Mémorial de Caen

Caen, France

The Mémorial de Caen is a museum and war memorial in Caen, commemorating the Second World War and the Battle for Caen. The building and grounds are located in the northern suburbs of the city of Caen on the site of an old blockhouse. The architect was Jacques Millet and the original curator was Yves Degraine.

The memorial is dedicated to the history of violence and intensive, outstanding conflict in the 20th Century and particularly World War II. The museum was officially opened on 6 June 1988 (the 44th anniversary of D day) by the French President François Mitterrand. The original building deals primarily with World War II looking at the causes and course of the conflict.

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Founded: 1989
Category: Museums in France

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Jean-Marc Potel (5 months ago)
It is a fantastic museum if you're interested in the second world war including the events of D-day. The entire timeline is clearly explained. It's incredibly moving and sobering (I found it difficult to walk through the section related to the concentration camps). We spent almost 5 hours walking through it all.
Paul Stewart (7 months ago)
What an awesome museum. So much to see and well laid out. Would love to give a massive shout to the very friendly and helpful staff too. In particular to the outstanding Anna (tour guide and ticket zapper!!!). When people enjoy their job it shines out. Thank you
Deepak Pant (8 months ago)
A must visit place in Caen, Normandy. Full of historical facts about the D-Day and the events that happened during the second world war in this region. Besides the museum, do visit the memorial gardens from USA, Canada and Britain. Very serene and calm place.
Ian Ferguson (8 months ago)
One of the best presentations of the history of WWII (and D-Day in particular) that I've seen. Everything was excellently explained in French, English and German. Most moving was an open letter from a victim of the holocaust asking the the finder/reader simply to think of them and their family ........
Karen Weighall (8 months ago)
Interesting visit, with different sections. Plenty of exhibits and explanations in French, German and English. It was busy, but didn't feel full. Good restaurant.
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