Several talks on cryptologic history are available from the museum’s Director of Education.  These briefings can be presented virtually or (limited) in-person to high school and adult audiences.

School presentations (grades 4-8) are here.
 

PLEASE NOTE: We require a minimum of 10 viewers to present a talk.

Contact the Director of Education to schedule your group by using the form below, or call 301-688-5849, or email crypto_museum@nsa.gov.

 

• Advancing Technology -  the interconnected history of cryptology and the advancements in technology from ancient times through the space age (60 minutes)
• American Secrets – a virtual tour of the Cryptologic Museum covers America’s involvement in cryptology from the Revolutionary War through the 20^th century (75 minutes)
• Battle of Codes – the cryptology in WWII, both how the U.S. protected its communications and broke enemy messages (45 minutes)
• Cold War: Tension and Response – the role of cryptology and Signals Intelligence during the Cold War (40 minutes)
• Creating the Legacy — the role of women in American cryptologic history (45 minutes)
• Revolutionary Secrets — cryptologic techniques and their role in the American Revolution (45 minutes)
• Sharing the Burden — the role of women in cryptology specifically during World War II  (45 minutes)
• Signaling the Civil War — cryptology and communications in the American Civil War (45 minutes)
• Steganography: Hidden in History – a short history of hiding messages whether hidden in a shoe, microdots, or computer pixels (20 minutes)
• Solving the Enigma — history of the German cipher machine, Enigma, and how it was solved by the Allies (45 minutes)
• Talking in Code — history of the Native American Code Talkers from both World Wars (35 minutes)

 
Presentations for Social Studies classes grades 4-8 – can be provided in-person at the host school or virtually.  They are designed to meet Maryland Dept. of Education Social Studies Standards and cover appropriate portions of cryptologic history for each grade.

• Revolutionary Secrets – different interactive talks for grades 4/5 and 8 cover cryptologic techniques and their role in the American Revolution – 30 minutes
• Civil War – different talks for grades 5 and 8 cover the cryptology, communications, and the role of enslaved and free blacks during the American Civil War – 5th grade 20 minutes / 8th grade 35 minutes
• Writing Made Secret – for 6th grade presents the history of writing and early methods of encryption from Roman times through the Renaissance – 30 minutes
• Battle of Codes – for 7th grade this talk discusses the role and results of cryptology, both making and breaking, in WWII – 45 minutes
• Cold War – for 7th grade this talk looks at the U.S. response to the tensions of the Cold War – 30 minutes