A special exhibit on terrorism will open May 6 at the International Spy Museum, joined by a lecture on May 19 that explores the mindset of terrorists.
The exhibit, called "The Enemy Within: Terror in America - 1776 to Today," highlights nine major events and periods in U.S. history when Americans were faced with threats from inside the nation's borders. The goal of the exhibit is to provide the public with a historical context for current events.
"Most Americans remember exactly where and when they learned about terrorist attacks in America on September 11, 2001, and regard these events as a turning point that forever changed their sense of security in the United States," said Milton Maltz, chairman of the museum. "The fact is, however, that Americans have endured thousands of incidents of terror, violence or subversion."
There are over 100 attempts to change or overthrow the U.S. government that the exhibit examines.
The exhibit also includes the aftermath of the events and the response they provoked, such as new legislation and renewed counter-intelligence efforts.
"As Americans we owe it to ourselves to reflect on why, throughout history, some in our midst have chosen violence to bring about political and social change and whether our responses to such extremism has always been appropriate," said Dennis Barrie, president of the company that owns the museum.
Incidents highlighted include events such as the actions of the Ku Klux Klan, the burning of the White House by the British in 1814, the Oklahoma City bombing and Sept. 11.
Items such as fragments of the planes that hit the World Trade Center, the gun used to shoot President McKinley, J. Edgar Hoover's personal telephone and a replica of an anarchist globe bomb will be on display. The exhibit includes a 30-minute audio tour, interactive displays and film. It is the first special exhibit since the Spy Museum's opening.
There is a separate admission cost to view the terrorism exhibit and people can buy a combined ticket that includes admission for the new exhibit and the regular part of the museum. For college students, the cost is $4 for just the terrorism exhibit and $16 for combined admission.
Dr. Jerrold M. Post will give a presentation May 19 called Spy Hunters: Inside the Mind of a Terrorist. He is the director of the Political Psychology program at George Washington University and the founding director of the CIA Center for the Analysis of Personality and Political Behavior.
Post will discuss the terrorist psyche and the role fundamentalism, extremism and culture plays in the creation of terrorism. Tickets are $20 and must be purchased in advance.
