The National D-Day Memorial, the only monument in the nation to D-Day, is committed to educating the next generation about the largest amphibious assault to ever take place: a day that changed the course of history.
The Memorial offers on-site field trips, virtual field trips, and traveling trunks that are designed to complement your World War II curriculum and provide a hands-on interactive learning experience for students of all ages based on national social studies standards and Virginia’s Standards of Learning. Each field trip includes an accompanying guide that provides lesson plans, interactive activities, tips for preparing for your program, and WWII and D-Day resources.
Contact the Memorial’s Education Department at education@dday.org or (540) 586-3329 for more information about our field trips.
To book a program, click the link to the corresponding program’s request form. Please keep in mind that reservations must be made two weeks in advance.
On-Site Field Trips
On-Site Field Trip Request Form
With social distancing in mind, we are offering different options to help fulfill curriculum and school requirement needs for the 2020-2021 school year. Both tours and programs will be limited to no more than 25 students, with a maximum of 50 students for a field trip. Our tour-only visits will utilize our brand new Artifact Bags that help to create a meaningful experience, reminiscent of our traditional field trip programming. Masks will be required during programs and if social distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained during the tour.
As you consider field trip opportunities for the school year, keep in mind a visit
to the only monument in the nation dedicated to D-Day. A typical on-site field trip includes the following:
• A program that allows students to interact with artifacts from the period as they learn about the experience of a D-Day soldier.
• A guided tour of the National D-Day Memorial conducted by one of our highly trained docents focused on student interaction
• A visit to the National D-Day Memorial’s gift store with inexpensive and educational items available to purchase.
Field trips are typically two hours long. Because of the volume of field trips, late arrivals result in a shortened program. Because the Memorial is an outdoor facility, on-site field trips are held rain or shine and students should dress appropriately for the weather.
If you are bringing 25 or more students, fees are $5.00 per student and adult. School personnel, including teachers and bus drivers, are free. For groups with less than 25 students, it is a flat fee of $125.00. A deposit of $50.00 is required two weeks before your visit. One of our staff members will collect your fees upon arrival on the day of your field trip. Checks should be made payable to the National D-Day Memorial Foundation.
Email education@dday.org or call (540) 586-3329 for more information.
Virtual Field Trips
Virtual Field Trip Request Form
Live and interactive, the National D-Day Memorial’s virtual field trips allow classrooms all over the world to connect to the Memorial’s virtual studio for programming on World War II and D-Day. All you need to take a virtual field trip with the Memorial is an internet connection, a computer, a webcam, speakers, and a microphone. It is recommended to keep each program to 30 students or less to ensure a superb virtual program experience.
We offer 45 minute programs on various topics that include:
• Minorities in WWII
• The D-Day Invasion of Normandy, France
• The U.S. Homefront
…and more
The fee for one virtual program is $75. We will create a custom package and fee for schools requesting two or more virtual programs. We do offer free virtual field trip programs to Title I schools, or those that can prove 50% or greater free or reduced lunch.
We also partner with FieldTripZoom and Streamable Learning for livestream programming throughout the school year. For more information about access to these livestream programs, visit http://www.fieldtripzoom.com/program-provider/the-national-d-day-memorial/?type=zone-program or http://streamablelearning.com/live_streaming.html
Traveling Trunks
Online Traveling Trunk Request Form
Reservations may be limited in 2020-2021 school year to ensure adequate cleaning between schools, including utilizing UV sanitizer boxes.
Another way to visit the National D-Day Memorial without ever leaving your classroom is to rent one of our Traveling Trunks. These footlockers are filled with real and reproduction artifacts from the period that come with accompanying lesson plans and activities. Each trunk is $50.00 for a two week reservation period and includes shipping to the school.
