If you fancy yourself as a James Bond or a Mata Hari, or better yet, a Kim Philby, take a trip to the Museum of the History of the Political Police in Russia. It will satisfy those espionage fantasies. Somewhat more of an archive, than a museum, it features a lot of documentary evidence and photos of famous 20th Century double agents and artefacts regarding the long history of secret and political police in Russia, from the inception of the "Third Department" under Nicholas I, through to the Vcheka of 1918 (here you can see a mock up of the room of Derzhinsky, the legendary head of the VCheka and best buddy of Lenin himself) to the Cold War era Soviet KGB.
They’ve got secret cameras, books hollowed out to conceal weapons and microfilms and the weapons of choice of your friendly neighbourhood KGB agent. The collection of historical documents is fascinating if you can read Russian, there are small explanatory texts in English at the entrance to each of the three rooms. And just try to feel the atmosphere! Сreaky floors, the smell of paper dust, slightly faded wallpaper and walls with pieces of authentic plaster... This small museum is arguably the perfect place to have a rest on the long way from the Hermitage to St. Isaac's Cathedral.
