.jpg) View from Southsea seafront | |
  Location within Hampshire | |
Former name | The D-Day Museum |
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| Established | 1984 |
| Location | Clarence Esplanade, Portsmouth, United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 50°46.788′N1°05.360′W / 50.779800°N 1.089333°W /50.779800; -1.089333 |
| Type | War Museum |
| Key holdings | Overlord Embroidery |
| Collections | Military; 20th Century |
| Public transit access | D-Day Museum (Bus); Portsmouth Harbour (Train) |
| Nearest parking | On Site (charges apply) |
| Website | https://theddaystory.com/ |
The D-Day Story (formerly theD-Day Museum) is a visitor attraction located inSouthsea,Portsmouth inHampshire, England. It tells the story ofOperation Overlord during theNormandyD-Day landings. Originally opened as the D-Day Museum in 1984[1] by Queen ElizabethThe Queen Mother, it reopened as the D-Day Story, following a refurbishment funded by a £5 million Heritage Lottery grant, in March 2018. The museum building was designed by the then city architect Ken Norrish.[2]
The story is told in three parts: Preparation; D-Day and the Battle of Normandy; Legacy and the Overlord Embroidery.
The Legacy gallery features theOverlord Embroidery, commissioned by Lord Dulverton to remember those who took part in D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. The embroidery took twenty members of theRoyal School of Needlework seven years to complete and measures 272 feet (83 m) long. It consists of 34 different panels.[3] Film clips of veterans talking about their experiences give visitors further insight into what took place.
Since August 2020, the ticket to the D-Day Story has included access to landing craft tankLCT 7074, which is displayed outside the museum. She is the last remaining D-Day landing craft of her kind. On LCT 7074 visitors can explore the tank deck, the upper deck, and the bridge deck. ASherman Grizzly tank and aChurchill Crocodile tank are displayed on the tank deck.[4] Other vehicles in the collection include a ShermanBARV and aDUKW amphibious vehicle. A replicalanding craft personnel can be seen as part of an audio-visual display inside the museum. There are reconstructions of the operations room atSouthwick House, a 1940s sitting room and an Anderson shelter. Audio guides in English and other languages are available for the museum galleries and the Overlord Embroidery.[3]
The museum closed in March 2017 for one year to undergo a £5 million refurbishment and allow for conservation work on exhibits. New exhibits include the "pencil that started the invasion" – the pencil used byLt. Cdr. John Harmer to sign the order for Force G, the naval forces assigned toGold Beach, to sail toNormandy.[1]
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