I am not interested in military history, but this place kept me fascinated for EIGHT hours! Okay, we had lunch there and bought souvenirs in the shop, but that still means at least 6 hours, it is so well done. We had been there some years ago and were unable then to see even a fraction of it, so had promised ourselves to return. It was well worth the visit. We went to Caen only to see the Memorial, staying two nights in a hotel (Otelinn, see my review on Trip Advisor) that was within walking distance of the Memorial; that is how serious we were about visiting.
My husband is very interested in military history, especially WWII, which is what the Memorial is about, and his only negative comment was that he felt it did not properly cover D-Day.
This is not your typical family attraction and I think children would find most of it quite boring, but teenagers – especially those who have learned about WWII – could enjoy it. A true history lesson viewed from every angle, that of soldiers and civilians, those who suffered in concentration camps and those who liberated them. military strategists, occupiers and occupied. Worth a detour.
“Caen memorial website in English”:http://normandy.memorial-caen.com/