By Samantha Tynes
I'll just put this here.
Go on. Just let it play.
Let's talk about spies.
More specifically, Brightest Young Things Presents: Sharks and Lasers at the International Spy Museum this past weekend.
I have had a long-standing love affair with James Bond for a great portion of my life, and I know I'm not the only one who does. The allure of mystery and danger that color the perception of a life of espionage has been greatly influenced by Ian Flemming's dashing creation, letting people imagine their life as a spy with the cars, girls, and witty (re: cheesy) one-liners.
The Spy Museum is more reading-heavy than other museums in the area, and with tickets at $21 a pop it doesn't always make the top of people's list of must-see museums. (Those people are wrong, this and the Newseum should be on everyone's must-see list) But that $21 gets you more than entry to a big building where you have to read everything. As soon as you walk in giant cameras mounted on the ceiling swivel, following you around the lobby as someone escorts you to an elevator. The doors close with a soft swoosh and the floor begins to glow blue as a voice begins to brief you on your mission in the museum.
 |
| Shall we begin? (Photo via BYT) |
The doors open to a large, stark white room filled with columns. "Pick an alias." You peruse the various names to see which persona you'd like to adopt. Will you be Greta, the German astronomer? Or Billy, the American student on summer vacation? There is only a few minutes to memorize your cover before being herded into the museum proper. One of the most interesting things about the Spy Museum is that it not only presents you with information and some of the story behind it, but it allows you to take that new-found knowledge and try it out for yourself.
There are stations littered around the building that let you try your newly acquired spy skills. Just went through an exhibit on disguises? Try to pick out the disguised spies in a security camera feed. Learned all about stealthy ninjas? Crawl through an air duct (you know you've always wanted to) and try not to set off the alarm. You can decipher codes from Roman times and the Civil War, learn the difference between propeller sounds, whales, and underwater earthquakes before picking them out yourself. All the while being stopped at security checkpoints to verify your cover story and complete your original mission. Oh, and be careful. The building is full of bugs and one-way mirrors. Someone is always watching you, and you will have plenty of opportunities to spy on them.
 |
| As cool as spy pigeons are, you'll mostly find their tiny robot counterparts. (Image via Wikimedia) |
One of the two main attractions of the evening was the new Bond exhibit, Exquisitely Evil: 50 Years of Bond Villains. The great British spy had been given nods before throughout the museum, even his Astin Martin being on display with it's machine-gun headlights. The entire first floor, previously dedicated to Cold Way spying, had been transformed into a Bond fan's spy dream. Paraphernalia from all the movies shone in display cases, including costumes, weapons, props, and even Jaws' steel teeth with actor, Richard Kiel, close by signing autographs.
The interactive displays continued, letting your disarm warheads, hang for your life off a beam, and fight spy vs. spy for secret codes. However, the museum couldn't stay open all night. Exhibits closed at 11:30 and the real party began, if you hadn't already started at the secret martini bar tucked in a Moroccan back alley.
 |
| These Vespers won't betray you. (Photo via BYT) |
The main gathering is above the lobby, providing a great overhead vantage point to watch the stragglers in the lobby. Green and red laser displays shine, flash and spin as one of the many DJs spin into the early morning and people try their hand on a mechanical shark, getting spun and tossed despite how desperately they hold onto the toothy, grinning machine.
 |
| Never give up, never surrender! (Photo via BYT) |
BYT Productions set out to have a good time, celebrate 50 years of James Bond and they succeeded. Real spies mingled with the rest of us, set apart only by the bright red carnations in their lapels. Everyone was dressed in their best Bond fashion, both hero and villain, with eye patches, tuxedos, and even some pseudo-Soviet agents in not-so-subtle disguises. They haven't had an event since May's 125 Years of Exploration Party at the National Geographic Museum, but are already planning their first New Year's Party. The details on that are sparse right now, but it should be something to look forward to.
Oh, and I didn't complete my mission. I got detained trying to cross the German border. Oops.
No comments:
Post a Comment