The history of Normandy Victory Museum
Le Normandy Victory Museum It was born from a project led by collectors passionate about the history of the Second World War, committed to transmitting a major episode of the 1944 fighting in Normandy: the Battle of the Hedgerows.
Since its creation in 2017, the museum has developed around this ambition, drawing on its collections and a strong connection to the local area.
The origins of Normandy Victory Museum
Le Normandy Victory Museum Its origins lie in the meeting, in 2016, of three enthusiasts of the history of the Second World War: Patrick Fissot, Christophe Beaussire and Nicolas Bellée. All three collectors, they shared the same desire: to make known the Battle of the Hedgerows, a major episode of the fighting of the summer of 1944, which profoundly marked the territory and its inhabitants.
Their collections formed the starting point for the museum project.
From personal collections to the opening of a museum
Long before the museum opened, the founders had each built up significant collections on their own. Assembled over the years and already presented to the public through several exhibitions organized between 2004 and 2014, these collections, by their quality, their size and the growing interest they aroused, led Patrick Fissot and Nicolas Bellée to begin thinking about the creation of a museum project.
Their meeting in 2016 with Christophe Beaussire and the provision of a building in Carentan-les-Marais made it possible to realize this project and to consider opening a museum to the public.
2017: the creation of Normandy Victory Museum
Le Normandy Victory Museum It opened its doors to the public on May 19, 2017 in Carentan-les-Marais. A few weeks later, on June 2, 2017, it was officially inaugurated in the presence of American General Anthony Poppas, commander of the 101st Airborne Division.
This opening marked the culmination of a project championed by its founders, giving the public access to collections that had previously only been presented on an ad hoc basis.
A museum in continuous development
From its earliest years of operation, the Normandy Victory Museum has seen a steady increase in visitors, rising from around 10,000 in 2017 to nearly 30,000 in 2019. After a period marked by the health crisis in 2020, the museum quickly regained its development momentum.
Over the years, it has enriched its collections, improved its facilities, and developed new systems to enhance the visitor experience. This continuous evolution has allowed it to welcome nearly 60,000 visitors in 2024, the year of the 80th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landings, and to gradually consolidate its position among the leading heritage tourism sites in Normandy.
A project now firmly rooted in the region
Today, Normandy Victory Museum finds its place fully in the heart of a territory marked by the battles of the summer of 1944. Driven by its founders and by a committed team, it continues its development by relying on its collections, on the evolution of its facilities and on a constant requirement in the transmission of history.