Castletown D-Day Museum

An interactive museum on the Isle of Portland that recreates the busy wartime dockyard from which thousands of American troops set out for the Normandy beaches in 1944. Visitors can see original Second World War artefacts, weapons and wartime vehicles, including a full-size replica Spitfire, a Bofors gun and a restored Sherman tank. The museum encourages hands-on exploration: children can climb inside the tank, try on military uniforms and handle decommissioned weapons. Displays also remember local people from Portland and Weymouth who took part in the D-Day effort. The ground floor is wheelchair accessible throughout, and dogs on leads are welcome. Families with older children and anyone interested in military history tend to get the most from a visit, and the museum runs themed events such as wartime weekends and military vehicle days through the year.