These complementary activities have been of critical importance in both peace and war since the foundation of our nation, but knowledge about them has in the past been limited to a privileged few. The National Cryptologic Museum opened to the public in December 1993. Since then it has been host to numerous government and private tour groups and interested individuals.
Cryptology is a secret world.
Success, if it is to endure, must be hidden. The actors in the drama, like deep cover agents, normally remain anonymous. The National Cryptologic Museum is one of the few places where the curtain is parted. Here visitors can glimpse some of the dramatic moments in the history of American cryptology. The people who devoted their lives to cryptology and national defense, the machines they built, the techniques they used, and the places where they worked are on display.