Footsteps of WWII · Normandy
Arromanches: Mulberry harbour and D-Day Museum
Museum · Jun 1944 – early 1945
The story
With no large port in Allied hands, the planners towed prefabricated harbours across the Channel. At Arromanches, on the western edge of Gold Beach, the British built Mulberry B, later called Port Winston. The first Phoenix caissons were sunk on 8 June 1944 and floating roadways ('Whales') led from pier heads to the shore. A storm from 19 to 22 June wrecked the American Mulberry at Omaha, but Port Winston survived, damaged, and was used for months. Through it passed huge quantities of men, vehicles and stores. The museum on the seafront, opened in 1954, was the first D-Day museum in Normandy.
What to look for
Concrete Phoenix caissons still lie in an arc offshore and on the sand at low tide. The museum, directly facing them, uses working models and film to explain how the harbour was built. The clifftop viewpoint to the east gives the best overall view.
Plan your visit
Museum closed throughout January and on 24, 25 and 31 December; otherwise open daily, hours vary by season (Nov–Feb 10:00–17:00). Adult €12.90. The beach and remains are free. Check the website before you go.
Things change, so check opening times before you travel.
Nearby sites
- Longues-sur-Mer battery · 5 km
- Museum of the Battle of Normandy, Bayeux · 10 km
- Bayeux War Cemetery and Memorial · 10 km
- Juno Beach Centre, Courseulles-sur-Mer · 11 km
- Normandy American Cemetery, Colleville-sur-Mer · 17 km
- Overlord Museum, Colleville-sur-Mer · 17 km
All 160 sites in Footsteps of WWII →
Footsteps of WWII: Europe 1939–1945
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