The history and technology of spycraft are on display at the International Spy Museum.

     Walking through the doors of the International Spy Museum (www spymuseum.org) in Washington returns you to some of the most tense periods in recent history. The Nazis held unbreakable codes, the Soviet Union was still the "Evil Empire" and Berlin was the gateway to freedom - or oppression.

     But times have changed. The Nazis were defeated, communism was destroyed and the Berlin Wall came tumbling down. But the fascination with espionage and spycraft during those times drew thousands to the museum in its first weekend when it opened in July.

     For the $10 admission, the museum may be the cheapest spy school in the country. Fun and games are interspersed among the serious and dangerous aspects of espionage. Patrons walk through the halls of the sprawling five-building museum complex (one building, ironically, was home to the former headquarters for the 4th District of the Communist Party U.S.A. from 1941 to 1948) choosing and memorizing details of a cover identity, learning how to spot surveillance and pick locks and eavesdropping on other patrons through strategically placed bugs.

     With a one-time KGB major general and two former CIA directors sitting on the board, museum organizers had access to deep knowledge into the extensive details of the spy world. E. Peter Earnest, executive director of the museum, spent 36 years with the CIA, including more than two decades in its Clandestine Service operating in the Soviet/East European theater.
   
     Besides entertainment, the main goal of the museum seems to be to raise public awareness of the sacrifice and courage of intelligence agents, those who played a pivotal role in destroying the threats to our nation. Milton Maltz, founder of the International Spy Museum, says that, "In a democracy it is especially important for the public to have a more realistic understanding of the intelligence business so we can appreciate its role in our society and impact upon major world events. Spying is an integral part of political and social landscapes across the globe, and how it is practiced affects each of us individually, shaping the kind of society and world we live in."

     The terrorist attacks last fall have increased the nation's interest in espionage. "With the end of the Cold War people lost interest in the intelligence community," said Earnest. "But Sept. 11 really sharpened the focus of the public in intelligence and espionage." Even with the offerings of free museums in the Washington area, the International Spy Museum is packed daily, with lines that stretch around the block.

     Among the numerous objects on display are the fabled Enigma cipher machine that the Nazis used to send supposedly unbreakable messages (that is, until the Allies secretly captured one), a lipstick pistol used by KGB operatives during the Cold War, a "through-the-wall" camera the East German Stasi used during the tense 1980s and photographs that the KGB took of personal items belonging to Francis Gary Powers, who piloted the U-2 spy plane that was shot down over the Soviet Union.

     The CIA denies involvement in or consulting with the museum. Museum officials also claim they have not sought any assistance from the agency, but they do admit that the intelligence community as a whole has been very supportive of the endeavor.

     Fred Rustmann, himself a former CIA agent and author of the recent book CIA, Inc., says that, "The museum is really, really neat. But I would like to see more of our stuff in there. Due to security reasons, sources and methods, a lot of the devices we used are not in the museum. Primarily what you see are captured objects that were used against us."

     While Earnest concedes that the spy museum is just getting its "sea legs," dealing with overwhelming attendance - reaching the thousands a day range - future plans are bold. Possible upcoming features include special exhibits that may range from Chinese espionage to Sept. 11 intelligence information, as well as a possible symposia this November looking at the 40th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis.