Skip to main content

Are you James Bond or Maxwell Smart? Find out at the Spyscape espionage museum

Spyscape
Spyscape/Scott Frances
Spyscape/Scott Frances

If you’ve ever thought you’d make a good spy, here’s your chance to prove it. The Spyscape museum, an interactive exhibit chronicling the history of espionage, just opened in New York City, and it offers an experience you won’t likely encounter outside of a Jason Bourne movie.

Recommended Videos

Located on 8th Avenue in Manhattan, the museum visit begins with a top-level briefing aboard one of the largest elevators in the world. The tour runs through seven exhibition spaces and includes hands-on experiences with surveillance, encryption, deception, hacking, and intelligence operations.

Shelby Prichard, Spyscape’s chief of staff, told Metro that he thinks the museum will make people more aware of the role of espionage and surveillance in modern society. “We hope this will be a really empowering experience for people to start to see their world differently, see themselves differently, and understand how the types of skills that spies use can be relevant to their daily lives,” he said.

“We show how the world of espionage is all around you,” he added.

During your visit, you’ll try to crack codes, take a lie-detector test, test out facial-recognition software, and even attempt to evade security in a laser-filled hallway. At each challenge, a bracelet tracks your progress to compile your spy profile, with an algorithm assessing things like tolerance for risk and ability to handle stress. After the tour, you’ll get an assessment of which of 10 spy roles you’d best be suited for.

“We developed this profiling system in concert with the former head of training for British intelligence, so it’s a super legitimate look at how the intelligence community thinks about what it takes to be different kinds of spy,” said Prichard.

It’s not just an interactive playground — the museum illustrates the history of the shadowy world of espionage, with exhibits ranging from code-breaker Alan Turing to NSA leaker Edward Snowden. Each of the seven sections of the museum is centered around the exploits of a real-life spy.

It was created by actual intelligence professionals, with former heads of spy agencies as well as white-hat hackers contributing to the project. “Whenever we explained the concept and how we’re thinking about making this world of spying more accessible, we had really great reception,” said Prichard.

The museum tour ends up at a book store with more than 1,000 rare and first-edition spy books. There’s also a gift shop, where you can purchase all sorts of cool spy gadgets, many developed in-house at Spyscape. After a hard day of spying, you can relax with a martini at the bar — shaken, not stirred, of course.

Mark Austin
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Mark’s first encounter with high-tech was a TRS-80. He spent 20 years working for Nintendo and Xbox as a writer and…
The Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the $7,500 tax credit
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5

After a brief and confusing absence, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 is once again eligible for the full $7,500 federal tax credit — and this time, it's sticking around (at least for now). So, what happened? Let’s unpack the ride.

The Ioniq 5, a sleek and tech-savvy electric crossover, initially made headlines not just for its design, but for being built at Hyundai’s brand-new Metaplant in Georgia. That domestic assembly qualified it for the EV tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which requires vehicles to be made in North America with batteries sourced from trade-friendly countries. But early in 2025, the Ioniq 5 vanished from the list. Why? Likely due to its battery packs, which were then still being sourced from SK On’s Hungarian facility.

Read more
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more