MUSEE DU DEBARQUEMENT DE UTAH BEACH

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1 MUSEE DU DEBARQUEMENT DE UTAH BEACH Press Briefing Pack 2016

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3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. EDITORIAL 2. MEMORABLE DATES FOR THE MUSEUM 3. KEY FACTS AND FIGURES 4. OUR EXHIBITIONS 5. OUR EXCEPTIONAL QUALITIES 6. HIGHLIGHTS OF PRACTICAL INFORMATION 1

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5 EDITORIAL To honour their memory, To understand their determination to regain our freedom. Visit our Utah Beach Landing Museum and we will bring you the answers you are looking for. You will then become ambassador Henri Milet, Mayor of Sainte Marie du Mont th anniversary of the opening of the Museum was the -wide recognition and receiving two awards. This, the 69 th anniversary, sees the My desires have been fully realised. Now our visitors can share our sense Charles de Vallavieille, Deputy Mayor 3

6 MEMORABLE DATES FOR THE MUSEUM The Museum at the Utah Beach landing is internationally recognised as one of the first places for remembrance and commemoration of The Battle of Normandy. 1962: Inauguration of The Museum In 1962, Michel de Vallavieille, the then Mayor of Sainte Marie du Mont, decided to create a memorial to express his gratitude to the American soldiers and their heroic actions. Thanks to the links he had forged over the years with American officers and veterans, he managed to gather together many collectable items and to create a truly historical museum, forging again an unbreakable Franco-American friendship. 1964: Creation of The Octagonal Room A large model explains the landings at Utah Beach. 1984: 40th Anniversary of The Landings Following the visit of seven Heads of State in 1984 for the commemoration of June 6 th 1944, the Mayor of Sainte Marie du Mont began to improve the infrastructure of the Museum with the construction of a projection room. 1994: 50th Anniversary of The Landings On the occasion of the 50 th anniversary of D-Day, the Museum opened its second extension, creating a large room with stunning panoramic views of Utah Beach and allowing visitors to really delve into the events surrounding D-Day. June 6th 2007: A Special Meeting In 2007 whilst on a family visit, two Americans, David and Gene Dewhurst, found a picture of their Father in one of the display cases at the Museum, Major David Dewhurst and his mission map. He is shown accompanied by his crew before flying their thers learnt that their Father died when they were very young and had been a decorated pilot in the US Air Force. On June 6 th 1944, he bravely leads out the last bombing raid on the German WN5 strongpoint, only minutes before the Allied troops landed on Utah Beach. Very moved by this discovery, the Dewhurst brothers decided there and then to participate in the financing of the renovation of the Museum by creating in the United States of America, a foundation in the name of their Father. Their contribution represents more than one third of the total project funding. June 6th 2011: Extension of The Museum Since 2011, the Museum at Utah Beach now extends to more than 3,000 square meters of exhibition space and highlights the success of Operation Overlord, the largest military operation of all time. -An original B- style reconstructed hanger - - awarded a CINE Eagle Award and a Special Jury Prize Superb museum well laid out and provides a detailed insight into what happens on D-Day at Utah Beach and the role the 101st Airborne played at Brecourt manor. Well worth a visit and not too expensive. February 2016, TripAdvisor 4

7 KEY FACTS AND FIGURES 1962: Opening of The Utah Beach Museum, The Museum has 3,000 square meters of exhibition space, More than of visitors since the Museum first opened, In 2015, the Museum recorded entrants, The average visit to the Museum lasts 1 hour 30 minutes, Auditorium capacity: 64 seats, B26 airplane weight: 12 tones, The American soldiers crossed 700 meters across the beach on the morning of 6 th June, 45 minutes to storm the WN5 strongpoint, 23, 000 soldiers landed at Utah Beach on D-Day, 137 killed and 60 missing in action on The Beach, Altogether 836, 000 men landed on Utah Beach, 1 medal of Honour for the Battle of The Cotentin is displayed in The Museum. Visited here prior to walking along Utah Beach. The museum was very informative, there is so much to take in, in there that I would recommend watching the short film before you walk around as this will cover most things for you and is presented very well. There is a fantastic display of a Marauder medium bomber and the story behind is quite unreal. Well worth a visit November 2016, TripAdvisor 5

8 OUR EXHIBITIONS The German defences In the WN5 blockhouse, part of the Atlantic Wall, Lieutenant Arthur Jahnke and his men prepare for a possible Allied invasion. German items are displayed in cabinets. The Cotentin under occupation The Cotentin suffered under German occupation. Many items, leaflets and video testimonials attest to this terrible period. Allies strategy Operation Overlord required careful preparation. The symbolic figure in this operation was the of the Allied Expeditionary Force. Naval forces on Utah Beach and protect the soldiers landing on the beach. An amphibious tank used during the operation is on display here in the Museum. The Air Force To support the infantry and naval forces, the whole of the air force is implemented: among others, B-26 bombers pounded enemy lines. Major David Dewhurst was a squadr these legendary aircraft, which oy can see in the June 6 th 1944: D-Day at Utah Beach The first bombings are heard around 11pm on the 5 th June at St Martin Vareville. At hours, the paratroopers were dropped behind enemy lines. Operation Overlord was launched. The events of the carefully planned timeline are related with video testimonials in the Panoramic Room. The Junction The 82 nd and the 101 st Airborne Divisions are parachuted in during the night of the 5 th -6 th June. At noon they successfully meet up with the infantry that had landed that morning on Utah Beach. One of these parachutists is known to have triumphed at The Battle of Brécourt and is a testament to its history; it was Lieutenant Winters. Utah to Cherbourg After the landings, there followed what the crossing the Cotentin to liberate Cherbourg. The wounded are many and medical emergency centres are set up. The Artificial Port During the five months of The Battle of Normandy, the Americans built an artificial harbour at Utah Beach whilst waiting to capture and restore that at Cherbourg. Land forces 23,000 men landed on Utah Beach on June 6 th Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, a cousin of President Franklin Roosevelt, is part of the first assault wave at 6.30am. He was 57 years old. He landed on a LCVP barge, a replica of which is displayed in the Museum. Very emotional and humbling. So glad we visited to pay our respects and learnt a great deal about the logistics of DDay September 2015, TripAdvisor 6

9 OUR EXCEPTIONAL QUALITIES Movie Victory in the sand Screened in the Museum since June 2012, the new film tourist centre. Directed by Joshua COLOVER and produced by Aperture Films, it was awarded in 2012 the CINE Eagle Award and in 2013 the CINE Special Jury Award. The film chronicles the events of June 6th, from preparation to completion and success. The viewer is immersed in the preparations for the operation and can relive hour by hour this amazing day. The film allows us to understand the strategic choice of the Normandy beaches and the role and importance of Utah Beach during the Second World War due to the military and technological success there. with vestiges and monuments to honor the memory of the soldiers. The VIP Tour: total immersion The Museum suggest that these tours are in small groups. This tour will allow you to take advantage of all that is best at this site and to view the objects more closely. The tour includes a visit to view reserve items in the collection, an actual climb inside the B-26 Marauder and an exclusive tour outdoors. witness to an unusual battle, a bold attack that changed the course of the war. Here, an unprecedented challenge was successfully launched. Here, with the courage of thousands of fighters, a page of history was written, the future was (Excerpt from the film) Guided tours the Museum and the Utah Beach site: at the heart of history Lasting about from 1 hour to 2 hour, the Museum propose inside guided tours and the Utah Beach site We stopped here on our Normandy Beaches tour. It's so humbling to visit these places where there was so much human sacrifice. The beach is lovely, and thinking about how it must have looked in 1944 was humbling to say the least. If you're into WWII history, this is a must-see. June 2015, TripAdvisor 7

10 HIGHLIGHTS OF 2016 The Utah Beach D-day Museum continues its adventure! s changes and grows. Our mission is to ensure that the ongoing development of the exhibits and media will best honor the courage and sacrifice of the American Soldier, and the transmittal, to future generations the memory of the events of June EVENTS NOT TO BE MISSED in 2016: May: application: Discovery the visit of museum in 9 languages A development of collections unique in Europe. Temporary Exhibitions: - the artist Adeline Keil. Exhibition on the First World War from 15th May to 15th September. May, 21 st : At European Night of Museums: The Utah Beach D-day Museum propose exceptional guided tours Commemoration of the 72 nd Anniversary June, 4 th : 4.00 pm: Official Ceremony with French, American, German troups 9.00 pm: Music Concert by a local group, Valdrague pm: Lanterns Drop June, 5 th : Movie Night at Utah Beach: more information available later. June, 6 th : 11 am: Official French-Danish Ceremony am: Ceremony at the Leadership Monument in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont June, 26 th : Cycling race organized before the Tour de France 2016 July, 2 nd : Arrival of the 1 st Stage of Tour de France in Utah Beach Ceremony to pay homage with cyclist An exceptional and unique event, in Utah Beach, will close this day. This schedule is not exhaustive and will be completed. For more information please contact us. 8

11 THE MUSEUM AT UTAH BEACH.. Obtained the tourism certificate and the disability certificate for the visually and mentally impaired. It now has therefore all appropriate certificates. The Museum is accessible for all persons with mobility, hearing, visual and mental impairments. The Museum has two lifts, disabled parking spaces and a wheelchair available at reception. Hearing aids are available at reception A special book is for sale at the Museum entrance A document in Braille is available on request The Museum offers a preferential rate with free access for an accompanying carer. Your access is our priority and you will not have to wait. received The Laureat 2014 and 2015 award, only 10% of establishments throughout the world receive this award from TRIPADVISOR. became an ambassador for the registration of the candidacy of the landing beaches in Normandy to become a UNESCO world heritage site. If you wish to subscribe to the project, you can register with the Basse Normandie Région on the web side There are more museums in Normandy than you can count, but this is really one of the best. The exhibits are well done and interesting for everyone from the veteran (like me) to the casual visitor to children. If you have time to visit only one museum stop, make it this one. August 2015, TripAdvisor September 2015, TripAdvisor 9

12 PRACTICAL INFORMATION Opening hours : 1 st October to 30 th May: 10.00am to 6.00pm 1 st June to 30 th September: 9.30am to 7.00pm The reception desk closes one hour beforehand Annual closure from 1 st to 25 th of December and 1 st of January Entrance charges 2016 : 2016 Adults 8 Children 7-15 years 4 Adult Groups 6 School Groups 3,50 Children (under 7 years) and WWII Veterans Free Guided tours in French, English and German (about one hour): please contact us for a timetable. Complete guided tours (inside and outside the museum): 12 Complete guided tours (inside and outside the museum): 10 VIP TOUR : 50 Utah Shop: Depart with an eyeful of images, an earful of testimonials and a pocketful of souvenirs. In the lobby of the Museum, where the access is free, our shop area offers a selection of books and DVDs on the subject of the Second World War, ready-to-wear clothing and local products Telephone: Contact: Marion COQUOIN communication@utah-beach.com