The International Spy Museum

What happens when you sit across from a Russian intelligence officer and try to guess their next move? Join us for Russian Espionage and Intelligence Tradecraft, Hybrid War, and Dirty Tricks, featuring CIA veteran Sean M. Wiswesser in conversation with Spy Museum Historian Dr. Mark R. Jacobson. 📅 Thursday, April 30, 2026 🕡 6:30 PM ET 📍 Hybrid (In-Person & Virtual) Register: spymuseum.org/calendar/russi… As a member of the CIA’s expert cadre in the Directorate of Operations, Wiswesser worked closely with the US intelligence community and foreign allies to recruit Russian spies and then counter their operations, giving him a unique perspective on the Russian Intelligence Services’ (RIS) global reach. With his new book Tradecraft, Tactics, and Dirty Tricks: Russian Intelligence and Putin’s Secret War, Wiswesser takes readers deep into the heart of Maskirovka—the Russian art of denial, deception, and manipulation. Spy Museum Historian Dr. Mark R. Jacobson will interview Wiswesser about the shadowy world of Russian espionage from “street work,” honeytraps, and assassinations, to the RIS’s role in the Russo-Ukraine War. They’ll discuss both historical examples and firsthand accounts of the tactics employed by the three main services of Russia’s intelligence apparatus: the SVR, GRU, and FSB. #IntelligenceWork #SpyMuseum #FreeProgram

Looks like someone has been to our new exhibit, Camouflage: Designed to Deceive. Learn how to avoid your company's social media team: spymuseum.org/camouflage/ #Camouflage #SpyMuseum

A secret buried for 40 years. Now, it can be told. Join us tonight for The Spy in the Hanoi Hilton, a riveting program with documentarian David Taylor and Robert Wallace, former Deputy Director of the CIA's Office of Technical Services. 📅 Today, April 27, 2026 🕔 5:00–7:00 PM ET 📍 Hybrid (In-Person & Virtual) Register here: spymuseum.org/calendar/the-s… Documentarian and former BBC producer David Taylor was stunned when he uncovered the last best-kept secret of the Vietnam War. Join Taylor as he takes us behind the scenes of the research and creation of his film The Spy in the Hanoi Hilton. Hỏa Lò Prison was used by the North Vietnamese to hold and torture American POWs. The prison, nicknamed the Hanoi Hilton, held many aviators who had been shot down, including prominent figures such as Senator John McCain and Vice Admiral Jim Stockdale. Throughout their captivity, prisoners were in contact with the CIA through ever more sophisticated methods of communication, which led to a secret rescue mission that remained classified for 40 years. #SpyMuseum #FreeProgram #HanoiHilton

As we wrap up #NationalVolunteerWeek we're highlighting the agents behind the scenes. Whether it's a first-time visitor learning about our espionage artifacts or a school group discovering what it takes to live a cover identity, behind every memorable museum visit is someone who showed up, not because they had to, but because they wanted to. Thank you to all our volunteers at the Spy Museum! Learn about volunteer opportunities: spymuseum.org/support-spy/vo… #Volunteers #SpyMuseum

In the 1970s, the CIA engineered an ambitious surveillance gadget: the insectothopter. This was a dragonfly-sized drone designed to eavesdrop undetected. Remarkable in theory, it never made it to the field; the device was too light to control in any crosswind. Decades later, the KGB created a model based on the original that now resides in the Spy Museum collection. Their version was a bit more metallic, a chrome recreation of the CIA's original vision. Two superpowers. Two bugs. One idea that was just a little ahead of its time. #SpyGadgets #Bugs #SpyMuseum

They think they're James Bond. #SpyMuseum #WashingtonDC

We're thrilled to officially announce our new historian, Mark R. Jacobson. Mark's career spans nearly three decades of military and government service. He was an Officer in Charge of a national mission intelligence operations unit in Afghanistan and advised Generals McChrystal and Petraeus. He later brought that expertise to academia, holding the prestigious John J. McCloy Visiting Professorship at @AmherstCollege and serving as Assistant Dean for Washington Programs at @MaxwellSU. So let's get to know Mark. We put him through the paces of some of our favorite espionage questions. Who is the Most Underrated Spy? "Juan Pujol García, codename GARBO, a British double agent who fed false information to Nazi Germany. Specifically, GARBO helped convince the Germans that the D-Day landings would occur at Pas-de-Calais rather than Normandy, delaying significant reinforcements and directly contributing to the success of the landings. He may very well have been the most important part of the Operation Fortitude deception campaign." What are your top 3 Spy Movies? "Where Eagles Dare, No Way Out, and Spy Game" Favorite Artifact in the Museum Collection? "George Washington's letter to Nathaniel Sackett. It represents where the United States started as a nation and those first steps - and certainly stumbles - for American intelligence efforts." Favorite Spy Novel? "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy - John le Carré, but Ludlum's Bourne Identity is a close second." Why the Spy Museum? "I have always devoted my life to public service and education, and serving as the historian at SPY lets me do both. Our mission is, of course, to educate the public about and to provide a context for the role intelligence has played in history, and I get to do so while celebrating many of those who have devoted themselves to protecting America." Safe to say, his cover is officially blown, and we're glad it is. Welcome to SPY, Mark. Your mission starts now. #SpyMuseum #Historian #NewHire

📚 Book signing at the Spy Museum! The Patriot's Daughter is a geopolitical thriller ripped from tomorrow's headlines. Russian cyberattacks. A disinformation firestorm. A nation pushed to the brink of civil war. And a CIA officer sent deep into enemy territory on a mission that becomes dangerously personal. Author Brittany Butler Jennings isn't just writing fiction; she's drawing from experience. Before becoming a novelist, she served as a CIA targeting officer supporting counterterrorism operations, working in high-pressure environments where the stakes were very real. 📅 Saturday, April 25, 2026 | 2:00 – 4:00 PM ET 📍 International Spy Museum Store Copies of The Patriot's Daughter will be available for purchase and signing. See more upcoming events: spymuseum.org/calendar/ #BookSigning #SpyMuseum #ThePatriotsDaughter

Learn how Open Source Intelligence is changing the way wars are fought. View online exhibit: osint.spymuseum.org Analysts thousands of miles from the front lines are tracking troop movements using commercial satellite imagery, geolocating videos posted to TikTok, and identifying military equipment from traffic jams on Google Maps. The age of oversharing is creating new opportunities for intelligence collection. No longer do agencies need to rely so heavily on human intelligence networks and spies on the ground. Intelligence can now be gathered from just a laptop, an internet connection, and the skills to find what others overlook. #SpyMuseum #OSINT #OpenSourceIntelligence

New SpyCast episode! Confusion and controversy are growing around the intelligence community’s handling of Havana Syndrome. This is what the government refers to as Anomalous Health Incidents, or AHIs. The mysterious health condition has left a group of American spies, diplomats, and service members with serious brain injuries. Many believe Russia’s hand is at play. But an intelligence community assessment from 2023 said most agencies concluded it is “very unlikely” a foreign adversary was behind the affliction. It hasn’t changed its stance despite new details coming to light. As SpyCast Host @SashaIngber first reported, the US government bought and has been testing a weapon that some scientists believe is likely the cause of these brain injuries. Accusations of a cover-up have been mounting, from inside the House Intelligence Committee to journalists covering AHI. In this episode, Sasha talks to Reporter @michaeldweiss, who is part of a team that uncovered new information. Watch Here: youtu.be/74nB6QfmujE Listen Here: spymuseum.org/podcast/ #HavanaSyndrome #Mystery #SpyCast

Need to take some clandestine photography? The Minox subminiature camera was the tool of choice for Cold War spies on both sides of the Iron Curtain. Operatives would photograph sensitive documents in seconds, flipping pages, snapping shots, and walking away without a trace. These cameras were small enough to hide in your palm or pocket, and the photos were sharp enough to capture all the details of a top-secret document. It's no wonder that for nearly 40 years, the Minox was the go-to spy device for taking secret snapshots. #MinoxCamera #SpyGadget #Camera #SpyMuseum

Forget another boring summer. At Spy Camp, your kid will be running real missions through Washington, DC, learning from actual spies, and developing skills that go way beyond the classroom. Aspiring KidSpy® recruits will... - Hone their tradecraft skills - Create and use spy gadgets - Learn how to crack codes 📍International Spy Museum | Ages 9-12 | July 2026 Learn more: spymuseum.org/education-prog… #SpyCamp #DCSummerCamp #KidsCamp

There are still a few spots left in our Surveillance Workshop with infamous spy hunter @eoneill 🕵️‍♂️ As the US marks 250 years, honor George Washington, America’s first spymaster, by upping your own spy game. While the ordinary tourist will be visiting monuments and historic sites, you’ll be exploring GW’s step granddaughter’s home while on the hunt for a mysterious and suspicious suspect. As night falls on @TudorPlace Historic House & Garden, you’ll step into the world of surveillance with Spy Hunter Eric O'Neill, the former FBI operative who helped take down the most damaging spy in US history, Robert Hanssen. Planted as Hanssen’s assistant, O’Neill’s real mission was to spy on the spy. His expertise? Tracking targets without being seen. General Tickets: $225 Member's Tickets: $175 Get Tickets: lnkd.in/eSxYSVzb 🗓️ Friday, April 17, 2026 | 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM ET 📍Tudor Place | 1644 31st Street, NW, Washington DC Space is limited to only 16 participants – advance registration is required! #SpyCraft #Surveillance #Workshop

Win tickets for @IntlSpyMuseum's Camouflage: Designed to Deceive right after Dirt! bit.ly/eitmlisten 866-2-ELLIOT | 866-235-5468 spymuseum.org/camouflage

He may dress like he’s on a vacation in Hawaii, but @PalmerLuckey has been busy designing weapons for the Pentagon. He founded California-based defense technology firm, @anduriltech, in 2017, named after a sword from The Lord of the Rings. He is promising a marked shift: faster, cheaper, and more agile systems to fight the wars of today and tomorrow. This comes after Palmer designed the Oculus Rift, a virtual reality headset, at age 19, revolutionizing the world of virtual reality. Palmer sat down to talk with SpyCast Host @SashaIngber about how Anduril’s work also supports the US intelligence community, an essential part of mission readiness. Watch here: youtu.be/zuzDqKoDRrs Listen here: spymuseum.org/podcast/ #Anduril #DefenseIndustry #SpyCast

When you invent the first underwater bomb, it's only natural to invent a wooden submarine right after. Meet "The Turtle," a wooden submarine used in 1776. 🐢 Check out our A250 offerings to learn more about the history of American espionage: spymuseum.org/education-prog… #Submarine #1776 #AmericanRevolution

Watch the full SpyCast episode with Jonna Mendez: youtu.be/ds9MpjOmTds #SpyCast #Forgery #TonyMendez

Who do you think would make a good @007? (Doesn't need to be included on this list) We know a thing or two about what makes a great spy, and the world's most famous one is about to get a new face. Some big names are being thrown around: Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Regé-Jean Page. But there are also whispers that producers may skip the A-list entirely and go with a fresh, unknown face instead. #JamesBond #007 #JamesBondCast

Watch the full SpyCast episode with Jonna Mendez: youtu.be/ds9MpjOmTds #Disguise #Tradecraft #TonyMendez

📚 Book signing at the Spy Museum! The Havana Syndrome and The China Gambit follow the fictional FBI Agent Nathan Burke as he goes rogue to save his wife and uncover a conspiracy reaching the highest levels of national security. And the author? He's the real deal. Jeffrey James Higgins is a retired supervisory special agent who has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. His fiction is grounded in a career most of us can only imagine. 📅 April 11, 2026 | 2:00 – 4:00 PM ET 📍 International Spy Museum Store Copies will be available for purchase and signing. #BookSigning #SpyMuseum #HavanaSyndrome