Site Review: Spy Museum

Site URL:  SpyMuseum.org      

Content:  The only museum in the country dedicated to the field of espionage, the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. offers educators classroom materials that connect espionage with historical events.

Design:  SpyMuseum.org looks as if it might be promoting the next Bond film, and well-placed imagery gives the content a “top secret” feel. This well-crafted site features a blog-like area on the homepage, beneath the main space promoting the museum’s latest news. A primary navigation bar across the top provides easy access to areas of the site, including the teacher resources page.

Review:  For a relatively low-profile museum, there is a ton here for teachers. Lessons span academic disciplines to offer something for everyone.

Educator Spy Guides link academic subject areas—including art, math, science, social studies and more—to permanent exhibits at the museum. For example, Spy Guide – U.S. Government lets students study national and global roles of government, national security and intelligence through the stories, artifacts, photographs and films on display.

Through interactive videoconferencing, Electronic Field Trips offer students the one-of-a-kind, hands-on experience of visiting the museum without leaving the classroom. Workshops include The Spy’s Eye View (a look into a spy briefing with a former CIA Case Officer) and Spy Science, where students learn the science behind supporting an agent in the field.

Bottom Line:  From learning about government’s role in espionage to viewing a minute-by-minute breakdown of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the International Spy Museum has plenty to keep educators and students engaged.

Article by Jason Tomaszewski, EducationWorld Associate Editor
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