Eyes on Spy Museum

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From Nancy Drew to "Inch High Private Eye" to "Spy Kids 3-D," children always have been fascinated by espionage, which is why a trip to the International Spy Museum should be on the list of any family visiting the District.

There is no shortage of James Bond-like buttons, miniature gadgets, listening devices and disguise secrets to see, touch and uncover.

The International Spy Museum has been open for 18 months and recently hosted its millionth visitor, says museum spokeswoman Susan Klein. Over the recent holiday break, when the museum was sold-out daily, it was filled with families.

"Spying is a secretive thing, and kids love secrets," Ms. Klein says when asked about the museum's appeal to young people. "They love the idea of spying on someone and the intrigue that comes with it. Spying to us is a serious thing, but children see the mystery of it."

The museum puts espionage and intelligence in a historical perspective, covering famous spies from Mata Hari to Ethel and Julius Rosenberg to Aldrich Ames. There are displays explaining what makes a good spy and how choosing to work in intelligence involves great risk and a commitment to life in the shadows.

Information such as that might appeal to older visitors, but the hot draws for the younger crowd include an air shaft to crawl through for secret reconnaissance and a replica of a car with secret compartments that explains how people were smuggled past checkpoints during the Cold War.

Upon entering the museum, visitors are whisked by elevator to a room where the importance of assumed identities is explained. Visitors then are shown a short film explaining what it takes to be a spy.

From there, visitors are free to roam at their own pace. The first rooms have the most appeal for young visitors, as they hold the tools of the trade. Here is where the gadgets, including tiny tie-clip cameras, microdots with embedded information and listening devices secretly embedded in shoes, are found. The gadgets come from various sources and eras. There are CIA escape tools circa the 1960s that are tiny enough to fit into a human body orifice. There is a glove pistol used by the U.S. Navy in World War II.

Visitors also can test their spying skills in these rooms. At various interactive displays, they can learn about and use their powers of observation, surveillance and disguise.