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Museum Details
D-Day Museum and Overlord Embroidery, Portsmouth
Image: Dummy dressed as a WW2 soldier, in the driving seat of an army jeep.
D-Day Museum and Overlord Embroidery
Clarence Esplanade
Southsea
Portsmouth
PO5 3NT
Hampshire
England
Collection details
Archives
Costume and Textiles
Land Transport
Maritime
Weapons and War
Facilities
Parking: yes
Shop: yes
Baby changing facilities: yes
Library: yes
Study area: yes
Wheelchair access: yes
Visual disability facilities: yes
Hearing disability facilities: yes
The D-Day Museum is suitable for a wide range of National Curriculum work and a Resource Pack for KS1 and 2 is available for loan.
As part of the NCSU 'Britain since the 1930's' we can offer schools special handling and role play sessions on the Home Front. These handling sessions are chargeable and available during the autumn and spring terms.
Contact details
General information (Tel)
:
023 9282 7261
General information (Fax)
:
023 9287 5276
E-mail
:
info@ddaymuseum.co.uk
E-mail
:
mvs@portsmouthcc.gov.uk
Website
:
www.ddaymuseum.co.uk
Website
:
www.portsmouthmuseums.co.uk
Open
April-October:
Daily 10.00-17.30, last entry 17.00
November-March:
Daily 10.00-17.00, last entry 16.30
Closed
24-26 December
Admission charges
For details of current admissions charges, please see our website, www.ddaymuseum.co.uk.
Discounts
Museums Association
Description
The D-Day Museum was established in 1984 to tell the story of Operation Overlord from its origins in the dark days of 1940 to victory in Normandy in 1944.
The amazing Overlord Embroidery, a modern-day counterpart to the Bayeux Tapestry that tells the dramatic story of the Allied landings in Normandy on 6 June 1944. History comes alive in 34 panels of the magnificent ‘Overlord Embroidery’.
Step back in time to scenes of wartime Britain – the ‘Home Front’, ‘Women at War’, military equipment, tanks, landing craft, and much more. An archive film show captures the spirit of the wartime years, and the remainder of the extensive displays include tanks, jeeps, a DUKW and a landing craft, as well as smaller items such as maps, photographs and uniforms.
Collections description
The Museum's centrepiece is the Overlord Embroidery. Inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry, it is a moving tribute to the efforts and sacrifices of the Allies in defeating Nazi Germany. The scenes depicted in the Embroidery's 34 panels are vividly described in a multi-language soundguide.
Within the Embroidery gallery is the audio-visual theatre, where archive film footage, music, wartime images and the words of those who lived through it combine to evoke the atmosphere of World War II.
Then in the Museum's displays visitors experience the sights and sounds of Britain at War - the air raid warden's living room in the Blitz, the factory resounding to the strains of 'Music while you work', and troops preparing for D-Day in their forest camp.
The climax of the displays is a dawn to dusk reconstruction of the Allied landings by sea and air on D-Day itself - World War II's 'longest day'.
The last section of the exhibition, 'Portsmouth Memories', features the recorded reminiscences of local men, women and children who experienced life on the Home Front or took part in D-Day.
The final image in the exhibition - a photograph of the rows of gravestones in the war cemetery at Ranville in Normandy - is a reminder of the price of victory, which must never be forgotten.
Key artists and exhibits
Operation Overland
;
D-Day landings
;
Overlord Embroidery
Articles
UK Museums Mark Holocaust Memorial Day - January 27 2008
News In Brief - Week Ending January 13 2008
News In Brief - Week Ending July 8 2007
News In Brief - Week Ending January 21 2007
Innovative Children's Heritage Projects Receive Roots And Wings Awards
Remembering The Holocaust On Annual Memorial Day
Remembrance Sunday - UK Museums Remember The Fallen
Trails
D-Day 60th Anniversary: The Story Of The Longest Day
VE Day 60 Years: A Soldier's Life - The Army In World War Two
VE Day 60 Years: Heroism On The High Seas - The Navy In World War Two
General Information
Brochure or leaflet available with directions to museum
Pre-booking service for groups
Foreign language audio guide available
Parking for coaches
Collections
Object identification and/or written enquiry service
Disability Access
General audio-guide available
Induction loops in exhibition spaces
Induction loops in lecture theatres
Large print information and/or interpretation
Parking for disabled available
Toilets for disabled
Wheelchair access to all public areas
Wheelchairs available for loan
Children and Families
Baby changing facilities
Events and resources for children and families
Picnic area
General Education
Academic publications and resources available
Education facilities available
General audio-guide available
Loan service
Member of staff available with responsibility for education
Reception and lunch facilities for educational groups
Schools Education
Primary school education service available
Printed/audio-visual information available for schools
Facilities
Facilities for private functions and events
General audio-guide available
Library with public access
Picnic area
Research facilities for academics
Shop
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