Pegasus Memorial

The Pegasus Memorial (Mémorial Pegasus) in Ranville is closed for renovation from September 1, 2026, and its reopening date is not confirmed. If your trip falls in that period, use this page to plan around the closure and pick an open museum nearby. When it reopens, this is the place to learn about the British 6th Airborne Division. They were the first Allied troops to land in Normandy, on the night of June 5-6, 1944, and they took and held Pegasus Bridge.

Closure and reopening

The museum’s own page says it closes for renovation from September 1, 2026. It also says it stays closed in 2027 from January to May and has not yet confirmed a reopening date.

Two other sources describe the closure differently:

• Normandy Tourism gives the closure as September 2026 to May 2027.
• The Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mère-Église says the Pegasus Memorial is closed for works until June 2027.

Because these dates don’t match, check the official museum site shortly before you travel. The museum has not said whether any part of the grounds can be visited during the works, so don’t count on seeing the bridge until it confirms a date.

What you will see

The Memorial Pegasus in Ranville sits between Caen and the coast. It tells one story in detail: how airborne troops landed in the dark and secured the bridge before the beach landings began. Here is what it shows when open, roughly in the order you meet it.

Inside the museum

The indoor galleries present documents, films and period objects about the 6th Airborne Division and the night of June 5-6, 1944. The focus stays on the men who landed, the bridge they captured and how they held it.

The grounds

The original Pegasus Bridge stands in the park. Beside it is a life-size replica of a Horsa glider.

Free content on your phone

Panels in the museum and the park carry QR codes. Scan them with your smartphone to open the content for free in 10 languages. Bring a charged phone and headphones if you want to listen as you walk.

Planning your visit

When to go

Nothing is possible here until the museum reopens. In normal years it also closes for the winter. The Visit facts box above shows the usual opening pattern and the current status, so check it together with the official site.

If your dates fall during the closure, consider the D-Day museums listed under Nearby below. You can still build a full day on the Normandy beaches without this stop.

How long to allow

Plan on about 1 hour 30 minutes, whether you go self-guided or join a guided visit. That leaves time for the galleries and a walk around the bridge and the glider in the grounds.

Tickets and the pass

For entry prices, see the Visit facts box above. The museum lowered its rates during the building works. Normandy Tourism lists a different adult rate from the museum’s own page, so check the official site before you pay. The museum takes Visa, Mastercard or cash.

Memorial Pegasus is a partner of the Explore Normandy Pass, the official pass of Normandie Tourisme, the regional tourism board. The pass works on your phone, and the Premium version gives reduced entry at partner sites. The Visit facts box above shows the discount here.

There is also a reciprocal arrangement. An adult ticket from the Arromanches D-Day Museum or the Airborne Museum, Sainte-Mère-Église gives you a reduction at the Pegasus Memorial, and the reverse also applies. Check the official sites for the amounts.

My Normandy Pass is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with Normandie Tourisme or the official Explore Normandy Pass.

If you plan to visit several paying D-Day sites, the Normandy pass calculator lets you pick sites and total their entry prices. It saves your picks on your device.

Facilities

Normandy Tourism lists these on site:

• free parking
• toilets
• a baby-changing area
• a shop
• bicycle parking

For accessibility details, contact the museum directly through its official site or by phone on +33 (0)2 31 78 19 44.

Getting there

The museum is at 1 Avenue du Major Howard, 14860 Ranville, in Calvados, between Caen and the coast.

By car

Driving is the simplest way to reach it, and parking is free. From Caen town center, the drive is about 16 minutes and 13 km. This and the other driving times on this page are estimates without traffic, so allow extra time in busy periods. Ranville makes an easy first or last stop on a day spent around Caen and the eastern end of the landing beaches.

By train or without a car

No nearest train station is listed for the Pegasus Memorial. Without a car, you’ll need a taxi, a tour or careful planning. The Normandy Without a Car itinerary shows how to see the region on public transport.

By tour

If you book an organized D-Day tour, check two things first: that its route includes Ranville, and that the museum has reopened by your travel date.

Nearby

These four stops pair well with Ranville, or stand in for it while the museum is closed.

• Caen Memorial Museum: about 16 minutes and 14 km away. It is a strong alternative during the closure because it covers D-Day and the wider Battle of Normandy under one roof.
• Caen: about 16 minutes and 13 km away. It works as your base for this side of the beaches and puts both memorial museums within a short drive.
• Juno Beach Centre: about 28 minutes and 22 km away. It tells the Canadian side of D-Day and keeps your day on the landing beaches even with Ranville closed.
• Deauville and Trouville: about 42 minutes and 37 km away. Head here if you want to end a history-heavy day on the seafront.

To fit these into a wider plan, see One Day on the D-Day Beaches or the D-Day beaches map.