KGB Espionage Museum in New York City
The world’s largest collection of artifacts from the KGB is not found in Russia. It’s in New York City. The KGB Espionage Museum is filled with fascinating spy tools – from listening devices to a cyanide capsule tooth.
Sadly, the KGB Espionage Museum was closed down in 2020 after the pandemic made its operations unsustainable. Read more about the closure.
If you’re visiting New York City and want to check out something fun and interactive, the KGB Espionage Museum should be on your list. Here’s a rundown of what you’ll find at the museum.
Thousands of Artifacts from the KGB’s History: Cameras, Guns and Hoof Prints?
The KGB Espionage Museum has several cabinets filled with spy artifacts. Your general admission ticket allows you to wander among the artifacts at your own pace. Guided tours are also available, and that’s a nice way to learn about the artifacts in greater detail than what the write-ups next to each item offers.
After making your way past the initial KGB office with large safe, you’ll see a BB gun umbrella. A small poisonous BB was shot at the intended target. It felt like a bug bite, but days later they would end up dead from the poison.
Along the path, you’ll also see the following, among many other items:
- A lie detector machine used by KGB interrogators
- A morse code machine & short wave radio
- An enigma decoding machine
- Spy cameras hidden in belt buckles, framed photos or trees
- A cyanide tooth capsule
- Audio bugging devices
- Lipstick gun
Wooden shoes with an animal footprint were also there. The shoes were worn by spies to help disguise their footprints. Clever, huh?
Interactive Exhibits to Test Your Spy Skills
Do you have what it takes to be a Russian spy? My son used one of the exhibits to try his spying skills – an iPad that walked you through several texts. I think I have what it takes to be a spy, because I was able to catch a photo of him taking the test without him knowing. 😉
Think you know Morse Code? Try typing out a message on the Morse Code machine next to the short wave radio. There’s an answer key on the wall if you aren’t sure what all the dashes and dots mean.
How’s your sense of touch? Reach your hand into the box and see if you can feel which spy item is inside. I won’t spoil the answers, but they are various spy items you’ll also find in the museum’s cases.
Several Photo Opps: From Mug Shots to KGB Command
The only photo opp I was able to get my son to participate in was at the end of the museum. Put on a hat and officer’s coat and sit at the desk in front of the large green screen. Follow the instructions on the touchscreen and your photo will be emailed to you.
You may want to check your junk mailbox, because that’s where mine initially went.
In the back of the KGB Espionage Museum you can have your mugshot taken. They have the numbers board and height markers on the wall, so be sure to use the prop.
Take a seat in an interrogation chair, but you’ll need someone to help strap you in. But make sure you trust them enough to unhook you as soon as they’ve taken your photo. Yikes!
On your way out of the KGB Espionage Museum, stop in the Spy Store to grab a Russian propaganda poster, a pin or even a Spy School Book (my son likes those books).
The Details
Address: 245 West 14th Street New York, NY 10011
Cost: Adults (18-64) are $22. Children (7-17) are $13. Students and Seniors (65+) are $17. Children six and under are free. A guided visit is available for $40 per person, with a minimum of three people.
Hours: Every day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Phone: (917) 388-2332
Website: https://kgbespionagemuseum.org/
PIN THIS
