Do you know a spy buff who might enjoy a trip to the CIA Museum? Have you thought about taking the trip yourself? Well, according to their website it is not open to the public for tours, but the staff works with major museums and Presidential libraries to put together displays to promote a better understanding of what it means to gather intelligence and the role of the CIA in the United States. According to the website “the CIA Museum supports the Agency’s operational, recruitment and training missions and helps visitors better understand CIA and its contributions to national security.”

The artifacts that the museum has in its collection include “clothing, equipment, weapons, insignia and other memorabilia.” These items allow you to get an idea of what it would be like to be a CIA agent. Many items in the collection were specifically made for intelligence operations, but they have been declassified by the appropriate Agency officials, of course!

Here are just a few of the items loaned out for display:

Letter from the President There is a letter from President Kennedy to then CIA Director John McCone thanking the CIA because they were able to help in the resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

A Cipher Machine The example of a cipher machine is from World War II and was used to encode and decode messages by the US Army.

Well Dressed Spy A “well dressed” intelligence officer isn’t just someone in nice clothes. According to the website the spies “wear clothing and accessories skillfully crafted by operational artisans, technicians, and engineers from the Office of Technical Readiness (OTR).”

You can learn more about the museum and the artifacts they have their by visiting their website.