International Spy Museum
Template:Short description Template:Infobox museum The International Spy Museum is an independent non-profit history museum which documents the tradecraft, history, and contemporary role of the intelligence field and espionage. It holds the largest collection<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> of international espionage artifacts on public display. The museum opened in 2002 in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and relocated to L'Enfant Plaza in 2019.<ref name=curbed>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
History
Milton Maltz, a code-breaker during the Korean War and founder of the Malrite Communications Group in 1956 (later The Malrite Company), conceptualized the International Spy Museum in 1996 as a for-profit organization.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The original museum facility in the Penn Quarter neighborhood was built by Milton Maltz and The House on F Street, L.L.C. at a cost of approximately Template:USD.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> It opened to the public in 2002.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The foundation cost of the original museum was half funded by the Malrite Company; the other $20 million came from the District of Columbia through enterprise zone bonds and TIF bonds. The museum was part of the ongoing rejuvenation of Penn Quarter, kicked off in the 1980s by the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In April 2015, plans were released for a new museum designed by Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.<ref name="curbed" /> In January 2019, the museum began the process of moving from its previous F Street location to the new $162 million dedicated building at 700 L'Enfant Plaza, and it reopened to the public on May 12, 2019.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The 32,000 square foot L'Enfant Plaza building has a 145-seat theater, rooftop terrace, and top-floor event space.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The new museum is a non-profit enterprise.
Educational and cultural programs are offered for students, adults, and families including scholarly lectures, films, book signings, hands-on workshops, and group tour packages. The museum charges admission fees.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Collection
The museum houses more than 7,000 artifacts with around 1,000 on public display, accompanied by historical photographs, interactive displays, film, and video. The permanent collection traces the complete history of espionage, from the Ancient Greeks and the Roman Empire, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the British Empire, the American Revolutionary War, the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, the American Civil War, both World Wars, the Cold War, and through present day espionage activity. Items include:
- A Four Rotor Japanese Enigma Machine, built by Germany during World War II for its ally, Japan, allowing German and Japanese soldiers to communicate securely with each other.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- The wreckage of Francis Gary Powers' U-2 plane.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- A 1922 Silver Dollar with Suicide Pin that was made by the CIA for the U-2 program.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- A Bay of Pigs flag. The 2506 Assault Brigade was meant to fly this flag as a symbol of victory following the 1961 invasion attempt.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- A vial of heavy water produced to commemorate WWII's Operation Gunnerside.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- A printing plate used in Operation Bernhard, an exercise by Nazi Germany to forge British bank notes.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- A coat with a buttonhole camera, created by the KGB.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- A c.1949 Steineck ABC Wristwatch Camera from Germany. The watch allowed an agent to take photographs while pretending to check his or her watch.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- A Lipstick Pistol used by KGB operatives during the Cold War.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- A replica of an Aerial Surveillance Pigeon Camera from World War I.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- The Aston Martin DB5 that was used in the movie Goldfinger, the third part of the James Bond film series.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2011, the museum had an interactive called Spy in the City where visitors were given a GPS-type device and had to find clues near various landmarks in the area surrounding the museum to obtain the password for a secret weapon.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
See also
References
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- Espionage museums
- History museums in Washington, D.C.
- Industry museums in Washington, D.C.
- Military and war museums in Washington, D.C.
- Museums established in 2002
- 2002 establishments in Washington, D.C.
- Penn Quarter
- Southwest Federal Center
- Law enforcement museums in the United States
- International Spy Museum