DEA - DEA Museum

DEA Museum

In 1999, the DEA opened the Drug Enforcement Administration Museum in Arlington, Virginia. The original permanent exhibit - Illegal Drugs in America: A Modern History - remains the museum's centerpiece. The exhibit features "the more than 150 year history of drugs and drug abuse and the DEA," including a considerable collection of drug paraphernalia and an image of a smiling drug vendor under the heading "Jimmy's Joint." An audio tour is available at the front desk of the museum on a small MP3 device and headphones from the late 1990s/early 2000s. A second exhibition gallery was opened in 2002, and features a changing exhibit. The current exhibit is titled "Good Medicine, Bad Behavior: Drug Diversion in America."

According to the museum's website, its mission is to "educate the American public on the history of drugs, drug addiction and drug law enforcement in the United States through engaging and state-of-the-art exhibits, displays, interactive stations and educational outreach programs." Some have noted that the museum's educational mission is inhibited by its relative inaccessibility and appearance of propaganda. While "Admission is free!!", the museum is only open to the public from 10:00am – 4:00pm, Tuesday - Friday. The number of annual visitors is relatively low compared with other museums in the Washington Metropolitan Area. The gift shop at the DEA museum sells items such as small stuffed K9 dogs and the annual DEA Holiday ornament. However, the gift shop is sometimes closed during the museum's normal operating hours.