Mémorial de Caen
One of France's most important museums on WWII and peace, tracing the story from the war's origins to the Normandy landings and on to the Cold War.
The Mémorial de Caen was built on top of a former German headquarters bunker and opened in 1988. The main galleries begin with post-WWI Europe and cover WWII, the Holocaust, the Normandy landings and the Battle of Normandy. There is also a Cold War gallery, with exhibits including a fragment of the Berlin Wall and nuclear weapons from the Soviet Union and the United States, along with memorial gardens for the United States, Britain and Canada. The exhibits are extensive, so allow half a day. Admission is about 22 euros. From central Caen, a bus takes about 15 minutes. The memorial also runs guided tours of the Normandy landing beaches.
Opening hours
Approx. 09:00–18:00 (longer in summer; some sections closed in January)
Nearby sights
- Abbaye aux Hommes (Saint-Étienne)
- Château de Caen
- Pegasus Bridge & Mémorial Pegasus
- Juno Beach Centre
- Merville Gun Battery
- British Normandy Memorial
- Arromanches & Mulberry Harbour
- Bayeux Tapestry Museum