International Spy Museum Complex

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800 F Street Northwest
Washington, DC 20004

Neighborhood: Penn Quarter

The International Spy Museum is a privately owned museum dedicated to the field of espionage located in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington, D.C... read more

Description

The International Spy Museum is a privately owned museum dedicated to the field of espionage located in the Penn Quarter neighborhood of Washington, D.C., and one block west of the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station.

The museum was built by The Maltrite Company at a cost of US$40 million. Despite being one of the few museums in Washington that charges admission fees, it has been immensely popular since its opening in July 2002.

The over 600 artifacts on display relate to the entire history of espionage and spies in real-world practice and in popular culture. The museum has extensive exhibits on terrorism, the American Civil War, and the Cold War.

Critics have noted that several of the museum's board members are former Central Intelligence Agency agents, that it glosses over criticism of the CIA, and generally romanticizes intelligence work.[1] Nevertheless, the collaboration with various members of the intelligence community has imparted authenticity to the exhibits.

The museum also includes two restaurants: Zola and Spy City Cafe.