Normandy American Cemetery Visitor Center

Helping Visitors Understand D-Day

When the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) wanted to construct a new visitor center at the American Military Cemetery in Normandy, France, they needed a team of professionals to help commemorate the competence, courage, and sacrifice of the soldiers laid to rest at the cemetery.

History Associates collaborated with the design firm Gallagher & Associates and the Center for Military History to develop exhibits that provide an overview of the D-Day invasion and highlight the personal experiences of Allied soldiers during one of the key turning points of World War II. 

The Stories Behind the Headstones

History Associates’ researchers collected personal accounts, letters, photographs, and other materials from archives in the United States, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. They drafted an exhibit script that helps one million visitors per year understand and appreciate the sacrifices made by the 9,387 Americans buried at the site. As the ABMC reported, "The cemetery has always had this extremely powerful emotional component. What was lacking was a story to go with the names written on the headstones."

For more information on the American Battle Monuments Commission and the Normandy American Cemetery Visitor Center, see http://www.abmc.gov.