The exhibit areas are small. I was packed in like a sardine. I couldn’t even enjoy reading the exhibits because other people were standing reading over my shoulder. The price was too much - $18 per person. It’s worth about $5.00. For the price they charge, they should limit the amount of people that come in through the exhibits.

I went on a day they were having school trips so it was very crowded. For those of you who plan on taking little ones, strollers aren't allowed, but you can borrow a baby carrier to wear on your back. There are lots of interactive things to do and see. It was very interesting and I really enjoyed the museum. It was my favorite part of the trip. No cameras are allowed. That was very disappionting, but you really get into the whole spy experience. The tickets I thought were a little pricy, but I didn't mind paying the 15 bucks since everything else I saw in DC was pretty much free. I just hope the next time I visit it isn't on a day that they're doing class trips.

My wife and I on this Saturday in September trip to Washington DC decided to see two places in particular: the US Postal Museum (don't bother, even at free it isn't worth your time), and the International Spy Museum. We bought our tickets at 10:45 am and went right up in the elevator (you go to the third floor and work your way down). Right from the start the place works for families of all ages: lots of in-depth displays and information for older folk, and lots of high-tech touch screens and simulations for the rest of the crowd. The layout of the museum is excellent. You start with contemporary topics, then go back into antiquity to view development of cyphers, codes, spies, and gadgets from biblical times through to the Gulf war. They have cleverly provided a main passage for those who simply wish to breeze through a given topic, and sufficient nooks and crannys that provide a sheltered area where you can actually view the video screens and listen to the audio effects in relatively decent conditions. A real bonus: they have creatively provided lots of seating for those whose stamina no longer includes running in the hallways. The guide books say to allot two hours. That works only if you are needing to visit four more places that day, and don't mind blowing $16 for a run-through the cloak-and-daggar stuff. We spent 3.5 hours and still didn't take in all of the displays from women spies to the Private SNAFU movies of WW2 to East German escapes, or the covers and consequences of contemporary international spies. I have always made a bee-line to the Smithsonian museums, coming away satisfied for the experience. My wife and I came out of the International Spy Museum and couldn't stop sharing stories of our visit. This is really worth the price of admission but please allow sufficient time to take it all in.

At first, I was very heistate in taking the tour of the museum because of the price, but made the sacrifice and realize it was worth it and then some. So much information and details on spying and the manyu high-tech material (microphones in buttons, spy's different fake profiles, cold war spies, etc.) that was displayed were amazing. It would literally take two days to see everything and I recommend it to everyone that vacations in D.C. to go! I assure you, you will not be disappointed.

My husband and I visited the spy museum on the recommendations of several friends. We were very disappointed. Admission was $16 each, in a city where admission to most museums is significantly less, and the museum is most definitely geared to the under 20 set with games, demos and movies taking up most of the space.

Although the items and info were cool, if I had known what we were in for, we would have saved our money! The Spy Museum is so crowded that you are bumping into people at every turn and grappling to see the displays over people that linger way longer than needed. Not to mention that most of the customers are so rude and have no regard for anyone else. I can't tell you how many times I was ready a plaque or a description and someone would walk over and stood right in front of me! My 7 year old was completely bored and often got pushed around by ignorant people trying to bully their way through the crowd. Not all the floors were open to view either. We don't feel our lives would have been incomplete if we had skipped this attraction!

i took my 9year old twins here with my husband- we were all bored and unimpressed. - the kids hated it, my husband hated it, i hated it. - for what we saw - it should have been free. i kept looking for something to impress us but was disappointed. don't waste your time or money - find something else to do!

This was an interesting place to visit and most especially for my son who's a James Bond fanatic! I was disappointed at how crowded it was, even with timed tickets that were on the expensive side. There were no museum guides to remind visitors that the point in going through the tubes in the ceiling, was to see how good a spy you were (and therefore go quietly) instead of racing through them. There also seemed to be no direction of which way to go...things were everywhere and I know I missed things that my family talked about later. The subject matter, however, is so interesting and, while information isn't current (and maybe that's an important security issue), we had a good experience.

My husband and I (in our sixties) were not expecting much when we went into this place. That changed-we were there for 5 hours!! It was informative, interactive, and a whole lot of fun. All ages, I am sure, will enjoy this. Well worth the charge and the gift shop is downright inexpensive--did some Christmas shopping while we were there!!

Liked- very clean, very interesting for adults and teens. 10 and below- way too much reading. My wife, son -10, and myself went through it in 1 hour. I would have liked to stay longer, but son got bored.