The 10 Best History Museums in Calvados, Normandy

A memorial to the first British soldiers to arrive in Normandy who captured the Pegasus Bridge from the Nazis.

Located in the immediate vicinity of the D-Day Landing beaches, the Mémorial de Caen visitor centre is among the essential sites focusing on the Battle of Normandy and 20th century history. From the origins of the Second World War to the end of the Cold War, museographical displays tell this terrible side of 20th century history. Indeed, Caen, bombarded during the summer of 1944, a liberated yet martyred city, deserved a tribute well worthy of the suffering it endured. This is precisely the purpose of the Mémorial de Caen, but via a continuing perspective and action aimed at reconciliation.

Situated near the British Military Cemetery of Bayeux, the Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy narrates the battles which took place in Normandy after the D-Day landings, between 7th June and 29th August 1944. The collections of military equipment, the diorama and the archival films allow the visitor to grasp the enormous effort made during this decisive battle in order to restore peace in Europe.

This museum houses the famous Bayeux Tapestry, a 70-m long piece of embroidery that graphically tells the story of the 1066 Battle of Hastings.Listed UNESCO Memory of the World. Duration of visit about 1h30. Annual closure in January

Canadian World War II memorial museum features interactive animations and a dramatic eight-foot bronze sculpture entitled "Remembrance and Renewal."

In the heart of the Episcopal palace of Bayeux, the MAHB reopened in 2013, provides a journey through history of art in Europe, from Archeology to Modern Art.-600 pieces of art with Impressionnist masterpiece of Gustave Caillebotte and Eugene Boudin-1000 pieces of Bayeux porcelain and lace-800 archeological and ethnographic pieces

Thousands of original pieces displayed on more than 3,000 m2 in the heart of Omaha Beach in an authentic building of American era. Located between the American cemetery and the point of the Hoc, this museum presents a unique collection, gathered for nearly fifty years by a passionate father, now gone, leaving to his two sons the duty to perpetuate this work of memory.

Dive into the hearth of the D Day story... Located 200m from Omaha Beach itself, the 1400m² museum showcases a wonderful collection of personal objects, vehicles, uniforms and weapons. Dioramas, archival photographs, maps and thematic display panels, as well as a film featuring veteran's testimonies, will guide you through the story of the D-Day landings on Omaha and the Pointe du Hoc. Annual closure from mid-November to mid-February.

Dedicated to the life and survival of civilians during the Second World War. 1000 m² of exhibition space acquainting you with the remarkable testimonies of those who survived, along with an outstanding collection of items they used in their daily lives and hitherto unseen archive material provided by the Caen Memorial Museum and the inhabitants of Falaise and its surroundings. Tablet computers troughout the museum and an innovating and immersive film offer an unprecedented & interactive experience.