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International Spy Museum


International Spy Museum
800 F Street NW
Washington DC, DC 20004
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What's Near International Spy Museum

Top-Rated Nearby Hotels
Distance in: mi km
Hotel USD* Distance Rating
Washington Marriott at Metro Center $411 0.4 mi 0.6 km 4.5 of 5 stars
The Eldon Luxury Suites $239 0.5 mi 0.8 km 4.5 of 5 stars
Willard InterContinental Washington $559 0.7 mi 1.1 km 4.5 of 5 stars
Sofitel Washington DC $298 0.8 mi 1.2 km 4.5 of 5 stars
The Hay-Adams $521 1.0 mi 1.5 km 4.5 of 5 stars
All Hotels in Washington DC
*Average price
Top-Rated Nearby Restaurants
Distance in: mi km
restaurant Distance Rating
Cedar Restaurant 0.1 mi 0.1 km 4 of 5 stars
Zaytinya 0.1 mi 0.2 km 4 of 5 stars
Siroc Restaurant 0.8 mi 1.3 km 4.5 of 5 stars
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Top-Rated Nearby Things to Do
Distance in: mi km
Thing to Do Distance Rating
Smithsonian American Art Museum 0.0 mi 0.0 km 4 of 5 stars
City Segway Tours of Washington, DC 0.1 mi 0.1 km 5 of 5 stars
Bike and Roll Washington DC 0.4 mi 0.6 km 5 of 5 stars
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Traveler Advice on International Spy Museum

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  • Ask a question or view 350 posts on Washington DC from this week.
Professional Advice (16)
Title Source
“International Spy Museum” Frommer's
“International Spy Museum” Fodors.com
“International Spy Museum” Washington Post
“International Spy Museum” PlanetWare.com
“Museum now haunt for spooks” Sydney Morning Herald / Associated Press
“Washington, DC - The United States Capital City” Luxury Experience Magazine
“Truth and spies in the nation's capital” Los Angeles Times (free registration required) / Baltimore Sun
“Worth the Price Of Admission?” Washington Post (free registration required)
“International Spy Museum opens Operation Spy attraction” Los Angeles Times (free registration required)
“Trip Tips: Washington D.C.” Travel + Leisure
“An Ex-Spy’s Guide to Spy Museums” New York Times (free registration required)
“36 Hours In: Washington, D.C.” New York Times (free registration required)
“D.C. on the upswing” Los Angeles Times (free registration required)
“A cool trip to Washington, D.C.” smartertravel.com
“Attractions especially for kids in D.C.” msnbc.msn.com / Frommer's
“Sample the offerings of a quarter reborn” Boston.com / Boston Globe
TripAdvisor Traveler Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
TripAdvisor Popularity Index: #66 of 281 attractions in Washington DC
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Traveler Description: International Spy Museum Overview The International Spy Museum in Washington DC is the only public museum in the United States solely dedicated to... more »
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Attraction type: Specialty museum, Other
Address: 800 F Street NW Washington DC, DC 20004
Tel: 202-393-7798

Reviews you can trust

[ Date ] [ Rating ]
“interesting idea exploring the world of international espionage”
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4 of 5 stars
mcfliege   38 contributions
vienna, austria
Nov 8, 2009

a fascinating look at the tools, weapons, and personalities involved in espionage around the world. i recommend going here only if you have 3 hours or more, as there are plenty of videos and exhibits on display. there is a fun gift shop, too, for toys, gags, books, and other souvenirs. i would not recommend this museum, however, because of... more

Management response from
SpyMuseumManager, Manager

Thank you for your review! We're happy to hear that you enjoyed your visit to our Museum. Yes, it does take quite a bit of time to see everything we have! The average guests takes about 2 hours but many stay much longer. Next time you're here, check out one of our interactive experiences so that YOU are the spy!

“Not so Handicap accessable. I had a misserable time”
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1 of 5 stars
Marikay4   1 contribution
Colorado
Nov 2, 2009

My friends and I went to the museum to do Spy Night the interactive role-play spy game they have set up. You get an hour of pretending to be a spy and one free drink on the house in their cantina. I'll post the positives first. Obviously they took some time creating the world in which you role play a... more

“Great”
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5 of 5 stars
Jazz77   44 contributions
Utah
Nov 1, 2009

Good museum with a lot of things to see. Plan on spending AT LEAST 2 hours here. Worth the money, if you find real life spies interesting... more

Management response from
SpyMuseumManager, Manager

Thank you very much for your review. We're so glad you enjoyed! Next time you visit, be sure to check out one of our interactive experiences - Operation Spy (where you take on the role of a spy for an hour) or Spy in the City (a GPS-guided mission in Washington, D.C.). We look forward to seeing you again soon!

“Wow, this is fun!”
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5 of 5 stars
Trips27   30 contributions
GA
Oct 20, 2009

We went here for a family trip (ages 22-50) and everyone really had a good time. We felt the price was not over kill and it was really fun yet interesting. We enjoyed the interactive parts (including the climb through tunnel--- yes we adults tried it lol) and the movies. I learned allot and really enjoyed the trip. Great attraction... more

Management response from
SpyMuseumManager, Manager

Thank you for your review, and we're so glad you enjoyed your visit! Next time you're here, consider checking out one of our interactive experiences, Operation Spy (where you take on the role of an intelligence officer for an hour) or Spy in the City (a GPS-guided mission through Washington, D.C.). We look forward to welcoming you again soon!

“Spy Equipment Very Interesting”
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4 of 5 stars
cindyguk   3 contributions
Layton, Utah
Oct 12, 2009

Having been brought up on the "Get Smart" series, I never thought all the gadgets used were actually real -- but to my surprise, many were and they all appear to be here in this museum. The museum was larger than I thought when I first entered. On three floor levels, the tools of deception, use of these tools, and... more

Management response from
SpyMuseumManager, Manager

Thank you so much for your review. In fact, the Aston Martin we have in our main exhibit was actually used in the James Bond film "Goldfinger!" And, yes, our interactive experiences are great fun - next time you visit, be sure to check out Operation Spy (where you take on the role of a spy) or Spy in the...

“Had a fabulous time at the International Spy Museum!!”
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5 of 5 stars
LJohnsonAlaska   1 contribution
alaska
Oct 8, 2009

We went after regular hours and participated in being "Spies at Night". You are given a mission by headquarters and along with your fellow "spies" you must think, act and feel like real spies in the field. My mother, sister and I had a blast!! The more you get into character, the more fun you will have, it was the... more

Management response from
SpyMuseumManager, Manager

We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed! Next time you visit, come during the day and check out our main exhibit, which is the largest collection of espionage equipment on public display in the world - and 95% of our collection has been used on real missions in the field!

“If you think spys and spying is cool then you must check this out.”
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5 of 5 stars
TahitiDreaming10   8 contributions
Gardner, MA
Oct 1, 2009

We toured the Spy museum before we did the Spy at Night activity. It's a really fun and cool place. It really gave us incredible insight into this world and what it's about. I realize that I am not cut out to be a spy. There is even a test that you can take to find out if you could... more

Management response from
SpyMuseumManager, Manager

I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed the main exhibit as well as Spy at Night, which features one of our interactive experiences, Operation Spy. Next time you visit, consider trying out Spy in the City, in which you play a crucial role in a GPS-guided mission outdoors through Washington, D.C. We look forward to seeing you again!

“Boring!!”
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1 of 5 stars
hopehere   13 contributions
Mississippi
Sep 20, 2009
1/1 found this review helpful

What a waste of time and money....very pricey and most of the exhibits you had to read the explanations to even understand what they were about. Visit a free musuem instead more

Management response from
spymuseum09, Manager

Sorry about your visit. We like the think the museum has something for everyone. If you’re interested in having a little more fun and adventurous we have Operation Spy and Spy in the City but if you like something a little more educational and content driven we have the museum. You can also participate in all three if you have...

“Wasted time and Money”
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3 of 5 stars
jcm2583   3 contributions
Houston, TEXAS
Sep 9, 2009

we paid for the tour but we ended up leaving half way through because we were bored and figured there were other more important things to see and do in Washington. If you really like Spy stuff then I am sure it is a good place to visit. more

Management response from
spymuseum09, Manager

From reading your review, I am guessing you were going through Operation Spy. That is our only guided tour. We understand it’s not for everyone but hope you were able to enjoy your museum visit. Thank you for your review!

“Great experience for the whole family”
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5 of 5 stars
EchoIsrael   2 contributions
Israel
Sep 7, 2009

Spent almost the entire day at the museum. Kids did "Operation Spy" and loved it. Then we all did (2 adults + 3 kids age 10, 12, 15) the "Spy in the City" and enjoyed it immensly. The exhibits are great, realistic and informative, giving you a hands on experience. Especially loved the "cover identity" theme all through the museum... more

Management response from
spymuseum09, Manager

We know you have many places to visit in DC and are grateful you took the time to visit us. Thanks for the great review!

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International Spy Museum Address

800 F Street NW, Washington DC, DC 20004
Tel: 202-393-7798