Day Trip to the D-Day Story Museum - Tuesday 21st May 2024
Full details on timings and the programme at the bottom of this page.
Our visit to the D-Day Story Museum in Southsea was chosen to tie-in with this year's 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings. An itinerary for the day is below; you will see that we have arranged private group guided tours of Landing Craft Tank 7074 and a private talk by the museum Curator, Andrew Whitmarsh. We will be travelling by coach so mobility aids can easily be stowed. The day trip is open to members and their friends & family. We hope you will join us for what, we are sure, will be an interesting and poignant day. Tickets are available on Eventbrite at this link below.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/day-trip-to-the-d-day-story-museum-portsmouth-tickets-861576206627
Itinerary and information for the day (all timings are approximate and dependent on traffic)
08.00 – Coach departs St Mary’s Church car park promptly.
10.00 – Arrive at the museum in Southsea.
The museum is divided into the main gallery (D-Day and the Battle of Normandy) and the Overlord Embroidery and Legacy exhibition. To explore the main gallery, it will take approximately 1 - 1 ½ hours. The embroidery and legacy exhibition will take approximately 45 minutes. The museum is easily accessed and all on one level.
Landing Craft Tank 7074 group talk - groups of 10. For those wishing to partake you will be allocated a group. The talk is 40 minutes and then you are free to explore the upper deck and bridge on your own. PLEASE NOTE : THE LCT IS A SHORT WALK FROM THE MAIN MUSEUM UP A SLIGHT INCLINE. THE FLOOR SURFACE OF THE LCT ITSELF IS RIVETED AND UNEVEN, THERE ARE STEPS TO THE BRIDGE AND UPPER DECK AND POTENTIAL HAZARDS WHILST CLIMBING IN AND OUT OF THE BRIDGE AND UPPER DECK AREA.
10.30-1200 – LCT tours and time to explore the museum.
12.00-13.00 – Lunch (notes on lunch options below).
13.00-14.00 – Talk by museum Curator, Andrew Whitmarsh : “Secret preparations for D-Day: how did the Allies manage to prepare for and launch the Normandy Landings in such great secrecy?”
14.15-15.45 – LCT tours and time to explore the museum.
15.50 – Laying of a wreath outside the museum at the WW2 soldier statue.
16.00 – Depart the museum.
18.00 – Arrival back at Oxted.
Lunch – There is a café within the museum which offers a range of cakes, quick bites (sandwiches, paninis etc.) and drinks. Alternatively, a 3-minute walk outside to Southsea Castle, there is The Courtyard restaurant with a more substantial menu and a licensed bar https://www.thecourtyardsouthseacastle.co.uk. Telephone number is 023 9281 7454, if you wish to book a table.
