On June 6, 1944, Allied forces launched Operation Overlord with the massive D-Day invasion of Normandy. Nearly 160,000 troops landed on the beaches and in the hedgerows of northwestern France. Ending with approximately 20,000 casualties on both sides, those who took part witnessed one of World War II’s most pivotal battles—and the beginning of a prolonged, costly, and ultimately successful campaign to liberate Nazi-occupied Western Europe.
The National WWII Museum is proud to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of D-Day each year and pay tribute to those who served and sacrificed during the Battle of Normandy. Join us on Saturday, June 6, 2026, for the following special activities:
Living History Corps
Saturday, June 6, and Sunday, June 7 | 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Locations across campus
Learn more about the American experience of D-Day with the Museum’s Living History Corps as well as members of the Furious Fourth living history association. Discover the stories of the men of the 1st and 4th Infantry Divisions who landed on Omaha and Utah Beaches, respectively, to liberate Fortress Europe. Hear about what they carried, how they fought, and what they saw that day from our team of living historians and their displays throughout the Museum’s campus. On Saturday, Living History Corps members will also lead tours of the Museum’s replica LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel), or Higgins boat—the type of landing craft used extensively on D-Day.
D-Day Remembered
On display through August 30, 2026
Louisiana Memorial Pavilion
Since 1945, the D-Day landings have been commemorated each year along the coast of Normandy, France, transforming once-battered beaches and villages into places of reunion and reflection. This special exhibit by French photographer Fabrice Bourge captures the emotions of these remembrances and reveals how the memory of World War II continues to resonate decades later.
Storytime at the Museum
Saturday, June 6 | 10:00 a.m. to 10:20 a.m.
Louisiana Memorial Pavilion
Spark your child’s love of history with our unique storytime experience! This month, we're getting ready for America’s 250th by reading Happy Birthday to You! by Dr. Seuss, a WWII veteran. Families will also create birthday cards for the United States during this free program. Remember: All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Dr. Hal Baumgarten D-Day Commemoration
Saturday, June 6 | 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center
Presented in memory of D-Day veteran and Museum friend Dr. Harold “Hal” Baumgarten, the Museum’s annual D-Day commemoration remembers the men who landed on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944. This year’s program will feature a Heroes’ Welcome for dozens of wartime women workers known as Rosie the Riveters, our 2026 American Spirit Award honorees. Join us in honoring their vital contributions to our country and learn how their labor both produced critical supplies to support the Allied forces on D-Day and reshaped women’s place in American society.
Pressure Film Screening
Saturday, June 6 | 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Solomon Victory Theater
In the evening, the Museum is hosting a special screening of the new Focus Features film Pressure, starring award-winning actors Brendan Fraser and Andrew Scott. In the tense 72 hours before D-Day, and the fate of the free world hanging in the balance, Pressure follows General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Fraser) and Captain James Stagg (Scott) as they face an impossible choice—launch the largest and most dangerous seaborne invasion in history or risk losing the war altogether.
Please note: This event is sold out. Learn the history behind the film, now showing in theaters.