National Cryptologic Museum Tour
8290 Colony Seven Rd.
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701
Saturday, March 4, 2023
11:00 am
As a follow-on to the recent International Spy Museum tour, the RROC Chesapeake Region will visit the National Cryptologic Museum on Saturday, March 4, 2023 at 11:00 am. The National Cryptologic Museum opened in 1993 and was the first U.S. Intelligence Community agency to have a museum open to the public. There is no admission charge. Depending on how many we are, we may have a guided tour through the exhibits which highlight the origins of code making and code breaking in colonial and Civil War times, various vintage code-making devices, the evolving computer technology that drove cryptologic advancement, and a couple displays on the 1967 attack on the USS Liberty and 1968 capture of the USS Pueblo intelligence collection ships. Also on display is a large Bombe cipher machine which broke the German military’s highly secure ENIGMA cipher machine in World War II. This museum is the only one of its kind to have an ENIGMA cipher machine that visitors can type on to get the feel of encrypting a message. And like all good museums, there is a gift shop to purchase your cryptologic souvenirs. Previous visitors to the museum may recall a packed array of exhibits. The recent renovation of the museum has resulted in fewer exhibits but on a periodically rotating arrangement.
Directions to museum:
From I-95 or the Baltimore-Washington Parkway, take the exit for MD Route 32 East for Ft. Meade
Follow signs to Exit 10A for Canine Rd. NSA immediately past the exit for the Parkway
Turn left at traffic light onto Colony Seven Road where you will see a blue “Museum” sign. Do not go straight ahead. This is the NSA employees’ entrance. If you do, you will be stopped by NSA Police and detained while they check your identification and vehicle registration.
Follow Colony Seven Road past the old gas station to the museum parking lot.
Lunch:
Around 12:30 we will depart the museum and convene for lunch on your own at the Timbuktu Restaurant, a local but famous restaurant known for its oversize crab cakes. Other seafood and non-seafood options are available. Timbuktu is located almost 7 miles north of the museum via the Baltimore-Washington Parkway at 1726 Dorsey Rd., Hanover, MD 21076.
Directions to lunch:
Turn left out of the museum parking lot and follow Colony Seven Road out
Turn right onto Canine Rd. and go west on MD Route 32
Stay in that lane for Exit 10B to go north on the B-W Parkway
Stay on Parkway about 6 miles to MD Route 100 West for Ellicott City
Take the next exit (#8) for Coca-Cola Drive
Turn left at top of exit ramp onto Coca-Cola Drive
Turn left onto Dorsey Road
Turn left into Timbuktu Restaurant parking lot
Please reply to Tony Wilner by February 22 at twilner@verizon.net or call/text at 443-514-6695 so arrangements can be made for a guided tour and ensure table seating at Timbuktu.