The centre hosted around 100,000 visitors in 2024, many of them Canadian
Normandy’s Juno Beach Centre is working to ensure that memories of Canada’s contribution to the Allied war effort during World War II don’t fade away with the passing of time some eight decades after the pivotal D-Day landings took place.
Alex Fitzgerald-Black, executive-director of the centre, which opened in 2003, said it hosted around 100,000 visitors last year, many of them Canadian and about one in four under the age of 18, therefore born well after a devastating conflict came to an end.
“We have a very big focus on passing the torch to future generations,” said Fitzgerald-Black while participating in a recent Atout France roadshow in Toronto.
But Fitzgerald-Black noted that while the museum and cultural centre is on land synonymous with the D-Day landings, it tells a much broader story, recounting all the campaigns Canadian troops took part in, including the invasion of Italy, where intense fighting took place.
“We’re the only museum in France that tells the full story of (the contribution) of Canada during the Second World War,” he reported, while adding that many who visit it are surprised by the broad scope of its exhibits.
The centre opened after fundraising efforts in both this country and France.
Juno Beach Centre actually became the centre of some controversy when a condo development was proposed for the area, with centre supporters eventually able to block the plan and deciding to turn the land that had been slated for development into a commemorative park.
Those visiting Juno Beach Centre can also go on guided tours of a nearby German military bunker complex.
Fitzgerald-Black noted that the centre has as many as 10 Canadian guides, who are the same age as many of the Canadians who took part in the fighting.
The centre itself may see additions, with one possibly being a cafe.
Fitzgerald-Black said that Canadians should feel a sense of pride when recalling the Canadian war effort and the sacrifice made by members of this country’s military, with 340 Canadian soldiers killed on or near Juno Beach alone.
“We have a lot to be proud of,” he stated.
More information can be found at junobeach.org.
