London’s Science Museum has opened an interactive exhibition on the secrets of modern espionage.

Visitors to The Science of Spying exhibit are treated as trainee spies on a secret mission.

The Spying Training Base features a series of interactive challenges, including disguise‚ code breaking and lie-detection.

At the Technology Centre, which displays spy gadgets such as night vision goggles‚ spy planes and hidden cameras, guests can have a biometric face scan.

Harry Ferguson‚ former MI6 agent and presenter of the BBC2 programme SPY‚ was advisor on the exhibition and said: “The Science of Spying gives the whole family a taste of the equipment and techniques used in the world of modern espionage and the chance to find out what it’s like to become a real spy for the day.”

In addition, the museum is showcasing a conceptual mock-up cabin of the world’s first vehicle for space tourism – the Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo – which is being displayed in the UK for the first time.

The 9-metre mock-up of the passenger cabin will be on display until 23 February in the Antenna science news gallery. Details: www.sciencemuseum.org.uk