Sixty-three years after Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy to turn the tide of World War II in Europe, a new visitor center at the Normandy American Cemetery in France opened in May 2007 to tell the story of the 9,387 Americans buried there and put the D-Day landings and follow-on battle in Europe in perspective as one of the greatest military achievements of all time.
The visitor center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April 15 to September 15, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. the rest of the year. There is no charge for admission.
The $30 million visitor center was dedicated by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) on June 6, 2007 during the commemoration of the 63rd Anniversary of D-Day. The center is sited in a wooded area of the cemetery approximately 100 meters east of the Garden of the Missing. Normandy is ABMC's most visited cemetery, receiving approximately one million visitors each year.
"The center allows us to better tell the courageous and inspiring story of those buried at Normandy American Cemetery," said General Frederick M. Franks, Jr., USA (Ret), ABMC chairman. "The center provides a fuller array of visitor services to put the D-Day landings in perspective as one of the greatest military achievements in history."
Visitor Experience
One-third of the building's 30,000 square feet is dedicated exhibit space. Using personal stories of participants and a mix of narrative text, photos, films, interactive displays and artifacts, exhibits portray the competence, courage and sacrifice of Allied forces.
The visitor center is designed to complement and enhance the experience of visiting the cemetery. By relating the global significance and meaning of Operation Overlord, the center pays tribute to the values and sacrifices of the World War II generation. After experiencing the cemetery and the center, visitors will have a greater appreciation of those participating in the Normandy invasion, the achievement of America and her Allies in conducting the greatest amphibious invasion in history and the importance of honoring our war dead.
In honoring the brave Americans who lie far from home, as well as those who survived the battle, the center will inspire future generations to explore, understand and emulate the values for which they gallantly fought. It also conveys a sense of remembrance and provides visitors an opportunity to reflect upon a pivotal moment in World War II and realize how dramatically it affected the course of world history.
Project Goals
- Design an effective and efficient facility that architecturally complements the cemetery landscape with style and dignity.
- Develop appropriate messages that increase the visitor's appreciation of the magnitude and significance of the Normandy operations and the sacrifices involved in victory.
- Expand public awareness of ABMC services, facilities and objectives in honoring America's war dead overseas.
Project History
In June 2001, U.S. Congressmen David Obey and John Murtha proposed that funding be included in the Congressional budget for construction of a visitor and interpretive center at the Normandy American Cemetery.
In December 2002, ABMC selected the SmithGroup, an architectural and engineering firm based in Washington, D.C., to design and build the center. ABMC and SmithGroup planners melded the ideas, concepts and visions that evolved into the final design concept. Gallagher & Associates based in Bethesda, Md., designed the exhibits for the visitor center. Construction began in September 2005 and was completed in May 2007.
ABMC worked closely with local government officials in Normandy to create a visitor center that celebrates the spirit and teamwork of the men and women who won the battle for Normandy, while ensuring that the center integrates into the French government's plan for infrastructure improvements throughout the Normandy area.
The Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France is located in Colleville-sur-Mer, on the site of the temporary American St. Laurent Cemetery, established by the U.S.
First Army on June 8, 1944 as the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II. The cemetery site, at the north end of its half mile access road, covers 172.5 acres and contains the graves of more than 9,380 of our military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations. On the Walls of the Missing, in a semicircular garden on the east side of the memorial, are inscribed 1,557 names. Rosettes mark the names of those since recovered and identified.
The memorial consists of a semicircular colonnade with a loggia at each end containing large maps and narratives of the military operations; at the center is the bronze statue, “Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves.” An orientation table overlooking the beach depicts the landings in Normandy. Facing west at the memorial, one sees in the foreground the reflecting pool; beyond is the burial area with a circular chapel and, at the far end, granite statues representing the United States and France.
In 2007, the Normandy Visitors Center opened. The $30 million visitor center was dedicated by the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) on June 6, 2007 during the commemoration of the 63rd Anniversary of D-Day. The center is sited in a wooded area of the cemetery approximately 100 meters east of the Garden of the Missing.
The exhibit space was renovated in 2019 and re-opened on June 1, highlighting the D-Day timeline, providing more emphasis on the French resistance and featuring many of the personal stories of the men and women who fought and contributed to the Allied operations. In addition to exhibits, the center includes a theater showing On Their Shoulders regularly.
Entrance to the visitor center is free. No tickets nor reservations are required.
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