Photo : Jokke214 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Musée du Débarquement Utah Beach
The Utah Beach Landing Museum is at La Madeleine, in the commune of Sainte-Marie-du-Mont (Manche), at the very spot where the first American troops landed on 6 June 1944. Created in 1962, it retraces the history of the Landings and the Battle of Normandy through ten themes.
The collections gather objects, vehicles, equipment and oral testimonies, including those of veterans. The centrepiece is an authentic B-26 medium bomber, displayed in the museum. Archive documents and models complete the route.
A film, titled Victory in the Sand, highlights the experience of American soldiers during the operation. The museum also offers temporary exhibitions; one is devoted to the archaeological excavations of the Brécourt battle site.
Information is available in French and English. On site there is a shop, a picnic area and bicycle parking. Groups can be welcomed by reservation. The visit lasts on average an hour and a half and is aimed at all audiences, families included.
