National Museum of the United States Army commemorates D-Day’s 80th anniversary

The National Museum of the United States Army at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and The Army Historical Foundation will commemorate the 80th Anniversary of D-Day with special exhibits, activities, and events.

The historic operation took place on June 6, 1944 along 50 miles of French coastline. Nearly 150,000 Allied troops took part in its daring airborne assaults and the largest amphibious invasion in history, marking a decisive turning point in World War II.

All events are included with free admission. More details can be found on its website .

In addition to the programs below, all visitors can experience the new special exhibit, “D-DAY: FREEDOM FROM ABOVE,” which uses interactive HistoPad tablets to take visitors to the D-Day invasion through the eyes of U.S. Army paratroopers.

The exhibit also tells the stories of the four soldiers who earned the Medal of Honor for their actions on D-Day and displays their medals together for the first time. Visitors can also see D-Day artifacts in the museum’s permanent galleries, including one of only six surviving Higgins boats known to have landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day.

Events include:

June 4 at 7 p.m. (virtual) and June 11 at 12 p.m. (virtual and in-person) – Battle Brief: Tactical Intelligence for D-Day, 1944. Historian and retired Army Lt. Col. Mike Bigelow explains how intelligence officers prepared for the complex and dangerous D-Day landings. Participants of the virtual event must register in advance through the museum’s website to receive the link.

June 6: D-Day 80th Anniversary—will include special D-Day-themed and family-friendly activities.

Family Activity – 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m.: Craft mini-parachutes and see if they float.

Art Display - 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.: A special display of ink and pencil sketches by Pvt. Ugo Giannini, who landed on D-Day and created the only known artwork in real-time depicting the first moments shortly after H-hour on Omaha Beach.

Hands-On History – 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m.: Explore the uniforms and equipment of World War II- era U.S. Army paratroopers. Learn about the essentials of a soldier’s load, including food, clothing and equipment.

Volunteer Showcase – 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m.: Museum volunteers recount their experiences as U.S. Army paratroopers.

Gallery Talk—12 p.m.: The chief curator shares the fascinating stories of treasured DDay artifacts, detailing their restoration journey and subsequent display in the museum.

June 20: 7 p.m . Virtual Book Talk – “Divided on D-Day: How Leadership Failures Threatened the Normandy Invasion” with Dr. Edward Gordon. Participants of this virtual event must register in advance through the museum’s website to receive the link.