Review: Spies, Lies and Deception at Imperial War Museum North — A Free Spy Adventure the Kids Absolutely Loved
- Mar 10
- 5 min read
During February half term we were looking for something fun to do that was close to home and wouldn’t cost a fortune. I came across the Spies, Lies and Deception exhibition at Imperial War Museum North and thought it might be perfect for Alice, who is currently obsessed with spies and is always pretending to be a secret agent at home.
On Wednesday morning Lawrence had been working an early shift and got home at about 10:30am, and not long after that we left the house around 11:45am to catch the tram to the museum.
Despite living quite close to Imperial War Museum North, I realised this was actually the first time I had ever visited. I’ve always been more interested in ancient history than wartime history, so I had never really thought about going before — but this exhibition sounded really interesting, especially for the kids.
Getting There
Getting to the museum by tram is really easy. There’s a tram stop right outside the museum, but on this occasion we got the MediaCityUK tram, which stops just around the corner. From there it’s only a short walk across the bridge to reach the museum.
We arrived at around 12:30pm and after a quick bag check at the entrance, the friendly staff explained what was on at the museum and pointed out where the facilities were.
When you walk into the main entrance, the gift shop is on the left and the café is on the right. At the far end are the toilets, and opposite them there’s a wall of lockers where you can leave coats and bags if you don’t want to carry them around the museum. You’ll need a £1 coin to use the lockers, although you do get the coin back afterwards.
We had come specifically to see the Spies, Lies and Deception exhibition, which is located on the first floor. The stairs and lifts to the exhibition are just past the shop on the left.
Entering the Exhibition
When we entered the exhibition, the first thing we did was watch a short animated video introduction, which sets the scene and explains the world of espionage and deception.
After that we walked through into the Mission Room, where the interactive elements begin.
In the Mission Room there were trench coats and hats hanging on pegs, with both children’s and adult sizes, so visitors could dress up as spies and take photos.
Alice absolutely loved this and immediately wanted to try it on. Leo isn’t keen on dressing up though, so he decided to skip that part. Alice was so excited that she wanted to keep the spy outfit on while we explored the exhibition — and since it was fairly quiet I let her wear it as we walked around.
The Secret Mission Trail
On a desk in the Mission Room there were Secret Mission booklets and pencils that visitors could pick up.
The booklet explained that your mission was to find five people hidden around the exhibition and uncover their secrets by answering questions about them.
Lawrence went off around the exhibition with Leo, while Alice and I followed the trail together.
Alice quickly turned it into a game of her own. In her version of the story she was the spy and I was her assistant, and we had to sneak around the museum hiding from other visitors while searching for clues.
She had so much fun with this and it really brought the whole exhibition to life for her.
Learning About Real Spy Stories
While we were following the mission trail, we also spent time looking at the different displays and learning about real stories of espionage.
The exhibition is divided into five sections:
Mission Room
Using Deception
Uncovering Deception
Being Deceived
Debriefing Room
There are lots of fascinating objects on display showing the creativity and ingenuity behind spy operations — including disguised weapons, hidden gadgets and forged documents.
One story that particularly caught my attention was Operation Mincemeat, a daring Second World War deception plan involving fake military documents planted on a body to mislead the enemy. I actually had tickets to see the Operation Mincemeat musical the following week, so it was really interesting learning about the real history behind the story beforehand.
The exhibition also tells the story of Noor Inayat Khan, the first female SOE wireless operator sent into occupied France during the war. Her story is incredibly powerful and shows the real human risks behind espionage work.
Interactive Fun
One of Alice’s favourite parts of the exhibition was the camouflage wall, where visitors can put on camouflage clothing and see how well they blend into the background.
She found this hilarious and spent ages trying to disappear into the pattern.
The interactive elements really help bring the exhibition to life, especially for younger visitors.
Completing the Mission
Once Alice had filled in all the answers in her mission booklet, we headed to the Debriefing Room.
Here we entered the answers into a digital screen, which helped us crack the final code word.
After that we went down to the gift shop, told them the code word, and Alice was given a badge as a reward for completing the mission.
She was so pleased with herself — it really made the whole experience feel like a proper spy adventure.
How Long to Spend
We spent about an hour exploring the exhibition and left at around 1:30pm.
Most families will probably spend 45–60 minutes in the exhibition as part of a wider visit to the museum.
Practical Information
📅 Dates: 29 November 2025 – 31 August 2026
📍 Location: Imperial War Museum North, Manchester
💰 Cost: Free entry
👨👩👧👦 Suitable for families (reading age around 8+, but younger children can still enjoy the interactive parts)
There’s also a café and gift shop at the museum if you want to make a longer day out of your visit.
Final Thoughts
I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect before visiting the Spies, Lies and Deception exhibition, especially as wartime history isn’t usually my main area of interest. But we all ended up really enjoying it.
The mix of real historical stories, fascinating spy gadgets and interactive elements makes it both educational and genuinely fun.
For Alice and Leo, the Secret Mission trail and dressing up as spies were definitely the highlights. Watching Alice sneak around the exhibition whispering about secret missions was one of those moments that just makes a family day out feel special.
If you’re looking for a free family activity in Manchester, especially during school holidays, this exhibition is definitely worth visiting.
⭐ A fascinating, hands-on exhibition that turns visitors into spies for the day — and proves learning history can be a real adventure.
Watch Our Visit in Weekly Vlog #442
If you’d like to see what we got up to during our visit to the Spies, Lies and Deception exhibition at Imperial War Museum North, you can watch it in Weekly Vlog #442 below.
Our trip to the museum starts at 17:42 in the video, although the vlog also includes some other moments from our week.
Comments