Thiepval Visitor Centre, Somme Battlefields, France
The Thiepval Visitor Centre is a relatively new museum built in 2004 and located a short distance from the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme and the Thiepval Cemetery.
The idea for a new visitor centre museum was first discussed at the annual ceremony of Remembrance on 1st July 1998. Over the past six years Sir Frank Sanderson has led a small group in the campaign to build this educational centre. The Anglo-French project has been brought to fruition with the help of generous donations to meet the British fundraising target of £660,000.
Thiepval Memorial and CemeteryThe Role of the Visitor Centre Museum
The Visitor Centre provides a place for the thousands of visitors to the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing where the memorial is put in the context of the battlefield. In three languages - English, French and German - display panels provide an overview of the course of the Great War from 1914-1918.
Panels also focus on the events during the Battle of the Somme in 1916 which occurred at the small village of Thiepval and its surroundings. Three films, each lasting approximately 10 minutes, have been specially compiled covering Thiepval, The Battle of the Somme and Memory.
The Panel of the Missing
In the entrance of the Visitor Centre a panel of 600 photographs represents the 72,000 men whose names are commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing.
The work on collating information on the Missing of the Somme will continue. There are computers at the Visitor Centre which currently hold data on the 600 men featured in the Panel of the Missing. It is intended that the records will be updated as additional data is collected.
If you have photographs of information on a soldier who is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing you can contact Pam and Ken Linge, who are co-ordinating this project.
For information about the origins of the Anglo-French project to build the Visitor Centre, donations and the work in progress up to the official opening on 27th September 2004 see www.thiepval.org.uk.
Location
The Thiepval Visitor Centre is located close to the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. It can be reached from the D929 main road from Albert to Bapaume. In the village of Pozières on the D929 the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing is signposted to Thiepval on the D73.
Opening Hours
Daily 10.00 - 18.00 hours
Admission
Free.
Facilities
Shop, selling a wide range of books related to the First World War and the battlefield of the Somme; toilets.
A fully illustrated 95 page Exhibition Centre Guidebook is available from the shop for 7 Euros.
A leaflet for the 600 Panel of the Missing is available for 1 Euro.