Best WWII museums

[ButteMT61]

Thanks folks. Really excited to go there and see things I've seen in movies and documentaries all these years!

 

[ButteMT61]

Read the first post in this thread.

This forum software is wacky - when I saw this thread the first time, it did not show that one, and when I come back, it takes me way past unread threads. Drives me nuts. Thanks Spitfire. Feeling dopey now...

 

[Spitfire]

Ahhh - but the question is, did you find it?
In Caen: The fantastic Musee de la Paix is a must! Great museum and a thoughtful experience.
In Bayeux: The D-Day Museum - a more traditionel - but great museum.

 

[coalman]

I have a split vote with the RAF museum of cosford ..brilliant museum which also had a great restoration centre attached and very friendly staff
followed by the FAA museum at Yeovilton...which is still on a operational station...both I have enjoyed working at.

 

[MolonLabe416]

The Patton Museum at Ft. Knox
http://www.generalpatton.org/

The Navy SEAL/UDT Museum in Ft. Pierce FL (location of the original training base for the UDT during WWII
http://www.navysealmuseum.com/

The National Museum of the USMC in Trinagle VA, just outside of DC
http://www.usmcmuseum.org/

The faces on the dummies are all faces of actual Marines. You enter each gallery as you would have entered the battle space. For example, the Viet Nam gallery is entered by walking through a CH-47. It's loud, it's vibrating, and it's ghastly hot and humid. When you walk into the Chosin gallery it is artic cold. Outstanding.

 

[HOP UP]

Well, I've been to a few on this list overseas but imo, The Australian War Memorial in Canberra is unbelievable and if you are a WWII nut like me its like stepping back into time.

http://www.awm.gov.au/

And to top it off, my buddy in Canberra RESTORES WWII equipment for a living. By that, I mean the Govt PAYS HIM to restore this equipment to original specs before it gets displayed in the War Memorial for public viewing. He gets to lose himself in 3 MASSIVE warehouses that stock tanks, aircraft, APCs, V1 Flying "Buzz Bombs", Japanese midget subs, all kinds of ordinace, military cars, trucks and motorcyles every day.

I saw rare stuff such as complete Hudson Bombers, a Sopwith Camel fighter, a Messerschmitt Komet (rocket planes the Nazi used late in the war), V1 flying bombs, a complete ME 262 Schwalbe (the first jet fighter limited to use as a fighter bomber by Hitler) a complete Lancaster and even a complete battleship's Bridge awaiting restoration.

A fully equipped hospital like workshop with specialist equipement is at his teams disposal and the work they do is extremely painstaking and exacting - they do superb work.

The whole place has controlled temp and laminar airflow so ZERO dust.

For me, its like Aladdin's cave and Fort Knox all rolled into one !!

HOP UP

 

[Bingo]

Looooooove Duxford.
But also wanted to mention the Muckleburgh collection in Norfolk http://www.muckleburgh.co.uk/ and The combined military services museum, Maldon, Essex. http://www.cmsm.co.uk/ These small museum's are little gems and we need to support these places.

 

[filfoster]

US Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio has a wonderful display of lovingly, accurately restored bombers
and fighters of all nations and many uniform and artifact displays as well. And the cost? FREE!

 

[Norumbega]

Perhaps it's better known as a windswept testimony to the healing power of prayer, but I think both the story and the beauty of the WWII Italian Chapel in the Orkney Islands to be very touching. It's amazing how few people know of it or the story of those who built it, stayed, and returned.
http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/eastmainland/italianchapel/

 

[Cricket]

The family and I are planning a trip to New Orleans again maybe when it's warmer for the kids. I am really excited to check out their National WWII museum. Aside from the actual tour, there are films, a variety of exhibits, authentic dining experience, a canteen style entertainment show and some interesting shopping. And it appears to be very kid friendly which is great for us with two little ones.

They also host a variety of lectures, performers and shows that would be perfect for everyone.

http://www.nationalww2museum.org/about-the-museum/index.html