Virtual plan

An 8-minute film is shown. From the Treaty of Versailles, through Hitler’s rise to power, to the construction of the artificial harbour at Arromanches, this film provides the context for the tour to follow.

The second section looks at the history of the German occupation of Arromanches during the Second World War. The preparation of the D-Day landings through the actions of the French resistance and British spies is also evoked. Finally, numerous photographs and documents relating to the conferences attended by many Allied heads of state are on display.

A projection of the events of the night of 5 to 6 June 1944. Here, images of the bombings and parachute drops that took place in the run-up to D-Day are shown.

This room, dedicated to the D-Day landings, features a 7-minute archive film explaining how Operation Neptune unfolded on the five Normandy landing beaches. A number of objects are also on display.

This part of the museum uses large scale models, one of which is animated, to show the different parts of the artificial harbour at the time. These models, which were installed in 1956, are the heart and soul of the museum, and help visitors to understand how the port functioned.

This area includes a large 25 m² model in virgin Corian, showing the coast in relief, from Tracy-sur-Mer to Asnelles. Video mapping is projected onto this model, a major new feature of the restructured museum. Using light effects and images projected onto the model, visitors can learn about the construction of the port day by day.

This last sequence, which links the D-Day Landings and the Battle of Normandy, is designed to create a link with the museums that deal specifically with this subject.