Utah Beach Museum, Sainte-Marie-du-Mont, France

Utah Beach was the successful landing place of a number of American Divisions on 6th June 1944, and from here they pushed inland to the Carantan peninsula to meet up with US Airborne forces around St Mere Eglise. Between D Day and 1st November 1944 some 836,000 men and 220,000 vehicles came ashore here. The beach also marks the point of 'Liberty Way' which runs from Normandy to Bastogne in Belgium, and is marked by a memorial stone every kilometer - the 00 Kilometer stone being here (with another in St Mere Eglise).

The Utah Beach Museum was originally opened in the 1960s and then renovated for the 50th Anniversary of D Day in 1994. It tells the story of the American landings at Utah and also the Airborne operations around St Mere Eglise. The museum has many rare vehicles, weapons, photographs and veterans artifacts. There is a good 1/35th scale model of the landings, and a film show. There is also a book shop.

References:

Paul Reed's Battlefields of WW2

User Reviews

Michal Thomas (21 months ago)
Incredible place to learn about the Normandy Invasion. There is much to see. There is a sweet spirit of reverence there.

Josh Howard (2 years ago)
You could spend hours upon hours inside here. The amount of information and material is truly staggering with a lot of it being incredibly interesting. Make sure you watch the film before the exhibits as it is surprisingly well-made (as I work in Hollywood, I’m particularly picky with films in tourist attractions) and gives a great overview of the history of Utah beach. The museum was a real treat. The room overlooking the beach is pretty cool. Also a large 1945 Bomber plane on display and painted to look like a wartime plane. There are a couple of abandoned bunkers in front of the museum as well, but more are around Omaha beach, visit the ones just east of the USA cemetery for better bunker remnants. Make sure you also visit the nearby village to read some interpretive signage around the village centre Relating to the Utah beach invasion and stories of paratroopers landing in the village. Super interesting!

Charles L (2 years ago)
Very straightforward exhibit, but very entertaining!!! A must do in the Normandy area besides all of the invasion stuff. This is also good for kids 7 years and up. You get an audio guide and it is a walkthrough of the tapestry depicting the Norman conquering of England with William the Conqueror.

Brandon Logronio (2 years ago)
Great experience, would definitely recommend watching the short film inside the museum before going around to have a better overall feel of the exhibits. The Sherman tank and the B26 bomber are just some of the highlights included in the museum, which boasts a wide range of authentic World War II era equipment from both the Allied and the German side. The beach itself was quite tranquil and, if I'm not mistaken, you can bring home some sand home with you via a small glass bottle you can buy in the gift shop. Definitely a must see for anyone interested in WWII.

Terry (2 years ago)
Nicely laid out museum. Well maintained displays and informative . Had the Americans not missed taking out the Maisey Battery in the beginning it would have made the landings here and Omaha a little bit easier. The Martin Marauder is a must see.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Maciek Lulko

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The Old Town Hall of Wrocław is one of the main landmarks of the city. The Old Town Hall's long history reflects developments that have taken place in the city since its initial construction. The town hall serves the city of Wroclaw and is used for civic and cultural events such as concerts held in its Great Hall. In addition, it houses a museum and a basement restaurant.

The town hall was developed over a period of about 250 years, from the end of 13th century to the middle of 16th century. The structure and floor plan changed over this extended period in response to the changing needs of the city. The exact date of the initial construction is not known. However, between 1299 and 1301 a single-storey structure with cellars and a tower called the consistory was built. The oldest parts of the current building, the Burghers’ Hall and the lower floors of the tower, may date to this time. In these early days the primary purpose of the building was trade rather than civic administration activities.

Between 1328 and 1333 an upper storey was added to include the Council room and the Aldermen’s room. Expansion continued during the 14th century with the addition of extra rooms, most notably the Court room. The building became a key location for the city’s commercial and administrative functions.

The 15th and 16th centuries were times of prosperity for Wroclaw as was reflected in the rapid development of the building during that period. The construction program gathered momentum, particularly from 1470 to 1510, when several rooms were added. The Burghers’ Hall was re-vaulted to take on its current shape, and the upper story began to take shape with the development of the Great Hall and the addition of the Treasury and Little Treasury.

Further innovations during the 16th century included the addition of the city’s Coat of arms (1536), and the rebuilding of the upper part of the tower (1558–59). This was the final stage of the main building program. By 1560, the major features of today’s Stray Rates were established.

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During the 19th century there were two major changes. The courts moved to a separate building, and the Rates became the site of the city council and supporting functions. There was also a major program of renovation because the building had been neglected and was covered with creeping vines. The town hall now has several en-Gothic features including some sculptural decoration from this period.

In the early years of the 20th century improvements continued with various repair work and the addition of the Little Bear statue in 1902. During the 1930s, the official role of the Rates was reduced and it was converted into a museum. By the end of World War II Town Hall suffered minor damage, such as aerial bomb pierced the roof (but not exploded) and some sculptural elements were lost. Restoration work began in the 1950s following a period of research, and this conservation effort continued throughout the 20th century. It included refurbishment of the clock on the east facade.

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