Located just a few kilometers from Utah Beach, the Airborne Museum is Europe’s largest museum dedicated to the American paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions who took part in the Normandy Landings in 1944, during the Second World War.
The Airborne Museum has 5 separate pavilions within its nature park, the last of which opened in May 2024:
- 1. Occupation: How did the inhabitants cope with 4 years of German occupation, with requisitions, rationing, forced labor and curfews? How did daily life reorganize during this difficult period, and what behaviors emerged among the inhabitants? And finally, how did the Normandy Resistance organize itself in the area, and what achievements did it make in facilitating preparations for D-Day?
- 2. C-47:The story of the birth of American paratroopers, the first battles in North Africa and Italy, the preparations for D-Day, and the objectives of these soldiers. This pavilion houses an authentic C-47 aircraft that dropped soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division over the village of Sainte-Mère-Eglise, as well as a hologram and a jump simulator.
- 3. Operation Neptune: After flying through a converted C-47 aircraft that gives you the impression of being a paratrooper about to jump into Normandy, learn all about the battles of Sainte-Mère-Eglise, La Fière and Les Haies, which come to life in an immersive, hyper-realistic tour. At the end of the tour, the losses suffered by the American military and French civilians are brought into sharp focus, giving meaning to the duty of remembrance so dear to the region.
- 4. WACO: The museum’s newest building, inaugurated in 2024, is entirely dedicated to American gliders and the soldiers who flew them to the battlefield. From their conception in the USA to their deployment not only in Normandy, but also in Italy and Asia in 1945, discover the ins and outs of these unique units, which suffered from being forgotten in the history of the war. This pavilion features an authentic WACO model glider used by the US Army, set up as if it had just landed in a field not far from the museum.
- 5. Centre Reagan: The museum’s fifth and final pavilion houses a cinema showing a 20-minute archive film chronicling the days before, during and after D-Day, and the origins of the duty to remember, as well as a temporary exhibition space.
A snack area is located near the Reagan Center. It features vending machines for drinks and snacks, as well as an indoor relaxation area and outdoor tables.
A sneak peek of the museum
The temporary exhibition
Every year, the museum renews its temporary exhibition. In 2025, you can learn all about “Indochina: French paratroopers from 1944 to 1954”. Access included in admission ticket.
The Histopad
When you buy your admission ticket, you’ll be given a digital tablet, the Histopad, which allows you to scan the terminals scattered around the museum, bringing up scenes of historical re-enactments in augmented reality on your screen, which are interactive and give you even more detail. Games such as a treasure hunt are also included.
Opening hours
The Airborne Museum is open daily from Monday to Sunday:
- May to August: 9am-7pm
- April and September: 9:30am-6:30pm
- October to March: 10am-6pm
Individual rates
- Adult: 11,50€
- Child: 7,50€
- Family rate (2 adults + 2 children paying): 33€ / 5,50€ per additional child.
Access to the museum
Airborne Museum
14 rue Eisenhower, 50480 Sainte-Mère-Eglise, Manche, Normandie
Made up of freeways and 2×2 lanes, Normandy’s road network means you can get there from Paris in around 3 hours 30 minutes, from the northern regions in 4 hours and from Belgium in 5 hours.
The museum is accessible via the Nationale 13, which links Cherbourg to Caen.
The nearest train station to Sainte-Mère-Eglise is Carentan, a 15-minute drive from the village.
Children at the museum?
The museum is entirely child-friendly, with no risk of exposure to frightening or traumatic elements.
The museum’s multimedia tour, enhanced by the Histopad tablet, allows children to enjoy a visit that is as instructive as it is fun and immersive. They’ll particularly enjoy the parachute jump simulator, the C-47 aircraft and the glider scene.
Contact us
The museum can be reached by e-mail at infos@airborne-museum.org, or by phone at 02 33 41 41 35.
