My name is Greta Schmidt. At least that's what I'll tell the border guard when he asks.

Upon entering the new International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C., I give up my identity and assume a new one. Peering cautiously over my shoulder to see if anyone is watching, I read the various descriptions and select my cover story. (I'm a 33-year-old German astronomer traveling to London on business.) After committing the facts to memory, I proceed through the museum, destined to match wits with a digital border guard who will test me on the details of my cover.

For me, this is all fun and games, an intriguing way to spend an afternoon. But in the real world of international espionage, convincing the authorities of one's fictional identity is serious business--deadly serious.

The museum seeks to illuminate the dark recesses of this profession. Indeed, a tour through the high-tech exhibit reveals just how extensively spies direct the flow of world events.

Using stories of real-life spies and their missions, the museum paints a fascinating portrait of the murky world where espionage thrives. Guests walk through history, meeting both famous and infamous spies. Many names are recognizable--Julius Caesar, Mata Hari, Francis Gary Powers, and Julia Child (yes, the Julia Child of cooking fame processed classified documents for the Office of Strategic Services). Then there are the tales of the recently unmasked American spies Aldrich Ames and Robert Philip Hanssen.