CIA headquarters moved to Langley, Virginia, after expanding out of Washington, D.C. The main campus there is now known as the George Bush Center for Intelligence.
Original Washington location
The CIA was originally headquartered at 2430 E Street NW in the Foggy Bottom area of Washington, D.C., in buildings inherited from the Office of Strategic Services. As the agency grew in the 1950s, its operations became scattered across multiple temporary offices in and around the city.
Move to Langley
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the agency relocated to a new, purpose- built headquarters complex in Langley, Virginia, chosen for its seclusion, security, and room for expansion just outside Washington, D.C. Staff began moving there in 1961, and the complex became fully staffed by the early 1960s.
Current designation
The Langley headquarters compound was officially renamed the George Bush Center for Intelligence in 1999, honoring former CIA director and U.S. president George H. W. Bush. The site sits in the McLean/Langley area of Fairfax County, and “Langley” remains a common shorthand for the CIA’s headquarters.
