I am taking my school battlefield tour party to Arnhem over October half-term. I have not yet visited the renovated Airborne Museum at Oosterbeek, although I was familiar with it in its old incarnation. I have the choice of visiting it either on the Saturday or Sunday afternoon of the tour. Would anyone who has actually visited the new museum care to comment on whether they think it would be better for the pupils to visit near the beginning or at the end of the tour? We are going to the Liberation Museum near Nijmegen on the way to Arnhem on the Friday. I was intending to do the Landing Zones and Arnhem itself on the Saturday and Oosterbeek on Sunday.
Hi Mark, Sunday would be fine I've had the pleasure of visiting the museum, some things I thought were very well done others they need to do some more work. But in all its well worth a visit just too see down stairs ... Cheers Tom
I think they would have more attention before you start because probably at the end of it they are tired and have seen it all
We done the Airborne cemetery & MDS Crossroads first, went on to the Hartenstein Museum then into Arnhem to the Bridge passing the old St elisabeth Hospital on route visiting the Battle of Arnhem visitors centre and walking part of the Bridge. We felt in the time we had we where able to see & experience quite a bit.
Why not half way? If you do the LZ's etc then appraoch Oosterbeek and do the Museum before a look at the perimeter and the bridge or whatever......I liked the top two floors but felt the basement needed a bit more explanation.....I visited twice once quickly last Friday before going to a meeting at de Tafelberg and then on Sunday with my old para engineer veteran....sadly he now has problems with his eyesight and needed a hand or two......however it was nice to take a picture of him standing below a picture of him in 1944...hopefully post later.....
Mark, if you are doing the liberation Museum, make sure that you get the kids to spend some time reading through the names in the Roll of honour Room (every casualty of NW Europe listed), and i am sure that if you point them in the direction of the East Lancs regt names it will mean something. Grooesbeek canadian Cemetery and Memorial Panels is just around the corner, and on the way towards Nijmegen. Crossing the bridge at Nijmegan you are heading back to Arnhem, and if you turn left at the Geldrome, you can go into Arnhem via the mandela Bridge and Not the John Frost bridge. I'd then follow's Niall's advice on drop Zones onto Oosterbeek, and then to museum to so they see what the battle was like. i would then do the Cemetery after they have learnt more about the battle, and then finish off with the bridge so they can see waht it was all for.
I made my visit by public transport and walking around the area, If I had gone by car I would have been able to see a lot more I also had to take the wife to some shops to keep her happy I intend to take my own transport next time and follow the Liberation route so I will have to start planning for next year, so any advice on where to visit, Cheap Hotels etc on route would be very helpful. One thing I did notice on are return journey to Amsterdam by train was the long distance from the drop zones to Arnhem & Oosterbeek, you can see really why the assault failed.
I made my visit by public transport and walking around the area, If I had gone by car I would have been able to see a lot more I also had to take the wife to some shops to keep her happy I intend to take my own transport next time and follow the Liberation route so I will have to start planning for next year, so any advice on where to visit, Cheap Hotels etc on route would be very helpful. One thing I did notice on are return journey to Amsterdam by train was the long distance from the drop zones to Arnhem & Oosterbeek, you can see really why the assault failed. Medic, IIRC were you looking for a copy of Red Berets and Red Crosses? If so pm me as I can get you a copy......at normal price too......
Thanks, Phil. I previously visited the Liberation Museum during my first Arnhem school tour in 2003. We did inspect the roll of honour, and I intend to do so again. There aren't that many Lancashire Fusilier names (Bury's local regiment) as only one battalion, 2/5th, fought in that campaign, and very briefly to boot. As you say there are more East Lancs. However we are visiting the graves of two old boys of the school, one, Gunner Tom Hopkinson a Royal Artilleryman at Jonkerbos and the other, Glider Pilot Sergeant Harry Parkinson (an ex-Lancashire Fusilier) at Arnhem-Oosterbeek.