Juno Beach Centre (Centre Juno Beach)

The Juno Beach Centre opened in 2003 as a way to create a permanent memorial to the 45,000 Canadians who lost their lives in World War II and to preserve information surrounding their role in the war for future generations. Designed to appeal to both adults and children, the museum hosts both temporary and permanent collections made up of personal photographs, first-hand accounts, and artifacts presented alongside multimedia panels.

Many guided day tours of the Normandy landing beaches out of Bayeux, Caen, and Paris stop at the center in addition to other important WWII sites. If visiting independently, you can choose to buy a ticket to the museum or a combined pass for the museum and adjacent Juno Park.

• The Juno Beach Centre is perfect for WWII history enthusiasts and their families.

• The museum’s design, with its five-pointed shape, recalls the shape of a maple leaf—Canada’s national symbol—as well as the five beaches that were used in the D-Day landings.

• The center is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.

The center is located on Juno Beach in Courseulles-sur-Mer near Bayeux, 170 miles (270 kilometers) from Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport; there is free on-site parking. If not driving, you can take the train from Paris via Caen station, followed by a taxi or bus connection, or opt for a guided tour with transportation provided.

The Juno Beach Centre is open from 9:30am to 7pm April to September; 10am to 6pm in March and October; and 10am to 5pm in November, December, and February. It’s closed throughout the month of January. The museum is busiest in the afternoon.

Woven almost 1,000 years ago, the Bayeux Tapestry is a fascinating piece of history that attracts visitors from all over the world. It depicts the Norman Conquest of England by invading French Norman forces in the year 1066 and is housed in a purpose-built museum in the Normandy town of Bayeux.