RSHP’s International Spy Museum opens in Washington
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

The fascinating, state-of-the-art world of international espionage now has a home to match its intrigue and allure; enter the newly launched International Spy Museum in Washington D.C. The structure, designed by London based Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP), is about to open its doors to the public in a celebration that also marks the very first cultural building in the US for the renowned UK architecture firm.
The structure, which spans some 13,000 sq m, is now the permanent home for the non-profit organisation that was previously housed in the historic Le Droit Building in Downtown Washington. The new home's angled façades and strongly transparent character are instantly arresting, but they hide a surprise within; propped up on columns a ‘black box' comprises the majority of the ultra-flexible exhibition spaces.
Underneath this floating structure sit generous public spaces and specialised areas. Meanwhile, a metal staircase connecting all seven floors is suspended along the outside of the metal-panelled west façade and enclosed in a suspended glass atrium called the ‘Veil', explain the architects.
RELATED STORY
The building includes a generous lobby, ticketing and retail space, a 150 seat theatre, classrooms, an event and banqueting area and offices – as well as over 3250 sq m of exhibition space to display its unique collection of spy artefacts from all over the globe. It is, after all, the only public museum in the United States ‘solely dedicated to the tradecraft, history, and contemporary role of espionage,’ explain the architects.
‘It has been an absolute delight to have been involved in the design of the International Spy Museum. It is a building for the future that will bring its neighbourhood to life,’ says Ivan Harbour. ‘A celebration not only of the long-standing human activity that it showcases, but also of the city around it. A landmark for 21st century D.C.’
Washington’s International Spy Museum opens to the public this weekend.
INFORMATION
For more information visit the RSHP website (opens in new tab)
ADDRESS
International Spy Museum
700 L'Enfant Plaza SW
Washington DC
20024
US
VIEW GOOGLE MAPS (opens in new tab)
Ellie Stathaki is the Architecture Editor at Wallpaper*. She trained as an architect at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and studied architectural history at the Bartlett in London. Now an established journalist, she has been a member of the Wallpaper* team since 2006, visiting buildings across the globe and interviewing leading architects such as Tadao Ando and Rem Koolhaas. Ellie has also taken part in judging panels, moderated events, curated shows and contributed in books, such as The Contemporary House (Thames & Hudson, 2018) and Glenn Sestig Architecture Diary (2020).
-
Sabato De Sarno is appointed new creative director of Gucci
Italian designer Sabato De Sarno – formerly of Valentino – is the new creative director of Gucci, replacing Alessandro Michele who left the house last November
By Jack Moss • Published
-
Sotheby’s to auction Marie-Antoinette’s armchairs, amid other regal lots, in aid of French château
Sotheby’s Paris will auction works from the collection of interior designer Jacques Garcia in aid of Château du Champ de Bataille
By Martha Elliott • Published
-
Marco Campardo wins Design Museum’s emerging designer prize
The Design Museum, London, announces Marco Campardo as winner of The Ralph Saltzman Prize, an annual accolade to celebrate and support emerging designers
By Rosa Bertoli • Published
-
Jackson Hole retreat is conceived as ‘a geologic remnant in the landscape’
ShineMaker Residence is a Jackson Hole retreat tuned to perfection by its authors, CLB Architects and HSH Interiors
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Hosono House is an urban retreat in the heart of San Francisco
Hosono House by Ryan Leidner Architecture blends minimalism, nature and an awkward plot to craft a modern urban retreat in the middle of San Francisco
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
North Salem Farm updates local vernacular for the 21st century
North Salem Farm by New York-based architecture studio Worrell Yeung offers a new take to the region’s agrarian vernacular for the 21st century
By Ellie Stathaki • Published
-
Spectacular Wyoming ranch sits within a restored working landscape
This Wyoming ranch by CLB Architects offers a new approach to the Western architectural tradition, combining daring and functional modern design with a welcoming character
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Columbia County house combines prefabricated methods with meticulous planning
The House of Courtyards, a new Columbia County house, is a refined living space in the heart of a secluded wooded plot
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Cheng+Snyder transforms suburban Californian backlot into flexible home
The Roommate House by Cheng+Snyder in Oakland exemplifies fresh approaches to planning for ever-changing demographics
By Jonathan Bell • Published
-
Stage architecture, from Disney to dance
Clever stage architecture makes or breaks a cultural experience – from Yellow Studio’s set for Disney’s new live-action Beauty and the Beast, to more immersive structures in the genre
By Martha Elliott • Published
-
This bijou Sonoma County house is in sync with the landscape
An open and contextual Sonoma County house, Leit House is designed by San Francisco’s Schwartz and Architecture
By Ellie Stathaki • Published