The Wilderness of Mirrors

From the Bible to Bond and beyond, the International Spy Museum presents the true life stories and incredible artifacts employed in the shadowy world of espionage.

Opened in July 2002 after several years of development, the International Spy Museum takes visitors on an exhilarating tour full of intrigue, deception, and betrayal, while providing a thorough understanding of the important role espionage and intelligence gathering has played throughout history. As the only public museum in the world dedicated to the clandestine arts, the museum presents an apolitical view of this much romanticized profession, highlighting the inherent but necessary danger individuals and organizations have faced trying to preserve or obtain the commodity of information.

Created and maintained by The Malrite Company, the museum had its genesis with Chairman Milton Maltz. Having spent a forty-year career in radio and television broadcasting as well as serving in the National Security Agency for the US Navy, Mr. Maltz developed a strong affinity for intelligence and sought to bring this fascination to the public while also seeking to tweak the traditional museum model. In that respect, the museum not only intends to showcase the various tools and items of spying, but also to educate the public about intelligence issues facing the country, the threats and challenges of balancing privacy and defense, and how national security issues affect daily life. With an Advisory Board of Directors consisting of former Director of the FBI and CIA, Judge William Webster, former FBI Director, R. James Woolsey, former Chief of KGB Foreign Counterintelligence, Maj. Gen. Oleg Kalugin and more, the museum is more than qualified to educate the public about espionage and its relation to current events. However, as a private entity the museum is not administered directly by the intelligence community; instead it maintains a vast network of colleagues and professionals who contribute their expertise to the exchange of ideas.

School for Spies

Upon learning the tricks of the trade, visitors are shown the "Secret History of History," tracing the development of intelligence gathering throughout the ages. From the Bible where Moses is told to "send men to spy out the land of Canaan" to Greco-Roman and Renaissance grille ciphers, right up to the use of unmanned reconnaissance drones, spying has had a place in virtually every society seeking to control the flow of information. An 18th century letter from George Washington to a colleague authorizing the creation of a spy network is considered the most prized artifact in the museum. The Washington letter truly illuminates the inherent value the museum's collection represents, as these artifacts are admired less for their monetary worth or rarity and more for how and why they have been used. For example, there may be little intrinsic value in a rectal tool kit but the story of its use as an instrument for espionage, makes it invaluable. The kit, a capsule containing various cutting implements that could be concealed in a body cavity and used in the event of capture, was issued by the CIA to operatives on dangerous missions in the 60's. Moving on through the 'Secret History of History' section, visitors can explore literary figures that doubled as spies such as Ian Fleming, Sir Richard Burton, and Daniel Defoe as well as the "Sisterhood of Spies" active during the Civil War, including Sarah Emma Edmonds, Belle Boyd, and Pauline Cushman. The field of aerial surveillance begins with the age of modern warfare as hot-air balloon photographers and cameras strapped to homing pigeons survey the European countryside. The "Red Terror" details Felix Dzerzhinsky's Bolshevik-led Cheka whose "active measures" campaign leads to the later formation of the KGB, and the stunning work done by 'Ace of Spies' Sidney Reilly, who was so influential that he became the model for the character of James Bond.

The intelligence refinements of World War II, such as the creation of the Enigma cipher machine and use of Navajo code talkers, came to shape spy operations between the Axis and Allies. The complexity of these media can be tested as visitors are given the chance to make and break codes of varying difficulty, exploring the nature of cryptographic machines as the precursors to modern computers. Declassified files from the Office of Strategic Services, predecessor to the CIA, showcase the double lives of celebrities and athletes such as baseball player Moe Berg, Chef Julia Child, and actress Marlene Dietrich, all tasked to gather information and administer propaganda. Resembling a rustic barn, the "Behind Enemy Lines" exhibit highlights the use of covert action by various resistance and counter-resistance groups during the war, including the display of a single-shot gun, a spatula with a hidden blade, grenades with detonators, and a forged $5 note used by the German army to undermine the British economy. During the same period the Soviet Union began its quest for atomic power by employing a vast network of spies whose success at obtaining the secrets of the Manhattan Project led to the emergence of the Cold War and a newfound fear of nuclear destruction.

Interestingly enough, the museum building formerly housed the Washington D.C. Chapter of the American Communist Party, including the original door that led into the meeting room. Unlike the door though, most of the collection comes from individual or private donors, as the museum does not actively collect, instead relying solely on the discretion of the people who wish to find a home for their intelligence and spy material. Only a few things are on loan from other museums or bought through various channels. There is also "no standard gap time" for when something can be exhibited, relates Adult Education Manager, Amanda Ohlke. When the museum receives an artifact it is vetted carefully in order to decide the appropriateness and target audience. Given the nature of the collection, certain exhibits may be perceived as controversial or even offensive depending upon the visitor's point of view. However, Ohlke contends that there is "a lot of room for feedback" from anyone or any group interested in discussing their concerns.