Gold Beach Museum

The Gold Beach Museum, known as Musee America – Gold Beach, chronicles the landings of the 69th Brigade of the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division in Normandy on 6 June 1944 – D-Day – as part of Operation Gold Beach.

Gold Beach Museum history

Led by Major General Douglas Alexander Graham and supported by the 79th (Armoured) Division, a mixture of British, Dutch, Canadian and Polish troops succeeded in storming one of the central beaches of the Normandy Landings.

The objectives of the divisions landing at Gold Beach were to cut the Caen-Bayeux highway, take the small port of Arromanches, link up with the Americans from Omaha Beach to the west at Port-en-Bessin, and link up with the Canadians from Juno Beach to the east. The 50th Division was also to take the Longues battery from the rear.

The invasion was ultimately successful, helped enormously by the fact that three of the four guns in a large emplacement at the Longues-sur-Mer Gun Battery were disabled by the Royal Navy before the landing craft approached the beach.

British casualties at Gold are estimated at 1,000–1,100. German casualties are unknown.

Gold Beach Museum today

The Gold Beach Museum tells the story of this victorious attack as well as the intelligence operation behind it. The museum is practically split into two halves – and potential visitors should be aware of this beforehand. The first part of the museum, the part dedicated to the history of mail flights, is actually very interesting and well put together. There are a lot of original artefacts, a number of very detailed small scale dioramas and some attractive information panels.

The second part of the museum, dealing with the Allied landings on Gold Beach and the fighting around the town of Ver-sur-Mer, is small but has some interesting items on display. All artefacts have both French and English descriptions.

Guided tours of the Gold Beach Museum are available, but must be booked in advance for an added fee.

Getting to Gold Beach Museum

The address of Gold Beach Museum is 2 Place de l’Amiral Byrd, 14114 Ver-sur-Mer, France. The Museum is located less than a mile from the seafront in the town of Le Bout De Bas.

The museum does not have designated parking but there is limited parking close-by in the town of Ver-sur-Mer and at the British Normandy Memorial Site.