Centre Juno Beach
Canadian museum in Courseulles-sur-Mer devoted to Canada’s commitment in the Second World War, with a guided visit of the bunkers in front of the building.
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About the museum
The Juno Beach Centre grew out of an idea from Canadian veterans who, from 1994, wanted to create a permanent place of memory for all Canadians who served in the Second World War. Garth Webb, a veteran of the Normandy landings, is its founder. The centre opened on June 6, 2003, on a site of one and a half hectares made available by the town of Courseulles-sur-Mer, opposite the beach where the Canadian troops landed.
The project, with a budget of around 10 million Canadian dollars, was financed by private funds and by the governments of Canada and France. The centre belongs to a Canadian charity, the Juno Beach Centre Association, headquartered in Ontario, which also runs it.
The permanent exhibition uses photographs, documents, testimonies, objects and multimedia displays to present Canadians who served at the front as well as on the home front. A cinema was opened in 2013, temporary exhibitions follow one another, and the room devoted to today’s Canada was reworked in 2024. Outside, the bunkers in front of the building can be visited with a guide.
Highlights
- Permanent exhibition on Canadians at the front and at home during the war
- Guided visit of the bunkers and tunnels in front of the museum
- “Explore Juno” trail for young visitors, with interactive modules
- Film shown in the centre’s cinema
- Juno Park opposite the museum and the “Juno Caching” treasure hunt
Permanent exhibitions
- Exposition permanente – Trail on Canadians mobilized at the front or on the home front during the Second World War, with photographs, documents, testimonies and objects.
- Explore Juno – Interactive route for young people and families on Canada during the war.
- Founded
- 2003
- Operated by
- Juno Beach Centre Association (association canadienne)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €9 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €7 |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 7 · Free admission for children under 8 when accompanied. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freeFree admission for people with disabilities; reduced rate for the companion. |
| Groups (20+ people) | €6.50 per personAdult groups of 20 or more, free visit to the museum; €11 with the guided visit of the bunkers. One free place for every 20 paying people; guides and drivers free. |
| Families | €27Family pass for the museum: up to 2 adults and 3 children over 8. |
| Museum, bas carbone rate | €6On proof of travel by train, regional coach or bicycle. |
| Temporary exhibition only | €4 |
| Museum and guided visit of the bunkers | €13.50Reduced rate €11.50; bas carbone rate €10. |
| Guided visit of the bunkers only | €6Reduced rate €5. |
| Family pass, museum and bunkers | €42Bas carbone rate €38. |
| Family pass, museum, bas carbone rate | €24 |
Free admission for veterans and widows of the Second World War and for disabled war veterans. The “bas carbone” (low-carbon) rate requires proof of a train journey in the previous month, a validated regional transport ticket or a photo of your parked bike. Payment in cash (euros) or by card.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The museum visit is only step-free, with benches and chairs available. The guided visit of the bunkers is not accessible to wheelchair users. Magnifying glasses and a welcome folder with a braille map are free, as are noise-reducing headphones; a hearing loop is offered. The toilets are in the main atrium. The Webb Visit app lets you adjust text size, contrast and a font for people with dyslexia. Guide dogs and assistance dogs are admitted to the museum.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 7 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €27 · Family pass for the museum: up to 2 adults and 3 children over 8. |
- Family tours & workshops
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
- Hands-on stations
The “Explore Juno” trail for young visitors offers interactive modules and touchscreens, with a closing discussion with a Canadian guide in English, French, Dutch and German. The free treasure hunt “Juno Caching” has ten stages in Juno Park; the leaflet can be downloaded and printed. The family pass covers up to 2 adults and 3 children over 8.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Chant des oiseaux · 8-min walk · 650 m
By train to Caen or Bayeux, then by bus: line 101 from Caen or line 121 from Bayeux, to the stop Chant des oiseaux in Courseulles-sur-Mer.
By car
Free parking
Free parking on site for cars, motorhomes and coaches, accessible during museum opening hours; two electric vehicle charging points, one suitable for people with reduced mobility.
Taxis wait in front of the Caen and Bayeux stations; the trip to Courseulles costs about €40 to €65. GPS address: Voie des Français Libres, 14470 Courseulles-sur-Mer.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
Souvenir shop on site. No café is mentioned, but several restaurants are nearby. Suitcases and backpacks are not admitted to the museum.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 45 min |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The free Webb Visit app, with no download required, accompanies the permanent exhibition with texts translated into German and Dutch and films in French, English, Dutch or German; it opens via a QR code in the museum. The guided visit of the bunkers lasts 45 minutes. A guided visit of Juno Park, opposite the museum, also lasts 45 minutes (in English and French, from age 6, April to October). School groups can also book an “Explore Juno” visit of 1 hour 30 minutes. |
