With today's opening of the National Museum of Crime & Punishment, the number of high-profile Washington museums that charge admission -- in a city all too used to free ones -- grows, making Penn Quarter a pitched battleground for your hard-earned cultural dollar.

Just last month, it was the Newseum. Last fall, Madame Tussauds. Faced with a troubled national economy including rising gas and food prices (not to mention stiff competition), the D.C. branch of the global wax-museum chain this month lowered its ticket price and has instituted an even steeper discount for area residents. In September, the museum that started it all, the International Spy Museum, introduced an immersive role-playing experience called "Operation Spy," accessible for -- you guessed it -- an extra charge.

But how many of the museums are worth it?

We went and found out. How long does a visit take? Are there hidden charges? Do they live up to the hype? Whom are they geared toward?

Here's our breakdown of what you can expect to cough up and what you can expect to get out of each.