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D-Day Museum and Overlord Embroidery

Portsmouth’s D-Day Museum is Britain’s only museum dedicated solely to covering all aspects of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France, on 6 June 1944. D-Day was a turning point in the Second World War, and a moment when the course of world events depended on the Allied troops taking part.

Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother opened the Museum in June 1984, on the 40th Anniversary of D-Day. The Museum’s centrepiece is the magnificent Overlord Embroidery. At 272 feet (83 metres) in length, this is the world’s longest embroidery of its kind, and the Twentieth Century equivalent of the Bayeux Tapestry. It was commissioned by Lord Dulverton of Batsford (1915-92) as a tribute to the sacrifice and heroism of those men and women who took part in Operation Overlord. Designed by artist Sandra Lawrence, the Embroidery took five years to complete. An accompanying multi-language audio commentary brings the events of the Embroidery to life.

The Museum's unique and dramatic film show uses archive film to create a moving experience that captures the wartime atmosphere. Extensive displays of personal memorabilia, maps, uniforms, vehicles and other historic artefacts complete your visit to the D-Day Museum. Full size dioramas include the map room at the Allied headquarters at Southwick House, and a Horsa glider that has landed in Normandy. A real LCVP landing craft is on display, as is a rare Beach Armoured Recovery Vehicle (BARV) tank.

Portraits of Normandy veterans

Are you a D-Day or Normandy veteran, or someone else who was involved in the preparations for D-Day (for example a Wren working in a naval base from which troops left for D-Day, or a civilian making the Mulberry Harbours? The D-Day Museum would like to take your photograph!

On Sunday afternoons in June (1pm to 4pm) we are taking portrait photographs of Normandy veterans and others involved in D-Day.

The photographs will form a permanent record that will be kept in the museum's archives, and will be displayed inside the museum. For more information, click here (press release).

Photos: Normandy Veterans Frederick Lee (above) and Eddie Wallace (right) have already been photographed for the project.

 

 

 

Latest News

Thursday 30 April 2009

On 30 April 2009, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh visited the
D-Day Museum and Overlord Embroidery. They met Normandy veterans and young people from local schools and youth groups, including some who had taken part in the Discovering D-Day project. They also met some of the people who made the Overlord Embroidery (artist Sandra Lawrence and embroiderers from the Royal School of Needlework), and some of the Embroidery's trustees.
(photos: Matt Sills)

Above: The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh are greeted by a crowd as they arrive at the D-Day Museum.

Below: The Queen meets Normandy veterans Frank Rosier and Eddie Wallace from the Portsmouth Branch of the Normandy Veterans Association, infront of the Overlord Embroidery.

For more news, see our News Archive - click here!

All pictures are copyright of Portsmouth Museums & and Records Service

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