A quick guide to some of the major Normandy Museums – from the beaches, through the breakout to the final rout of the Germans in Normandy.

ARROMANCHES

Musée du Débarquement

Located right in front of the actual vestiges of the artificial harbour (Mulberry B), this museum is devoted to the incredible feat of technology achieved by the British in building and setting up the artificial harbour. Models, a diorama, video show⋅

Arromanches 360

A 18 minute film, "The Price of Freedom", presented on 9 screens in a round theatre over looking Arromanches, mixes archive footage and presentday pictures, plunging the visitor into the thick of the action.

LONGUES-SUR-MER

Batterie de Longues

This German artillery battery, which gave the Allied ships a pounding on the morning of 6th June, is the only coastal battery to have kept its guns, giving an impressive picture of what an Atlantic Wall gun emplacement was really like.

PORT-EN-BESSIN

Musée des Epaves sous-marines du Débarquement

Twenty-five years of underwater operations have brought up from the sea bed some impressive remains and personal items found in the great warships sunk on or around 6th June 1944.

SAINT-MARTIN-DES-BESACES

Musée de la Percée du Bocage

The museum shows how the area around the Vire was liberated and documents this all important battle known as "the bocage breakthrough". An excellent museum – don’t miss it.

TILLY-SUR-SEULLES

Musée de la Bataille de Tilly

This museum bears testimony to the violent fight which took place around Tilly, taken and retaken 23 times before its final liberation.

VER-SUR-MER

Musée America-Gold Beach

As well as D Day on Gold Beach, this museum retraces great moments of the history of the airmail service and the adventures of its pilots from the 1st short hops to transatlantic flights.

SAINT-LAURENT-SUR-MER

Musée Omaha - 6 Juin 1944

Just a few yards from Omaha Beach, this museum offers a collection of vehicles, weapons, uniforms and insignia found on the actual battlefield.

LA CAMBE

Cimetière militaire Allemand

An impressive necropolis of over 5 acres where lie, in groups of 5 black crosses, the bodies of 21,500 German soldiers who fell during the fighting in 1944. Memorial chapel at the entrance.

COLLEVILLE SUR MER

Cimetière Américain (Omaha Beach)

Overlooking Omaha Beach, the American cemetery contains over 9,000 perfectly aligned white crosses on a 170-acre plot which is conducive to meditation and remembrance. A chapel and a memorial add the finishing touch to this moving scene.

La Pointe Du Hoc

The symbol of the gallantry of the young American soldiers and one of the strongpoints of the German fortifications, the famous Pointe du Hoc was taken by storm by Colonel Rudder's Rangers on the morning of 6th June.

GRANDCAMP-MAISY

Musée des Rangers

This exhibition retraces the history of the rangers, an elite american unit specially trained for D-Day.

CAEN

Le Mémorial, Un Musée pour la Paix

Through its spectacular display, the Memorial offers the visitor a journey through the history of the 20th century inviting reflection on peace.

Nobel Peace Prize winners Gallery. Garden of Remembrance.

BENOUVILLE – RANVILLE

Musée Mémorial Pegasus

This site is dedicated to the 6th Airborne Division whose mem were the first to land on Normandy soil during the night of 5th/6th June 1944.

The famous Pegasus bridge is now adjoined by a new museum covering 12.000 m2 with hundred of different exhibits.

DOUVRES LA DELIVRANDE

Musée Radar

The first museum devoted to the history of radar in the former German radar station at Douvres, where two remarkably preserved bunkers and an original layout help you to understand the role of radar and how the technique was developed.

MERVILLE-FRANCEVILLE

Musée de la Batterie de Merville

This museum situated in the blockaus of the Merville battery relives the conditions and documents the unfolding of the operation led by the 6th British Air Division.

OUISTREHAM

Musée Number 4 Commando

The museum retraces the epic story of the first commandos to land on Sword Beach at dawn on 6th June, including the Franco-British commando and French Commandant Philippe Kieffer.

Musée du Mur de l'Atlantique

In a former artillery range-finding post on the Atlantic Wall, the museum houses a large collection of documents and relics, and a range-finding station that provides a fine view over the whole mouth of the Orne.

ALENCON

Musée Leclerc

Alençon from Occupation to Liberation, this museum, the town's tribute to its liberator, is located in what was General Leclerc's command post on 12th August 1944.

AVRANCHES

Musée de la Seconde Guerre Mondiale

On the actual site of the breakthrough at Avranches, equipment and uniforms of troops in action during this great liberating operation are on display.

FALAISE

Located in the town that witnessed the end of the battle, this museum retraces the main phases of the fighting during August 44 an displays a large number of vehicles, uniformed soldiers... its worth a visit but in need of a bit of a re-vamp.

L'AIGLE

Musée "Juin 44"

This museum comprises twelve historical scenes and presents full-size wax models of the war leaders together with their actual voices (Pétain, De Gaulle, Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin etc.).

MONT ORMEL

Mémorial de Montormel

This memorial overlooking an unusually fine landscape, recalls the bloody battle of the Falaise-Chambois pocket that was fought here and which brought the battle of Normandy to an end. The museum is absolutely stunning and is a “must see” for all who visit Normandy.