France 40's vehicules museum — Attraction in Reims

You will not find photographs of Marshals Gamelin or Weygand on the walls of this museum and there are no large maps with red and blue arrows showing grand strategy and the movements of corps and armies. What you will find are dozens and dozens of realistic figurines in authentic uniforms and equipment and carrying the weapons of 1940. This is a museum about the ordinary men and women caught up in the events which turned Europe upside down. The exhibitions are laid out “old school”. There are no sterile displays of items taken out of context and hung on a white wall with an explanation written by an intern. This is a museum created from decades of hands-on collecting and researching and is clearly a labour of love. You will not find any interactive touch screens as the curator and his family have packed as much as they can into every available square metre of space. This has not just been thrown together. Each item has been placed carefully to enhance the dozen or so dioramas with the vehicles and artillery being the stars but with the ancillary items bring it to life. The figures are not just shop dummies draped in old uniforms but realistic posed models. It would have been nice to see some more BEF and a bit about the RAF Advanced Air Striking Force which was based in the surrounding area but the curators want to use authentic uniforms and equipment and British items from that period are not as plentiful. It was good to see a section on the civilian refugees of 1940. A traumatic period for all concerned. For a small private museum they have a impressive display of armour and rare vehicles and artillery. It was not well sign-posted in Fismes thanks to municipal red tape but even during February when many museums are closed, there were several groups going round the displays. We were lucky to know it was there and sought it out. We were also lucky to speak to Robin whose excellent command of English meant he could answer any questions we had, but it did mean we kept him back from working on a new exhibition space which will focus on the fighting around Fismes during the First World War. Once that is finished I am sure it will be an excellent addition to the museum and a draw for American tourists in the area. There was a small booklet in English to give some context for the displays without giving you information overload and with some appropriate humour too, to help lighten the mood for a museum dedicated to such a catastrophic time for France. This museum is magnificent and gives a fascinating glimpse into a period which is overshadowed by the events of 1944. Buying something from the small shop at the end will help it...

I came to Fismes because I knew my great great grandfather fought and received a Purple Heart with the Pennsylvania 28th infantry in Fismes. I had no expectations of what the small town could offer for someone like me looking to simply connect with their family history. I was simply looking for an interesting day trip from Paris with my family to show them where our ancestor fought, and my kids like history.

A few days before I went I did some searching for things to do and saw the museum as an option and figured we’d give it a shot. My post won’t do justice to how blown away we were with our visit to the museum. I’ve been to a lot of history museums (Smithsonians, Natl WW2 in NOLA etc) and I’d put this museum right up there with the best of them. It’s small but extremely well done. The attention to detail the curators and refurbishers put into it is top notch. The best part isn’t just the exhibits and the equipment, it’s the stories of the soldiers and connection directly to Fismes that puts this place above others I’ve been to.

At the end of the visit we mentioned to the staff that my g-gfather was in the PA 28th and they essentially dropped everything to talk to me. Their adoration for the unit is genuine and heartwarming. We later learned that the museum is run by family and their friends and they receive no funding from any government sources. It’s a passion project and it shows.

When we left my son told them that it was better than The Louvre. Thank you to Robin and the entire crew at the museum. Keep up the great work. You are truly providing an amazing experience and service...

What can I say? Incredible museum, ran by family and friends who are so passionate about the great wars, and keeping local history alive where it is found. My partner and I asked some questions in the shop (more or less everything for sale is original - not reproduction) and it led to hours of chatting with the owner and his son, discussing finds and how the museum curated its items. We were meant to go on to a champagne house afterwards, but enjoyed this museum so much we decided to ditch the champagne and stay here! Wonderful asset to Fismes and good luck with continuing this...