Caen Memorial Tickets and Tours

After Paris, the Memorial Museum of Caen is the most visited place in France. It is a space composed of approximately 14 thousand m² and a park of 35 hectares, where you will find the museum building , the shop-bookstore, the media library and a series of monuments distributed in the open gardens of the site.

This visit has become one of the best things to do in Caen and, therefore, one of the most popular among locals and tourists. Therefore, you should hurry and buy your tickets, as they sell out easily.

The best option

Caen Memorial and Museum Tickets

Entrance to the Caen Memorial Museum

You will see permanent and temporary exhibitions that review the events of World War II, the Cold War and conflicts during the twentieth century. In addition, you can visit the shop-bookstore and buy some souvenirs.

From $16 at Hellotickets

With tickets to the Caen Memorial Museum you will have a clearer view of the events that marked the history of the twentieth century (World War II, the Normandy landing, the Cold War). The museum offers a series of exhibits, sculptures and monuments, preserved over the years.

Since its founding in June 1988, the Memorial Museum has set itself the goal of providing its visitors with a walk through the past war experienced by humanity and, in turn, to promote peace. An example of this is the statue The Knotted Gun, by the artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd, which encourages non-violence, the gardens that commemorate all those who have fallen in war, among others.

Recommended if... you are interested in war issues and wish to review the historical events that struck the world in the 20th century.

Tickets to the Ca en Memorial Museum can be purchased for an average price of about 22 ¤ per person.

However, if you are a person over 65 years old or a child between 10 and 18 years old, you will have the possibility to enjoy a reduced price of about 17,50 ¤. In this way, you will save € 2.3 compared to the cost of the general admission.

The Caen Memorial Museum has general admission, reduced price and free tickets available. There are also paired and family tickets. All of them are intended to give you several options to explore the history of World War II, the Cold War and much more.

• General admission: this ticket provides access to all the museum's rooms.
• Reduced admission: aimed at people over 65 years old, military, teachers, children from 10 to 18 years old and those accompanying disabled people, who pay 17,50€.
• Free admission: this is a modality that benefits children under 10 years old, disabled people, journalists, veterans, war widows, job seekers and local guides-interpreters.
• Paired ticket: with these tickets you can complement your visit to the Museum with other destinations. Such is the case of Caen Memorial + Arromanches 360 Circular Cinema (about 23€ per person), Caen Memorial + Falaise Memorial (about 24€ per person) and Caen Memorial + Falaise Memorial + Arromanches 360 Circular Cinema (about 28,50€ per person).
• Family ticket: this is a pass that costs 51€ and includes admission for two adults and one child (10 to 18 years old) or two children and one adult.
• Adult group tickets: this option applies to groups of more than 20 people.
• Tickets for school groups: aimed at groups of at least 15 students in the categories of secondary, primary, Normandy secondary and Normandy school.

Regarding skip-the-line tickets to the Caen Memorial, you should know that the museum does not offer this option. However, you can avoid queues by planning your visit and purchasing your ticket in advance.

No. Tickets to the Caen Memorial Museum are not included in any tourist pass. In fact, the city does not have such a system (tourist cards) within its cultural and leisure offer.

The Caen Memorial Museum has a system of guided tours, aimed especially at families, students (primary, secondary and university) and teachers. This is a worthwhile option , as it will allow you to get more detailed information about each of the exhibitions.

Among the guided tours that you can find in the museum are the following:

• General guided tour: during this tour of the Memorial, the guide will tell you about the history of World War II. The price of the experience starts at €18.70 per person.
• Family tour: the family guided tour takes place during the school vacation season and costs an additional €4.50 (adults) and €3 (children from 8 to 18 years old).
• School visit: this one and a half hour visit is adapted to the educational needs of students (primary, secondary, university). The activity is carried out in groups of 15 people.

Whichever guided tour you wish to participate in, tickets must be purchased in advance. You can contact us via email at contact@memorial-caen.fr to clarify any doubts about the reservation.

Yes, the Caen Memorial Museum has discounted tickets for people over 65 years old, children from 10 to 18 years old, people accompanying a disabled person, military and teachers. In any of these cases, you will get a special price of about 17,50€, i.e. 2,3€ less compared to the normal adult rate which goes from 19,80€.

Also, students and citizens of Caen pay an entrance fee of about 5€, thus getting a discount of about 14,8€.

Apart from the above mentioned reductions, you can also enjoy a complete exemption on the general price. This is through free admission, which applies to children under the age of 10, ICOM members, journalists, veterans, disabled persons, job seekers, war invalids or war widows.

To enjoy any of these special rates, you will need to present your current ID card at the museum's ticket office.

The Caen Memorial Museum does not have special tickets for children. However, children under 10 years of age can access the tour free of charge.

In addition, if they are primary and secondary school children, attending the museum for a group visit (minimum 15 people), then they will benefit from a guide and educational material. In this way, the little ones will understand the events of history in the most appropriate way according to their age.

Buying tickets online for the Caen Memorial Museum turns out to be a really worthwhile option, as it allows you to secure the exact day and time of your visit. You will save significant time by not having to wait at the box office to pay.

If you decide to purchase tickets directly at the box office, you should take into consideration that there may not be immediate availability and you may have to wait for 30 minutes, an hour or more. This is due to the large influx of locals and tourists at the Caen Memorial.

The doors of the Caen Memorial Museum usually open at 9:00 am and 9:30 am. These hours depend on the time of year you visit.

For example, if you decide to visit the museum during the last week of January, February and March, the opening hours are from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. From April to September the opening hours are from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm. Meanwhile, from October to December you can access the museum from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The Caen Memorial Museum is closed on Mondays in November and December, except on the 24th and 31st of December. You will also find the building closed on certain holidays in France. This is the case on December 25th, January 1st and January (except for the last week).

The Caen Memorial Museum is designed to be visited in a little more than half a day, as it is a huge place. Therefore, one or two hours will not be enough for you to appreciate the rich history found in all its rooms and open spaces.

Ideally, you should take a leisurely tour and enjoy each of the collections and the sensory stimuli that accompany them. You will also have the opportunity to delve into history by visiting the subway bunker, the gardens with the accompanying monuments and other spaces.

But, if you do not have much time in your itinerary because you have to attend some of the best tours and day trips from Caen, then the best strategy is to take a scenographic tour of the exhibits of World War II, the Normandy landing and the Cold War.

Any time is a good time to visit the Caen Memorial Museum. However, there are specific times when the tour is more convenient due to the low crow ds. You will be able to walk through the rooms more freely, being able to stop in front of each exhibit without anyone getting in the way.

For example, if you approach the Caen Memorial Museum during the early morning hours (9:00 am or 9:30 am), you will notice that there are few visitors in the rooms. Similarly, it happens three hours before closing time, which is usually at 18:00 or 19:00.

On the contrary, the time of the week with the highest number of visitors is usually on Thursdays and Fridays between 11:00 and 16:00 hours.

Getting to the Caen Memorial Museum is a simple task, which you can carry out by public transport or by private car.

In the first case, i.e. by public transport, you will have to get on the Red line 2 in the city center in the direction of La Folie - Memorial. And, if you are at the train station, then you will have to board the circular line Ellipse 6a or 6b.

If you have decided to drive on your own, you will have to travel a route of 3.9 kilometers or approximately 9 minutes from the center of Caen. Just follow Rue de Rosel in the direction of Av. du Général Dempsey. Then turn right onto Av. du Maréchal Montgomery.

At the Caen Memorial Museum you will find an impressive historical record that evidences one of the most important war events in history, such as World War II. You will feel like you have stepped back in time as you observe the various exhibits, sculptures and monuments preserved in its rooms.

World War II and Normandy Landing Hall

As you enter this room you will see the Enigma machine (used by the Nazis), war uniforms, yellow Stars of David (used by the German-Jews), weapons, gas masks and political posters.

You will also see recreations of the streets of the countries in combat, the maps used by the generals to decide the strategies during the D-Day. You will also find on display tanks and combat airplanes, rifles, portraits of Stalin, Mussolini, among others.

Cold War Room

In this room you will have the opportunity to observe the recreation of a Russian and an American house, which will allow you to learn about the cultural, ideological and social differences of both nations.

Also, exhibits with artifacts and information related to the beginning of the Cold War, the loss of power of the USSR, the fall of the Berlin Wall, covert missions, the Chernobyl nuclear accident, counterintelligence and much more.

The subway bunker

In this on-site museum housed in an original bunker dug into a monumental rock (3 meters high and 70 meters long) used during World War II. You will see communication equipment, old posters, objects, among others.

The gardens

At the entrance of the Caen Memorial you will find a garden area with one of the 31 replicas of the sculpture The Knotted Gun by the Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd.

In addition, you will enjoy three memorial gardens:

• The American Garden (1994), with 50 plaques representing the U.S. states and an imposing fountain as a symbol of freedom.
• The Canadian Garden (1995), with the 122 communes liberated by Canadian soldiers, represented on a memorial wall.
• The British Garden (2004), which honors 15 British divisions with a series of sculptures.

If during your visit to the Caen Memorial Museum you wish to enhance your experience, you should put into practice some basic tips.

For example:

• Make the online purchase of tickets and, in this way, guarantee the time and day of your visit.
• Check the internal rules of the museum and avoid any mishap.
• Do not take your pets with you, as they are allowed in the museum, unless it is an assistance dog.
• In case of disability, be sure to inform the museum staff in advance.