THE D-DAY STORY, PORTSMOUTH

The D-Day Story is an unmissable destination for your group. The museum caters for groups of all sizes and interests; whether your visit is for educational purposes or as part of a day trip to Portsmouth, we look forward to welcoming you to the museum.

If you plan to see us as a group we can help organise it to fit in with the time you have available, though we do recommend a group visit time of two hours to make the most of your experience.

The visit starts on-board the enormous LCT 7074, the last surviving Landing Craft Tank that took part in the D-Day Landings, large enough to have carried up to 10 tanks and their crew members at a time. The vessel arrived off Gold Beach in Normandy late on D-Day, and put its tanks ashore the following morning. It then spent months carrying more tanks, men and supplies across the Channel to help liberate Europe.

LCT 7074, is home to the museum’s Sherman Grizzly and Churchill Crocodile tanks. On-board visitors can learn about the landing craft’s history and the tanks it carried, thanks to interactive touch-screens, video and sound. Moving to the upper deck, you are taken back in time, moving through the wheelhouse, officers’ quarters and galley, then it’s up to the bridge and gun deck for stunning seafront views.

The second part of the visit is inside the museum itself where you will experience Preparations’, as you find out about the planning of D-Day and how those in charge made the crucial decisions around when and where to cross the channel. Next is ‘D-Day Landings and the Battle of Normandy’. Here, compelling audio-visual displays show what it was like to be on a landing craft and give an insight into the thoughts of those before 6th June 1944 and how the day unfolded on each of the beaches.

The third part of the visit is the grand finale – the spectacular Overlord Embroidery and Legacy Gallery. The impressive 83-metre-long embroidery, longer than the Bayeux Tapestry, was created to commemorate people who took part in D-Day. Hear the Veterans personal stories, giving their reflections on their wartime service. A central gallery, giving the impression of an artist’s studio and explains the techniques used to create the embroidery and an opportunity to learn more about those involved in its creation.

There are several ways for you to enhance your group visit to the museum. We offer tours of the LCT 7074 and the Overlord Embroidery, plus you can book exclusive talks with the museum's curator Andrew Whitmarsh. There is also the opportunity to hire the Dulverton Room where you can enjoy your lunch with panoramic views of neighbouring Southsea Castle. We can also open early or close later to accommodate to your groups timetable.

INFORMATION
Daily
10am - 5.30pm April - September (5pm October - March)
Closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

All group visits must be pre-booked to ensure entry. Ask about charges for bespoke visits outside of these times.

The D-Day Story - Group Entry Charges (for 15+ visitors)
Adult: £12.75
Senior: £10.15
Child: £6.40 (not as part of school/formal education visit, e.g. scouts, guides, language schools)

Key Themes
World War Two, social history, military vehicles, interactive displays, embroidery, learning.