National D-Day Museum
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The National D-Day Museum is a museum located on Magazine Street in New Orleans. Of all the World War II related museums in the United States, the National D-Day Museum by far addresses the Allied invasion of Normandy, France to the greatest extent.
Museum Description
The museum opened its doors to the public on June 6, 2000, the 56th anniversary of D-Day. The museum has a large lobby where aircraft and other items are suspended from the ceiling. Visitors pay admission fees at the desk in the center of the lobby and then visitors' tickets are seperated from the ticket's stub by veterans of D-Day. Admission prices during the summer of 2005 were marked at $14, with discounts offered to children, students, military members and their families, veterans, and senior citizens. The building is several stories high; elevators are available but the stairs are more accessible and are quicker. Visitors begin their self-guided tour of the museum on the top floor and work their way down toward the ground floor. The museum goes in chronological order; that is, the top floor assesses the political, social, and economic conditions that led up to World War II and D-Day. For example, the museum compares the relative military strengths of major nations entering the war. Later visitors see a model of the beaches of Normandy with the relative positions of the number of aircraft and amphibious vehicles. However, the museum does not solely discuss the invasion; visitors may also view an electronic map of the Pacific Ocean that lights up to illustrate the Allied strategy of island hopping, culminating with nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.
Visitors to the museum are encouraged to allocate roughly 2 1/2 to 3 hours to tour the museum. The museum also contains two auditoriums where educational videos are played as well as a gift shop.
Relation to New Orleans
Many have wondered why the National D-Day Museum is in New Orleans when New Orleans is characterised mostly by Mardi Gras and the Mississippi River as opposed to military history. The museum gives extensive coverage of the landing craft used in the invasion of Normandy, which were designed by Andrew Higgins of Louisiana and produced in New Orleans by Higgins Industries and licensees.
The Museum is currently closed until further notice, due to Hurricane Katrina, though no significant damage to the Museum has been reported.
