The International Spy Museum, Washington, D.C.

Before the International Spy Museum could open its doors in 2002, PhotoAssist spent two years fulfilling a seemingly impossible mission: tracking down more than 1,000 rare and specialized images, many of which had never been seen by the public.

When curators needed images of Colditz Castle, where Allied prisoners staged daring escapes during World War II, we found photographs at a small local museum in Germany.

Ninjas may be the craftiest warriors of all, but our embassy contacts helped us find images of them in the Japanese town of Iga Ueno.

We even found a photo of a bridge destroyed during World War II. First we located the leader of the Greek Resistance group that blew it up—and then we contacted the son of the German engineer who rebuilt it.

Today, as visitors to the International Spy Museum discover the world of espionage, they can do so because PhotoAssist followed a truly international trail, working stealthily behind the scenes to ensure the museum’s success