Footsteps of WWII · Dunkirk & the Channel coast

Dunkirk 1940 Museum (Bastion 32)

Museum · 26 May–4 Jun 1940

The story

Bastion 32 is a casemate in the old fortifications by the harbour, a short walk from the East Mole and the evacuation beaches. During the Battle of Dunkirk it served as the headquarters of the French and Allied forces defending the town while Operation Dynamo ran from 26 May to 4 June 1940. From here the defence of the perimeter was coordinated as 338,226 men were taken off to England, 239,555 of them from the harbour and 98,671 from the beaches. The museum inside tells the story of the battle and the evacuation, with weapons, uniforms, models, photographs and maps of the operations.

What to look for

A long, low brick casemate set into the bastion wall on Rue des Chantiers de France. Inside, vaulted rooms hold uniforms, weapons, models of the ships and beaches, and maps of the shrinking pocket. Outside, a memorial to the French Navy of 1939–40 stands nearby.

Plan your visit

Tourist office listing: open daily 10:00–18:00 from 7 Feb to 31 Dec 2026; adult €8, child/student €5. No booking needed for individuals. The 2026 remembrance guide gives early Feb to mid-Nov plus Christmas holidays, so check the website before you go.

Nearby sites

• Malo-les-Bains evacuation beach, Dunkirk · under 1 km
• East Mole (Jetée de l'Est), Dunkirk · under 1 km
• Dunkirk Memorial and Town Cemetery (CWGC) · 2 km
• Fort des Dunes, Leffrinckoucke · 5 km
• Zuydcoote and Bray-Dunes beach wrecks · 8 km
• La Plaine au Bois massacre memorial, Esquelbecq (Wormhout) · 19 km

All 160 sites in Footsteps of WWII →