About The D-Day Story
What is D-Day?
It was the largest invasion ever assembled, before or since, landed 156,000 Allied troops by sea and air on five beachheads in Normandy, France.
D-Day was the start of Allied operations which would ultimately liberate Western Europe, defeat Nazi Germany and end the Second World War.
We’ve compiled a list of frequently-asked questions about D-Day. We hope that you will visit The D-Day Story to find out more about it.
About us
The D-Day Story tells the story of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. It holds over 10,000 items – preserving, researching and acquiring objects to share with the public through exhibitions, workshops and other activities. The museum is fully accredited, meeting nationally agreed standards for UK museums.
The D-Day Story is one of six museums run by Portsmouth Museums, part of Portsmouth City Council. Responsibility for the museums service falls under the remit of the council’s cabinet member for Culture, Leisure and Sport.
The aims of Portsmouth Museums are to: reflect the diversity of the city’s culture and communities in our visitors and offer; provide inspirational opportunities for people to enjoy and learn from the collections; and to showcase the national and international heritage of the city.
The D-Day Story is supported by the Portsmouth D-Day Museum Trust, registered charity No 1156976.
Find Us
Find us
Clarence Esplanade
Portsmouth
England
PO5 3NT
The D-Day Story is located on Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, Hampshire. Use postcode PO5 3NT for sat nav.
The museum is open from 10:00 to 17:00 (17.30 from April to September) every day except 24, 25 and 26 December. Last admission to the museum is one hour before closing; last admission to LCT 7074 is half an hour prior.
Parking
There is a large 125-space car park located next to The D-Day Story, which is open 24 hours a day and has toilet facilities on site. Visitors parking here get £1 off museum entry.
There are 25 coach spaces, with a wash bay facility available. For parking charges please see The Seafront D-Day car park. CLICK HERE
There are marked disabled bays within the car park and on Clarence Esplanade in front of the museum. Parking is free for blue badge holders.
Park & Ride
Portsmouth’s Park & Ride is available from Junction 1 of the M275 motorway, which is the principal route into Portsmouth from the north. Follow the brown direction signs to the Park & Ride car park then catch a bus to the Hard Interchange, where you can alight for services to Southsea.
See the Park & Ride website for more details. CLICK HERE
Buses
The nearest bus stop is an attractive 10 minute walk from Palmerston Road across Southsea Common, to The D-Day Story. See directions above from The Hard Interchange to Palmerston Road.
Trains
The nearest train station is Portsmouth & Southsea – a 1.5 mile walk from The D-Day Story. The most direct route is via Isambard Brunel Road, Grosvenor Street, Cottage Grove, Grove Roads North and South, Palmerston Road and Avenue de Caen. There is also a taxi rank outside Portsmouth & Southsea railway station.
Alternatively, it’s a 1.7 mile walk from Fratton station to the museum, via Sydenham Terrace, Victoria Roads North and South, Lennox Road South and Clarence Esplanade.
From the Isle of Wight
Regular services run across the Solent from the Isle of Wight to Southsea. The fastest route is via Hover travel, with a journey time of just 10 minutes, which brings you to Clarence Parade, roughly 10 minute’s walk from the museum.
Alternatively, the Wightlink fastcat and car ferry run services from the Hard Interchange and Old Portsmouth respectively. The catamaran takes around 22 minutes to reach Ryde, and departs from the terminal within Portsmouth Harbour train station. The car ferry takes passengers to Fishbourne from the port in Old Portsmouth (near Gunwharf Quays), with a journey time of around 45 minutes.
Please note, we are unable to store luggage for visitors.
Contact Details
Who we are and how to contact us
theddaystory.com is a website operated by Portsmouth City Council (“we”) whose registered office is Civic Offices, Guildhall Square, Portsmouth PO1 2AL.
To contact us
please email theddaystory@portsmouthcc.gov.uk [or telephone our customer service line on 023 9288 2555.