International Spy Museum: Washington D.C. Review

Every time we go to Virginia to be with my family at Christmas, we make a day trip up to Washington D.C. It’s fun to go by the White House and go through as many Smithsonian Museums as possible.

We hadn’t really gone with Doodle before because he had always been too young to do all that walking around. I mean, we walk a LOT, for hours. It’s always my brother, my girls and Buddy. This year I knew I had a plan and Doodle was going to go with us.

For years I’ve wanted to take the boys to the International Spy Museum but really felt they were too young for it. I also knew that if we did the Spy Museum, we wouldn’t be doing the other Smithsonian Museums. I was ready for something new and thought my boys were going to love this.

I contacted the Spy Museum and they agree to partner with my blog and let us check them out!

My brother, myself and the boys decided to check it out the day after Christmas! I was concerned they’d be pretty busy, but I think a lot of people were nervous to drive into D.C. with the “storm” that was supposed to come. Eh, I’m from Minnesota, I wasn’t worried about it!

At the beginning of the Museum you take on a new identity. That was something I thought was really exciting. Who knew I’d be so taken in by the Spy Museum! I took my new identity very seriously! Well, at least my own. I kept forgetting to call the guys by their new names! LOLThere was so much I didn’t know about spying. The history of it, people who started up organizations for United States spying, etc. It was all so fascinating. You’re able to walk through the evolution of spying technology.

Unfortunately, Doodle wasn’t so fascinated by it as I was. Buddy thought it was interesting enough. My brother and I wanted to take our time going through the Museum. We were able to distract Doodle with a few interactive parts, but not long into it he started wondering how long we were going to be there.

Let me just say, for the record, that I think if you have a young child the same age as my Doodle, 7, and they’re really into spying, then I think this would be a great experience. Personally, I think I wanted my boys to be excited about being there as I thought they’d be. Oh well, I tried. I also think that if we would’ve done some spy research before we went to D.C. the boys would’ve been more connected with it. I wanted to surprise them. Ah well.My brother and I really like the experience. I learned so much walking through the museum, sometimes at my bored 7yo’s pace, so there’s more I’d love to go back and learn.

One thing I thought would’ve been cool as we were walking through this elaborate museum would’ve been to interact with people pretending to be spies and see if they could get information from us. You know, come up to us and ask us our name, where we were from, etc. How cool would that have been?

We met up with the girls, along with my brother’s girlfriend, who had all gone to the Holocaust Museum. Here was their interpretation of what they thought we did at the International Spy Museum.If I do have the opportunity to go back, I’m going to do some of the grown-up activities!! I would love to do the:

Spy In The City ~ You get a GPS to follow throughout the city. The museum sends you information to follow and complete a mission! This would actually be fun for the whole family.

Operation Spy ~ A one-hour spy adventure to find a trigger for a missing nuclear trigger.

Spy At Night ~ You do Operation Spy, there’s trivia, a Cipher Wheel, special guests on specified nights, and at the end of the night is food and drinks.

Spy City Tour ~ You prepare for an interactive mission and take part in an undercover operation! You’ll also learn about disguises from CIA Chiefs of Disguise!

You can follow the International Spy Museum on:

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If you’re going to be in D.C. during Valentine’s Day, check out the Love A Spy opportunity?

• Dinner for two at Zola plus champagne toast
• Admission to Spy at Night (clandestine cocktails and conversation)
• Admission to the Spy Museum’s permanent exhibit

I’d like to thank the International Spy Museum for the 2 free tickets we received for a tour. The opinions expressed are my own and never influenced by the company.