The Caen Memorial completes a year of records in 2024

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The director of the Caen Memorial (Calvados) Klébert Arhoul sports a wide smile this Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at the time of making the review of the year 2024.

We have experienced a year like no other in 2024, it is an exceptional year for the Memorial.

“The attractiveness of the temporary exhibition is a turning point for the Memorial”

Created in 1988, the museum for peace from Caen to broke many records in the year 2024. But not necessarily for the reasons we believe, indicates Kléber Arhoul. “We could say that the 80th anniversary of the Landings increased attendance at the Memorial, but no, this decreases from year to year. The 80th did not have a significant effect on the Memorial, not the expected impact. On the other hand, our activity booster was the temporary exhibition on the United States between 1919 and 1944.

We innovated in 2024 and we see that America continues to make people dream. The attractiveness of the temporary exhibition has boosted our attendance, it is a turning point for the Memorial. This is why we want to continue investing in the temporary route which is complementary to the rest of the museum.

475,000 visitors to the Memorial in 2024, 3rd best historical attendance

In 2024, the Caen Memorial will exceed the bar 475,000 visitorseither the third best attendance at the museum in 36 years after 1994 (619,000 visitors during the 50th anniversary of the Landing) and 2004 (556,000 visitors during the 60th).

With its exhibition “The dawn of the American century 1919-1944”, the Caen Memorial beat its attendance record for a temporary exhibition, with 65,000 visitors. “And it is still visible for 15 days, until January 5, 2025,” says Kléber Arhoul, with a smile.

Restaurant, boutique, profit-sharing: records falling

Other records fell this year. With these good results, the Caen Memorial donated “a record profit sharing for the City of Caen up toa million euros« .

The semi-public company which oversees the Caen Memorial and the Arromanches 360 circular cinema saw its attendance increase by 7% compared to 2023 (760,000 visitors in total) and its turnover explode by 22%without wanting to reveal it.

At the Caen Memorial, the restaurant shows an increase of 38% in 2024 and the bookstore-boutique an increase of 39%, these are record figures which show that our visitors are staying longer on site, the dynamic is very strong.

Who are the visitors to the Memorial?

Where do the 475,000 visitors who visited the Caen Memorial in 2024 come from? They are French as a priority. The public American is the 2nd most represented and the European public (Italy, Spain, Netherlands) completes the podium.

« 40% of our visitors (nearly 200,000 visitors) come from the Great West of France,” continues the director of the Memorial. The Caen Peace Museum also welcomes 110,000 schoolchildren each yearwho come from the four corners of France. “There are of course history teachers but more and more English teachers are coming, which is why we have more and more moments dedicated entirely to the English language during the visit.”

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