International Spy Museum has a new star: Bond. Agent James Bond

Less than a year before the coronavirus pandemic rocked Washington, the International Spy Museum moved into a bigger, sleeker building near L’Enfant Plaza. From then on, the permanent collection has taken center stage. Through displays of historical artifacts and a high-tech interactive “mission,” visitors can learn about the ethics and history of espionage. However, as anyone who has hosted visitors from out of town will attest, the experience has stayed largely unchanged and doesn’t offer residents many reasons to return.

That will change in March when a new area devoted to changing exhibitions opens. A show honoring the most well-known fictional spy in the world, James Bond, maybe the only thing that can surpass the lipstick-shaped pistol and other spy tools on display at the museum.

“Bond in Motion” features 17 full-sized cars from “Thunderball” through “Skyfall,” giving viewers close-up views of the Neptune submarine from “For Your Eyes Only,” a mounted gun-equipped Jaguar convertible from “Die Another Day,” and a severely damaged Aston Martin DBS from “Quantum of Solace.” A snowmobile that made an appearance in the “Die Another Day” chase scenes will likely be one of the most well-liked exhibits. Visitors can pose for pictures sitting on the vehicle. Expect interactive stations and screens featuring snippets from the 007 film series to help put the various cars and boats in context. (The Ian Fleming Foundation and Eon Productions, the company behind the Bond film series, organized the exhibition.)

Of course, the Spy Museum already features a 1964 Aston Martin DB5, driven by James Bond in “Goldfinger,” as one of the first things visitors see in the lobby. The appeal of the fictional secret agent in movies is only completed by this exhibition.

The price of a $12 ticket for “Bond in Motion” can be combined with a ticket for entry into the permanent collection. The exhibition is scheduled to run for at least a year, starting on March 1.