- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
International Spy Museum
Rating Details »
- Nearest Transit:
-
Gallery Pl-Chinatown (Red, Green, Yellow)
Metro Center (Red, Blue, Orange)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
Sponsored Result
You Might Also Consider
Newseum
- 71 reviews
- Location:
- Washington, DC
"If I could give the Newseum 100 stars, I would. This place is so cool, I don't even know where to start. Here are some mentionables: -…" read more »
129 reviews for International Spy Museum
I have been here twice over the last couple years. The two visits were like night and day... the first time I came here, I would have been generous giving it two stars; the second time, it easily earned four.
My advice on making sure you have a four-star visit? DON'T try coming here on the Friday after Thanksgiving, or on any holiday weekend, period. And if you do get stuck coming here on a busy day, then try to make it in for the first or second entrance time of the morning. The best things about this museum are its interactive exhibits, but it's no fun when you have to wait in long lines just to get in (don't think buying your ticket ahead will spare you a wait - on a busy afternoon, it feels like the entire tour of the museum is just one long waiting line).
On my "four-star visit", we came on a Friday midday on a non-holiday January weekend and it was practically empty. My friend and I didn't feel guilty taking our time at every interactive station, sitting there long enough to have fun puzzling through the entire code-breaking game and actually enjoying our time going leisurely through each exhibit. We weren't being pushed from behind when we stopped to read or getting evil looks for taking too long peering at satellite surveillance maps at one of the limited number of computer terminals. It was SUCH a better experience than my first visit, when we were herded like cattle through the museum, and all I wanted to do the instant I got in there was figure out how the hell to get out!
It's worth the ~$20 or so entrance fee if you plan your visit ahead and go at a time when you can actually get the most out of the museum. I think the exhibits cater more to adults than kids, but there are a few things to keep the little ones entertained. Two visits was plenty, but I am glad I gave this place a second chance.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
Comment from Beth R. of
International Spy Museum
10/27/2009
Thanks for your review! We're so glad that you enjoyed your…
More »
Honey Rider
Plenty O'Toole
Dr. Holly Goodhead
Xenia Onatopp
Kissy Suzuki
...and my all time favorite name, Pussy Galore
All James Bond girls, unfortunately you won't see any of them at the International Spy Museum. But what a collection...of spy paraphernalia I mean.
This is the only museum in the US, dedicated to the trade of all of the three letter agencies. Appropriately, one of the biggest agencies, the FBI, is just around the corner from here...listening in, no doubt.
There are many interactive games you can play that gets the inner spy in you. Take tests that show how well you can remember, learn how to be covert, and see how spies lie, cheat, and steal...from each other.
Don't cheat yourself. Give it at least two hours to go thru the three story building, then at the end have a snack at the spy café and browse the gift shop at the ground floor. But beware...someone may be following you.
People thought this was:
- Useful (9)
- Funny (8)
- Cool (9)
Comment from Beth R. of
International Spy Museum
10/16/2009
Thank you for your review! We're so glad you enjoyed. Next…
More »
This is a two star museum and my recent visit for Operation Spy boosted my opinion to three stars.
The bad:
Regular day exhibit at the Spy Museum is like one of those connect the dots game but the dots have no numbers. I saw a lot of interesting concepts they tried to run with but none of which followed through. For instance, you start the tour by picking a secret identity as you start your life as a spy but as soon as you get in, you never use them ever again. The exhibits are, in my humble opinion, mish-mashed together and when it's a crowded day, good luck seeing those! In addition to this wandering mix of gadgets and displays, there's an air duct for you to crawl through but the duct just plops you in a later section of the museum. There's other incomplete concepts but I think you get the idea...
The decent:
As for the Operation Spy...they picked an idea and followed it through the end (*gasp*). They still do the "pick a code name" thing that they don't follow through with very much but hey, nothing's perfect. Operation Spy pretty much takes a mission from beginning to end. They have your group go through from briefing, to sneaking around/decoding stuff, to your extraction from your mission. At the end, they give you a free cocktail for going through the whole mission. It was a fun and unique experience.
People thought this was:
- Useful (5)
- Cool (2)
uhh...with so many free museums in DC skip this one. It's poorly laid out, packed full of kids (not their fault, but it still is annoying) with nothing to amuse them (their fault), and it gets really booring. Really quickly.
Comment from Beth R. of
International Spy Museum
11/4/2009
Thank you for your review. I'm disappointed to hear that…
More »
The concept that inspired this museum has tons of potential. But it just doesn't really live up to the hype. To be fair, it is a very unique museum, and I suspect some of the bad ratings and reviews given by local Washingtonians are due to the fact that visitors actually have to pay for admission - most museums in DC are free as they are part of the Smithsonian.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
Comment from Beth R. of
International Spy Museum
10/27/2009
Thank you for your review! If you're looking for a little…
More »
Spy Museum, I'd nearly forgotten about you. You had your way with me, and my wallet, and my time so many summers ago. Since then, I've tried my best to move on. I turn a blind eye to you when I happy hour in Chinatown. I ignore the way you exploit tourists.
But, you couldn't let sleeping dogs lie. You couldn't late bygones be bygones, could you? As part of a multifaceted propaganda campaign, you started running Yelp ads on pages of other museums and you plaster misleading advertisements of Metro bus stops across the city. But you forgot you that you wronged me two summers ago. Well, I think it's time to bring your rating down a peg since you owe me ~$16 and over an hours worth of my time.
(Why are you guys giving this place so many stars anyway!?)
The bottom line?: this place is a tourist trap if there ever was one. It breaks my heart that some tourist groups disembark their passengers right at the entrance of this place.
To pay for a museum in this town is uncommon, especially when there are so many high quality museums littering the Mall. And then when you do pay in this town, you expect a great private collection. Not here. No, after you pay approximately $16 per person, you're treated to a museum that has more movie props than actual artifacts.
One exhibit was little more than a row of computers with Google Earth running.
What's this? An interactive exhibit about the Cesar cipher? Let me see how this works: I take the alphabet and now A becomes B, B becomes C, D becomes E. Okay, I think I got it. And you know what? This is ridiculously insulting.
This place just makes me angry.
The Spy Museum's only redeeming feature is that it's fixed directly across the Portrait Gallery, which is--in my humble opinion--one of DC's most underrated galleries.
And what's going on Yelpers!? I've never met, in person, anyone--anywhere--who raves about this place as much as my fellow Yelpers do here. Unless you're so unfamiliar with DC that you got off the aforementioned tour bus, I'm not buying it.
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Funny (4)
- Cool (3)
I have to admit that I was excited to visit the Spy Museum and left very disappointed. Like others, I didn't see the point in picking a spy name in the beginning, since it was never used again. The exhibits are rather close together with lots to read and are hard to see on a crowded day. There really is not alot of interactive things to do either, so the kids will surely be bored.
Had we spent full price on admission, I would have been even more disappointed (we got discount tickets on Groupon). Save your money and check out the Crime and Punishment museum. It was much better, in my opinion.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
Comment from Beth R. of
International Spy Museum
10/22/2009
Thank you for your review, and I'm certainly sorry to hear…
More »
To all DC tourists.....please note: DC has a lot more awesome museums than The Spy Museum. We also have museums with free admissions.
I think you are better off going to the DC Zoo.......
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (1)
I hate going into DC for pretty much any reason and I hate most musems. With that said, I had family in town over the holiday and no one visits me just to take my guided tour of the many strip malls of Alexandria (my specialty), so I figured I needed to infuse some official DC-touristry into the weekend. I'd heard good things about the Spy Museum, so I suggested we go there.
We drove in early on Sunday and found easy street parking within a block or two of the museum (SCORE!). Not really having done any research on the museum prior to our visit, it took us a few minutes of question-asking before we figured out the various programs and ticketing options. Luckily, there was really no one else in line besides our group of 4 at the time. We opted for the $28 combo ticket which gave us access to both Operation Spy (a spy mission simulation experience) and the museum exhibits. We did Operation Spy first and we were lucky enough to be the only ones in our group!
Operation Spy was a lot of fun -- even for a 3 30-somethings and my 60-something mother. We all enjoyed the various simulations like safe-cracking and "de-scrambling" a cell phone conversation. I was impressed by the amount of thought put into the Operation Spy sets and loved that we got to do something interactive together. Although we knew it was all pretend, our hearts were thumping as we raced down a hallway to avoid detection by the "security cameras" and we nearly tripped over each other running up the stairs to the "rooftop helipad." Even if you don't give a crap about spies, I'd highly recommend the Operation Spy experience.
The museum itself was "meh." None of us really were interested in spies to begin with, so the exhibits were only mildly interesting. You had to assume the identity of a spy at the beginning of the self-guided tour and there were a few checkpoints along the way that questioned you about your identity and mission and scored you as to how well you were doing. Before you departed each checkpoint, you were provided with new information regarding your mission.
This was cute in concept, but in practice, it was a pain in the @ss because the "checkpoints" were comprised of about 6 or so computerized touch-screens that presented you with a bunch of multiple choice questions. Even though we went on a relatively non-busy day, the checkpoints were mobbed and the questions were really simple and predictable. Not wanting to wait in line, I lost interest after the second checkpoint.
The Spy Museum Store was pretty decent and had a good-sized selection of spy-related books and souvenirs. Of course, the souvenirs consisted mainly of overpriced items imprinted with the SPY logo, similar to what you'd find at any other museum. I suppose if espionage is really your thing, you'd have a field day in the store.
The Spy Museum also had a cafe that served basic fare like sandwiches and sodas and it was connected to a restaurant called Zola's. We bypassed both, so I can't really provide a review of the food.
So, I give Operation Spy 4-stars on its own and the museum a measly 2-stars, which is how I computed the 3-star average for both.
People thought this was:
- Cool (1)
Sorry Spy Museum, I refuse to pay $18 for your international Espionage. Especially I can not let chidren of our future believe that thievery and trespassing is a virtue and still make money off it. Our negotiation is off until you show some repentance for your past misconducts and disclose your history considerably accessible to the public.
I will offer you a generous donation of $5 or a box of pity.
People thought this was:
- Useful (7)
- Funny (13)
- Cool (11)
I found it interesting and worth the $18, but once was enough. I wouldn't want to go back. Plus, lots of exhibits involving reading + lots of young kids is a recipe for disaster. *If* I were to go back, I'd do it sometime when kids weren't on summer vacation.
The highlight of the museum for me was the Donald Duck propaganda clip from WWII era encouraging people to be patriotic by paying their taxes early.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
Last month, I took advantage of Community Nights at the International Spy Museum. I've been wanting to go to the ISM since it opened but never had the opportunity so when I saw the free admission, I jumped at the opportunity.
I'm a total nerd and I love places like the ISM...I'll sit there and read everything about everything and be impressed and crave to learn MORE. I could've probably spent a longer time in the museum if I wasn't so tired. I did watch one of the special movies so I could rest my feet...and it was about intelligence in the 21st Century. There were a lot of mentions of ninjas...
There was a lot of cool stuff and I might go back again when I have more time and maybe...maybe I'll keep my secret identity this time. I think I'd like to be interrogated by the men in the black suits and let them try to penetrate my iron curtain.
At the end of the the exhibit is the ISM bookstore. OHHHHHHHHH. BOOKS!! ABOUT SPIES!! AND HISTORY!! AND WWII!!! (I was kind of giddy about the fact that in the "Spies getting caught" section, they referenced the cyanide that Hermann Göring swallowed in his cell during the Nuremberg Trials)...I had to keep myself from buying a bunch of books. *drool* BOOOOOOOOOOKS! *ahem*
I know that admission fee is $18 but if you're a history buff, and have a few hours to kill, it's definitely worth it.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (2)
Comment from Amanda A. of
International Spy Museum
8/25/2009
It's so great to hear that you enjoyed yourself at the…
More »
In short, don't waste your time....don't waste your money. The thought of going to see a Spy Museum sounds cool, I mean really cool. But when we got there, I wasn't sure anymore.
We knew we had to pay, as the museum is NOT part of Smithsonian, and since it sounded okay at the time, $17 dollars each for general admission, we went in.
First, the line system is completely disorganized. Someone did mention that this particularly day was busier than normal, but still... you stand in a single line. Then select between 2 "entrances" which literally is just like an archway divided into 2....to be brought back into the same single line. Well sort of the same since the archway will change the flow of the original line. Sound confusing? Cause it is equally annoying.
And then....this silly line thing brings you to one of the slowest elevators ever....to which they don't fill completely. Which can be a good thing...or maybe safety thing...but it definitely slows down the overall entry into the museum.
And as you reach your destination....the only really cool things are like the puzzle type images....there's a makeshift airshaft for you to crawl through if you like....and there's a James Bond like car that looks really really cool.....but honestly, that's about it.
Cause then you walk and walk, read some other interesting, but not $17 worth, stuff...and in true museum fashion, you end up at their gift shop.
Yeah...it's pretty blah. I think even for kids (cause the kids weren't looking too excited either).
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
This is going to be a 2 part review.
Part 1: Operation Spy- I'm glad I did the spy mission but it was more for kids under the age of 13. Tons of hands on activities but near the end is was getting cheesy. Reason why I'm giving it a 2 star rating.
Part 2: The Spy Museum: 5 Stars!!! Tons and tons of information!! Who knew that Julia Childs was a spy!!!?!?! Hmm she's over 6ft ... I wonder how she pulled it off ... anywho oops .. I hope I didn't spoil anyone's surprise... We spent 3 hours just in the museum .. I could have spent another 2 hours it was that good. Didn't get to see everything but I'll be back!
People thought this was:
- Useful (6)
- Funny (4)
- Cool (6)
seriously!!?? are you kidding me??
My last trip to DC, someone highly recommended to go this place and i was all excited to check it out.. turned out it was SO not worth it
It wasn't cool at all.. I felt i was being trick and stepped in a children's museum with some toys :-(
so not coming back and so not recommend anyone to go !!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
This is Washington, DC where there is free admission to world class museums, an improving zoo, a relatively new botanical gardens, and numerous memorials. If there is a charge or a requested donation, the exhibit better be special or an interesting niche (eg Bodies exhibit or Textile museum).
The INTERNATIONAL Spy Museum takes your $18 and shoves you into packed tiny rooms full of tourists who are becoming secret agents. I went int October, and it was actually hot because of how crowded the rooms got. At least they got the location right and put it within walking distance of Chinatown's Ruby Tuesday, Fudd Ruckers, and Potbellys. Otherwise, where would all the hordes of international secret agents eat?! Someplace local?
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
The $18 admission made me hesitant, but in the end I'm glad I took a few hours to visit the International Spy Museum.
Initially, I worried that I'd find nothing more than case upon case of gadgets, but as you get deeper into the museum the story becomes less one of "how" we spy and more of the "what" of spying, focusing a good deal on WWII, the Cold War, and the future of surveillance in the post-9/11 world.
Worth a visit if you're a history buff, interested in "Intelligence," or if you endured all those god awful Bond movies just to see what sort of gadgets "Q" could whip up for James this time.
People thought this was:
- Cool (1)
Comment from Amanda A. of
International Spy Museum
8/25/2009
Thank you for the review! We know you have many tourist…
More »
This place is a bit pricey but is amazing! When you enter you can take on an alias and along the way through the museum you can take tests and learn how the KGB and US spies operated and at the end your questioned and if you did everything right your successful and if you fail your 'detained for questioning.' This place has spy items from the cold war and has bugs you can listen to that are planted throughout the musem as well as cameras. you can also crawl into a vent and spy on other museum goers. HIGHLY RECOMMEND
Comment from Beth R. of
International Spy Museum
10/16/2009
Thank you for your wonderful review! Something you might…
More »
Ok, I'm sure I'm going to take some heat for this.....but I gotta say it.
The Spy Museum is deeply disturbing to me.
I'm not talking about the creepy feeling I had while skulking through the simulated "dark alley at night" during "Operation Spy", or some kind of political version of the thrill of getting scared in a controlled environment where you know you're really safe after all. I'm talking about the fact that in a country that has now condoned and committed torture, and that still fails to punish the individuals who perpetrated that torture and made it legal, there is something DEEPLY DISTURBING about a private museum that celebrates covert operations including meddling in other people's governments, assassinating people, and other forms of violence.
In my mind, the Spy Museum needs to be seen for what it really is: yet another means of normalizing things that we shouldn't stand for anymore, ways of conducting ourselves in international relations that we should be working to make obsolete rather than celebrating.
When we got to the end of the "Operation Spy" simulation, which I dutifully agreed to go through because it was my boyfriend's birthday wish, our guide asked the group:
"Well, what should we do? We have all the facts....should we call the embassy and alert them to the situation? Or should we send in Black Ops."
Now, not being an international spy, I don't know exactly what "Black Ops" are, but I can only assume that it stands for the enforcement wing of whatever spy organization we're supposed to be pretending to be a part of. (Nobody blinked an eye at this phrase, though it did turn out that by voting to send in the "Black Ops," we assassinated four or five people and then covered it up. A fake news report showed the way that the media was manipulated to make it look as if this was an accident, a random act of violence. Again, nobody seemed to mind this, or think of the families of the victims who were killed----amazingly, not all of whom were actually involved in whatever international mischief we were supposedly policing! So I guess we have to give the Spy Museum points for accuracy. Innocent victims? Check. But I digress.)
The guide asked us what we thought we should do, and all but two of us voted to send in the Black Ops. She looked right at me and said, "Why do you think we should call the embassy?" Much to my boyfriend's embarrasment, I replied:
"Because I don't believe that either state OR extra-governmental forces operating outside the rule of law have the right to violently intervene in international affairs." And then I think I mumbled something about the Geneva Conventions.....
You can imagine what happened.
Crickets.
Crickets.
And return to your regularly scheduled broadcast.
I know that the world is not a rosy place, where everybody gets along and everybody obeys the rules we learned in kindergarten. But I also am smart enough to know that we will not be able to change our own role in perpetuating that violence and that kind of dangerous, power-hungry behavior if American citizens continue to think that spying is cool, torture is entertaining (or, potentially worse, sexy) and that thinking about Good Guys and Bad Guys, Us and Them is a mature and viable way to structure public discourse and subsequently, public policy.
For its contribution to the normalization of our ongoing role as one of the world's bullies, I have to give this well-designed, effective museum, 1 star.
If you must go, please don't leave your critical thinking skills at the door.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (2)
Comment from Amanda A. of
International Spy Museum
6/28/2009
Thanks for your feedback. I am sorry to hear about your…
More »
Eh, this museum was decent. For the price I think I would have expected more. The top most floor was actually quite interesting. Lots of demo's of different spy equipment and strategies. As you move through the next couple floors things quickly got less and less interesting. Save your money and do something more intriguing!
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
Comment from Beth R. of
International Spy Museum
10/22/2009
Thank you for your review, and I'm sorry to hear that your…
More »
Have you ever been to Disneyland or Six Flags? What always bugs me about those places are the long switchback lines where they try to entertain you with Disney characters or loony toon crap. There are only so many times I can see the same cartoon with Wile E. Coyote falling off a cliff before I want to claw my eyes out. If you're going to have a cartoon or line entertainment then make it long enough!
I swear this has something to do with the International Spy Museum. We waited in switchback lines watching the same video about how CIA people are amazing. Over and over and over. I was seriously about to go crazy when we got to the elevator. Once we were finally at the top we had to pick a spy identity and memorize it because you never knew it when it was going to be needed. I was down with that, I like a challenge.
Then we were herded into a room to watch a video to get us set up to pretend we were spies or something. Again I was reminded of Disney World on the Aerosmith ride at MGM Grand. Like they try to give you a purpose for going on the ride. I don't need a purpose! It really annoyed me.
Finally we get into the museum and it was chaos. How could I pretend like I was a stealthy spy with all of these people EVERYWHERE? I had to rush through the first exhibit because the amount of people in there was not working for me. I tried to get interested in the other exhibits, but I really just wasn't feeling it. It was definitely geared for children, but with random twists thrown in. Like the assumption that everyone knew what the Cold War was. Yes, the adults did, but I could hear them all trying to explain it to their kids... Not an easy task. "We hated each other, but no, it's not an actual war. The closest we ever got to war was the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 (no, honey, nothing happened), but we continued to hate each other until 1989 when Reagan made a speech about a wall." You could see the kids' eyes glazing over.
Anyway, after it was all over and I was out of this place I could see how it could be cool and definitely it appeals to the kiddies, but then I remembered that I was given a spy identity because you "never knew when you'd have to use it." Turns out you never do... If you're going to have a gimmick, follow through with it.
The biggest disappointment was that after all the amusement park parallels there wasn't a fun ride at the end. Sad. If you want to spend your hard earned money at a museum, do yourself a favor and go to the Newseum.
People thought this was:
- Useful (8)
- Funny (6)
- Cool (6)
heh, where to start, after $36 and 35 minutes(if you do the math, this cost us almost a dollar a minute, hurts so bad to think about that) my wife and i had made it from the counter where you pay to the door where you exit the museum. everything about this "museum" was weak. overcrowded, unimaginative, and just plain out boring. way too many kids.
don't waste your hard earned money here, go to the crime and punishment museum instead. much more bang for the buck.
Comment from Beth R. of
International Spy Museum
10/22/2009
Thank you for your review, although I'm sorry to hear that…
More »
Believe it or not, growing up I was neither a Maxwell Smart fan, nor a James Bond fan. I was, however, a huge of The Avengers and the original Mission: Impossible series. Does The Avengers or Mission: Impossible count as spy shows? Eh, either way, I knew that when I grew up, I wanted to be Diana Rigg with her cunning little one-liners and super cute outfits.
So when the Spy Museum opened up a few years ago, I knew that I had to go. And I've been several times since then.
The great thing about the Spy Museum is that regardless if you are a fan of the fun gadgets from Get Smart or the 007 franchise, or of deep thrillers a la Tom Clancy, or of historical spy figures like Mata Hari (she was framed! Framed I tell you!), the Spy Museum has it all.
The museum starts off with everyone getting to pick their "secret agent" identity, with some key facts to memorize. Then after a short film, the museum releases into all the fun and weird gadgets that was (is) used in the spy trade. From there, the museum delves into famous spies through the ages, and finally into spies that have given up their lives to protect their secrets, and those that betrayed their own country.
All in all, it's amusing and entertaining - especially if one is usually not a fan of "boring" museums. It's also great for kids - although, having been through here several times and seen several groups of children go through here, I recommend that the kids be at least 8 years old...otherwise it's completely lost on them. As I am often asked to take visiting family and friends on tours through DC's famous landmarks, I've since added Spy Museum on the itinerary as something fun and unexpected.
My only two complaints about the Spy Museum are: firstly, the cost. Being used to the free museums that dot DC, the price of the Spy Museum seems rather extravagant and rather cost prohibitive for large families or groups. But secondly, since the museum does charge, and charges a decent amount, I would like to see more updates to the exhibits. I've been several times, and none of the displays ever seem to rotate or change.
Definitely a must do for visitors to DC, and for locals who are looking for something different to do (especially when it's cold or wet out), this should definitely figure onto the list.
People thought this was:
- Useful (4)
- Funny (3)
- Cool (4)
This is such a cool place, we did the whole operation spy program and it seriously was a lot of fun.
Literally brought out the "Alias" in me.
My parents and brother will be going when they come visit too, I think they'd enjoy this over several other things, plus it keeps you out of the heat. =)
I think this place would have been a 3-4* if there had been about half as many people in it. The place was PACKED. The lines for the interactive exhibits were three or four deep. How am I supposed to get into the "tension" when there is a huge crowd milling around trying to go through all of the exhibits.
Paying for this experience was exactly like going to a tourist trap in Gatlinburg.
What an incredibly disappointing experience we had at the Spy Museum. Let me start by saying in a town filled with free attractions if you are going to charge it had better be one heck of an experience.Well i would have say it is not. The Spy Museum starts you off in a cattle call of about 30 people which isn't bad until you get into the main room in the museum when you are expected to start your interactive journey.You stand around with 30 ppl waiting to use one of the three computers to start the fun when you realize only 2 of the computers actually work. Once you finally get on a computer to get your assignments you travel through the museum only to be delayed by more computers being off line. if would guess and to be very generous I would say 50% of the interactive stuff was not working.
We live in the dc metro area with most of our family from out of town and we take advantage of the sights in DC numerous times during the year. But i can guarantee you one thing we will not be adding the spy museum again. You would think for a $20 charge they could keep things up to date and running. Just a very disappointing WASTE of $80 and would recommend any one thinking of going to the Spy Museum just save your money and skip it.
I was lucky enough to come here when it wasn't crowded. We breezed through the museum. I admit that I enjoyed Operation Spy. We had a great and hilarious guide. I think this would be a great break from all the other DC educational museums.
Comment from Beth R. of
International Spy Museum
9/24/2009
Thank you for the review! If you enjoyed Operation Spy, I…
More »
Very cool and worth checking out. I learned a thing or two about spies and had fun. Yes, it is very touristy and a bit cheesy but it was a nice break from all the Smithsonians and monuments. We had fun, worth checking out. It was very crowded which was a bit annoying so try to go right when it opens if crowds bug you.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
Comment from Amanda A. of
International Spy Museum
8/25/2009
Thank you for posting your comments. You're right. We are…
More »
Viewing some of the gadgets was interesting, but I must say I was a little disappointed, especially in the interactive part of the museum (optional). I felt it would have been better suited for a 10 year old or a middle-aged person, but was not that entertaining for a 23 year old.
I thought the most interesting thing there was the piece of equipment that had some sort of recording device, almost like a tap, inside of fake poop. So, if you wanted to spy on someone in a park filled with dogs, this device would have been perfect for you.
P.S. I enjoyed their gift shop, possibly more than the museum itself.
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (2)
Definitely not what I expected, yet I still somewhat enjoy even the boring museums. I've actually made it here twice, and both times, completely crowded with kids. All you get really are displays of old spy gadgets, and alot of posters and videos about spies throughout history. A few interactive computer screens, but nothing that completely grabs you. They definitely need to revamp the museum.
I kinda like the geeky stuff so I can't say it was terrible... but I can see how it was a bit of a bore for most ppl.
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Cool (2)
A place to visit!!!!
This museum looked small, so we put an-hour worth coins into parking meter.
Inside the building is so wide and huge!
It took more than an hour and we were afraid of getting parking ticket, so we had to get out in the middle of browsing the museum... :(
There are so many spy equipments and you can actually experience those.
If you visit this place, don't bring your car, or bring a lot of coins with you! :P
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
Without a doubt, the worst museum I have ever been to. Ever. In the history of my museum going experience--and mind you, I've lived in Northern VA almost all my life, so I've been going to museum field trips in DC since primary school.
How can they take something as cool as espionage, and make it so dreadfully dull? When I went I bought the whole special package where you get to pretend your a spy and get the full interactive experience. Snnnoorrrinnng. Basically you walk in and choose a stupid identity then walk around as that identity . . . hardly interactive. Not worth it to pay for entry. not worth it at all.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (1)
Really wanted to see this, heard it was cool but there's isn't a ton that made me oooh and ahh... Perhaps if this were the national porn museum... just kidding.
Worth checking out if you're a sci-geek!
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Funny (1)
It's kind of cool if you're in the area. It's not the greatest museum, but it's neat for a few hours. Get to look at old spy gadgets and interact with some exhibits.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
- Funny (2)
- Cool (2)
Comment from Amanda A. of
International Spy Museum
6/28/2009
Thanks for visiting the spy museum! You're right, the museum…
More »
I love the whole world of spies and it intrigues me. So this place was amazing to me. If you like history of spies and want to know about espionage this is a great place to go to. I was surprised how much stuff was there.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)
We really enjoyed the Spy Museum, although I can honestly say that this is probably a much more enjoyable place for children.
For an extra $10, you can do Operation Spy, which is a hands-on, one hour "experience" on what a day in the life of a spy is like. According to one of the girls that I was in who worked for intelligence in the past, she says it is somewhat true to life, which is a definite plus!
The simulation took us to different rooms and we got to participate in different activities, from ransacking an office to interrogating a witness. The groups are small; we had only 7 people in our group, so everyone gets a chance to "play".
The museum itlself is HUGE. I thought it was small from the exterior but once you get in, there are different rooms and hands-on activities. I like the fact that it's not a straight forward museum; instead, they make each area personal to that area's theme.
There are definitely a few things that I think would scare smaller children, but overall, a great experience.
I would definitely come here with kids!
Like everyone else, I had allusions of grandeur coming into this place, only to have it all crash down immediately upon entering. The 40 minute wait to simply start viewing the exhibit certainly tried my patience and then the slow dry drivel of the actual product made me want to get through the snaking hallways of the museum at a quick pace. There's just so much random stuff all jumbled together that it was hard to get around. It's best just to go to wikipedia or google and type in spies. You may not get the hands on feel (well more like eyes on) that you can get at the museum, but you'll get the same info without the overcrowded metro feel you get from the place.
Oh they should have a beverage cart go through the place like they do at golf courses. That would make this place so much better.
I really liked this museum, there was a lot to do for the $18 admission price. You get to memorize an identity dossier when you first get in, which was pretty clever, though it got more confusing when you needed to memorize more & more. Some really cool games and exhibits. I really liked the Historical part. I even got to climb through an air vent (Mission:Impossible style). Lots of little videos, which takes up some time. The coolest part was the gift store, which I was looking forward to the whole time. They could have gone even more crazy there with toy guns and more spy stuff, but it was still really cool. Lots of spy-related dvds too. I was thoroughly entertained by this place, though I wish there wouldn't be any restrictions on photography. Still don't understand why that was.
Comment from Beth R. of
International Spy Museum
10/16/2009
Thank you very much for your review; we love to hear that…
More »
Fun, interesting and informative. Some of the interactive stations can be crowded so just move along as there is lots to see. The museum floor plan is fantastic and the spy store has fun items.
A love-it-or-hate-it place for most visitors, it seems. At $18, it is rather pricey, especially after all the free Smithsonian visits.
You start your museum visit by waiting for an elevator. You end up in a holding room where you are given a quick introduction and are encouraged to memorize one of the identities that you could supposedly work with as you work through some of the interactive programs scattered about the museum (if you could ever get your hands on them). Trust me when I say that your experience won't be any the lesser because you didn't pick an identity to memorize.
After the holding room is pretty much filled (or maybe enough people get out at the other end), they release you to the wild. There were quite a lot of things to see and read (and, yeah, I'm one of those slow read-everything-in-the-museum people.. you don't want to go with me...), and with the videos and little interactive stuff practically right next to each other as you've got people swarming in droves - it feels really cramped and crowded.
The museum was divided into "Cloak" (espionage), "Dagger" (sabotage), and "Shadow" (counter-intelligence). The displays include tools of the trade, outfits, methods (including the use of photographer pigeons), case biographies, case studies, pictures, etc. They focus on the US and the Soviet Union, primarily, centering mostly on the Cold War and the World Wars. There are a few pieces from other countries; there's a short section on ninjas, etc; there's some discussion on Alexander the Great, biblical times, et al. There is a lot of information on a lot of known double agents and agents who have defected.
I find it all rather interesting... But, there is definitely room for growth.
