We will be in Bayeux for two and a half days the first of June. There are several museums in the area. I was wondering which is considered the best?
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9436 posts
Everyone has their favorite, some say the one in Caen which i don’t care for (expensive, crowded, not focused on WWII but on the rise of Fascism), my favorite is the one in Bayeux. It’s focused on WWII, not expensive, not crowded when i’ve been there, well done and not overwhelming.
Posted by
Washington DC
28096 posts
I don't know that there is general agreement on that. I know for sure that opinion is sharply divided on the Peace Museum in Caen (short train ride from Bayeux then either a city bus or taxi to the museum, which is not near the train station). The Peace Museum is very large; one could spend a full day there. It begins with the period leading up to the war and extends into the Cold War era. It is a new, modern museum that is heavily visited--a polite way of saying that it may be quite crowded. I liked it a lot and recommend it; some people on the forum will disagree (if they notice this thread).
The Museum of the Battle of Normandy in Bayeux, as indicated by its name, has a tighter focus. It also is a modern museum. It wasn't terribly busy on the day I visited (summer 2017). This would be the easiest museum for you to visit, and it is a good one. Haven't seen any negative comments about it.
There's a Civilians in Wartime Museum in Falaise. Also modern. Focuses on what life was like for civilians during the war but also covers activities of the Resistance. Very new, very well done. Not many other visitors the day I was there.
The Airborne Museum in St-Mere-Eglise seemed to be somewhat old, without the video bells-and-whistles you generally find in newer museums. It doesn't attempt to cover as much as the Bayeux and Caen museums. The basic one-day Overlord Tour stops in St-Mere-Eglise just about long enough for its clients to see this museum if they opt for a grab-and-go sandwich lunch. I don't know whether the other tour companies do the same thing, but there were quite a lot of people in the museum when I was there.
There are other museums in the area; those are the only ones I've been to.
Posted by
🏝️ Hobe Sound, FL⛱️
3281 posts
If you visit the remains of the Mulberry Harbor at Arromanches-les-Bains, visit. Musée du Débarquement. Great displays explaining the harbor, uniforms and artifacts of the landings. To me it was the most intimate of the D Day museums I visited.
Posted by
Tennessee
441 posts
I had read a great deal about the D-Day battle before visiting Normandy. My visit to the Peace Museum was a big disappointment. I learned very little and was sorry I had taken the time to go. I much, much preferred the museum on the Battle of Normandy in Bayeux.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32353 posts
joseph,
"Best" is a subjective term so it's difficult to provide an opinion on that. The WW-2 Museum in Bayeux would be a good place to start. If you can arrange transportation, the gun batteries at Longues sur Mer aren't far from Bayeux.
As you'll be there shortly before the anniversary date, it's probably going to be very busy in that area. Be sure to book your hotel well in advance! That also goes for any D-Day tours that you plan to take.
Posted by
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
4088 posts
The Canadian War Museum is fairly new and includes zippy videos and other modern teaching aids. It was founded, at least in part, after some took offence to WW1 material in the National War Museum in Ottawa. It tries to cover Canadian involvement in other wars and military actions.
I thought it was spread too thin, considering how much there is to say about the Normandy invasion and Juno in particular.
Posted by
Middletown, RI
1229 posts
I agree on being disappointed in the Caen "Peace Museum." Personally, I think RS hypes it way too much based on his personal political leanings. The Bayeux Museum is much better. But my favorite museum in the general area is the Utah Beach museum. Very comprehensive collection, explanations, videos, etc. Plus, it is built into a German fortification right on the beach where the U.S. allies landed on Utah Beach. The newer Overlord Museum right outside the gate to the American cemetery is also very good. I like the Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mère-Église. It has a more limited focus, but it is right in town where the American Airborne trooper liberated the first town in Normandy. I hear they have some updates this year, but I haven't seen them yet.
On a completely different track, there is a museum about the Normandy farms of the area in Sainte-Mère. It give you a different look at the area—although most descriptions are in French. Also, the Bayeux Tapesyry museum has a wonderful audio guide while you look at the very long tapestry from 1066 that commemorates the other Normandy "invasion." This one going from France to England a thousand years ago.