We are excited to announce the expansion of our network as we welcome the Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mère-Église in France as the newest member of LRE Foundation and LRE France.
Situated just a few kilometres from Utah Beach, the Airborne Museum holds the distinction of being Europe’s largest museum dedicated to the American paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions who took part in the Normandy Landings in 1944, during the Second World War.
These paratroopers, who were the first Allied soldiers to land on the night of June 5-6, played a crucial role in the success of the Battle of Normandy. After liberating Sainte-Mère-Église, they fought Nazi soldiers across the Cotentin region, eventually establishing a substantial bridgehead that would allow France to be liberated from German control.
The Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mère-Église, located directly across from the bell tower where paratrooper John Steele became famous for being hung during the D-Day landings, aims to provide an accurate account of the events leading up to D-Day, from preparations in England to the conquest of freedom.
“I’m delighted to join this network, which is working across Europe to raise awareness of the history of the Second World War and create links between people.”, said Magali Mallet, Director of the Airborne Museum Sainte-Mère-Église.
The Museum is committed to modernizing its spaces to provide creative tours that are accessible to all while still maintaining its educational purpose. Visitors to the museum will be able to interact with screens and holograms, as well as hear music and sound effects to obtain a deeper understanding of the major events that shaped the twentieth century.
Announcing the new addition to the network, Isabelle Lebreton, Director of LRE France, said “It is a great pleasure to welcome the Airborne Museum to our network. This museum is a key player in the understanding and transmission of the memory of the Second World, and it is undergoing major renovations to make it as innovative and accessible to as many people as possible. I am delighted to see it joining our international network today, where it has its rightful place.”
