The International Spy Museum is a private museum dedicated to espionage, with the largest collection of international spy artefacts on public display anywhere in the world. The collection spans from ancient history through the Cold War to the present, covering tradecraft, surveillance technology, double agents, and intelligence operations.
The museum moved to a purpose-built facility in L'Enfant Plaza in 2019. Exhibits are interactive and theatrical — you are given a cover identity at the entrance and asked to maintain it through the museum — which makes it particularly popular with children and teenagers. Admission is charged ($24 for adults in recent years). The Cold War section, covering the operational details of KGB, CIA, and East German Stasi tradecraft, is the most substantive. Allow at least three hours.