadcast. Her sultry tones were the ultimate WWII propaganda weapon, but who was she really?

Tokyo Rose — Zero Hour: A Japanese American Woman’s Persecution and Ultimate Redemption after World War II is a riveting graphic novel that tells the true story of this much maligned woman. Join us on Wed., April 26. 7 p.m. ET for a virtual conversation with the author Andre Frattino, the illustrator Kate Kasenow, and the letterer Janice Chiang. They will discuss the care they took with telling this story in a meaningful and respectful way, and how important it was to have Chiang involved whose career has spanned 40 years including work with comic book greats like Stan Lee.

REGISTER ---> https://www.spymuseum.org/calendar/tokyo-rose-zero-hour/2023-04-26/

Support for this program has been provided by a generous grant from the Pritzker Military Foundation, on behalf of the Pritzker Military Museum & Library.
Happy , agents! 🌍 Today and every day, SPY is committed to reducing our environmental footprint and promoting sustainable practices in everything we do...even during a covert mission.

From the Museum's LEED® certified building made of 96.5% recycled content to our beautiful green rooftop, the Spy Museum was designed and constructed to protect our planet and offer a brighter future for visitors and the world around us.

📷 : .lifestyle.88
Today in : On April 21, 1956, the Berlin Tunnel, built by CIA and British (MI-6) spies to intercept Soviet comms was "discovered" by the East Germans - 11 months & 11 days after going operational.

The KGB had been aware of the Berlin Tunnel project from its start. George Blake, a KGB mole inside MI-6, had apprised the Soviets about the secret operation during its planning stages. But to protect Blake, the KGB allowed the operation to continue until April 1956 when they "accidentally discovered" the tunnel while supposedly repairing faulty underground cables - without putting Blake at risk.

View a six foot section of the original Berlin Tunnel (pictured) on display in the Museum's immersive exhibition, “Berlin City of Spies.” https://bit.ly/3mUtV1a
Happy ! Each year, the nation shines a light on the people and causes that inspire us to serve, recognizing and thanking volunteers for their impact in making a difference in their communities.

Thank you to our amazing nearly 100 SPY volunteers who tirelessly donate their time (over 1,000 hours) and talents to share the world of espionage and the Museum’s mission with guests.
Imagine a vehicle orbiting the earth taking photographs. Now imagine two film reels, each holding 30 miles of film. Now imagine the exposed film being dropped in a container from 100 miles above the earth. Imagine a skilled pilot catching the container in mid-air with a net pulling it into a plane and returning it to earth for skilled analysis. That’s the core of the HEXAGON satellite program.

Join us on Thursday, April 20; 12 p.m. ET for a special in-person talk and hear about the US’s last film-based intelligence spy satellite program directly from Phil Pressel. Pressel was the project engineer in charge of the design of the formerly top-secret Hexagon KH-9 spy satellite’s stereo cameras.

REGISTER --> https://bit.ly/41nCVuy
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