DEA Museum
One of Arlington's most distinctive museums can trace its roots to the public campaigns in the 1970s to fight drug misuse and abuse.
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Museum collects, preserves, and shares the stories of drugs' connection to America, including public policy, federal drug law enforcement, and the work of DEA employees worldwide. The Museum is the caretaker of the DEA's collections, archives, and historic materials.
One of Arlington's most distinctive museums can trace its roots to the public campaigns in the 1970s to fight drug misuse and abuse. In 1989, space was set aside in Arlington, Virginia, to construct a museum highlighting the history of drug law enforcement in America. What began as an opportunity to commemorate the lives and accomplishments of federal agents evolved into a broader mission to present the history of substance misuse in the country and the ongoing role that the government has played in addressing that problem. By 1997, a small team of DEA employees had sifted through collected material and assembled the museum’s first exhibit. "Illegal Drugs in America: A Modern History" opened in 1999 with an accurate portrayal of the 150-year history of substance misuse and federal drug law enforcement.
The exhibit's popularity on the history of DEA and drug misuse in America led to the Museum’s gallery space expansion. A second exhibit on terrorism and global drug trafficking opened in September 2002. "Target America: Traffickers, Terrorists, and You" was also designed as the Museum’s first traveling exhibit. In September 2003, it left the DEA Museum and began a successful nationwide tour.
Today, nearly 22 million visitors at venues across the country have enjoyed the reimagined and renamed exhibit "Drugs: Costs and Consequences" in museums, science centers, and other public spaces. In Arlington, several engaging exhibits were in the Museum’s changing gallery, including "DEA: Air, Land, and Sea" and "Good Medicine, Bad Behavior: Drug Diversion" in America. The Museum continues developing and sponsoring traveling exhibits in the United States and abroad.
In 2019, Museum staff and partners embarked on an ambitious renovation to reimagine and update its Arlington site. The new Museum honors the service of DEA agents and employees with inclusive displays and educational programming. Sleek touchscreens and hands-on activities invite guests of all ages to delve into the agency's history. The DEA Museum actively collects and preserves artifacts, archives, and history in all media, amassing a collection of more than 5,000 objects and 40,000 digitized photographs for study, education, and research.
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