At the Freedom Museum, visitors of all ages can experience the story of the Second World War and the liberation, set against the backdrop of 20th-century history and current affairs. This story illustrates how we lost our freedom, fought for it, regained it, and must continue to safeguard it. It explores a range of perspectives; there is never just one story. Visitors are encouraged to reflect on the theme of ‘freedom’ for themselves. What does this mean today, in this day and age? What threatens freedom and how can we protect it?Bookings can be made via the website. Be quick, as places are limited. After the guided tour, you will have the opportunity to visit the temporary exhibition, the museum café or the shop.

The Netherlands

Highlight Tours

Six locations with personal stories.&nbsp; Each outdoor exhibition focuses on personal stories of residents of that location, told through images, text and historical sources. Visitors are taken into the dilemmas that residents faced during wartime and have the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of freedom and choices today.Opening on 10 April 2025 The official opening of Freedom of Choice will take place on 10 April 2025. All six locations will be opened that day, starting in Tiel. During this opening, speakers, relatives and those involved will put the stories of the time into perspective. After the opening, the exhibitions will remain open to the public free of charge for the next few yearsThe Freedom of Choice project is part of 80 Years of Freedom Gelderland, a broad programme of commemorations, activities and exhibitions that reflect on the liberation of the Netherlands and the lasting value of freedom. More information For more information about Choice Freedom, the exhibition locations and the programme of 80 Years of Freedom Gelderland, please visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://wo2rivierengebied.nl">wo2rivierengebied.nl</a>. This portal can be visited after the outdoor exhibitions open, from 10 April 2025.

Six outdoor exhibitions showing personal stories from the Second World War

The exhibition covers the period from the mid-17th century, when a sandbank known as the Western Bank formed at the mouth of the Vistula River, to mid-1941, when the Westerplatte branch of the German Stutthof concentration camp for civilian prisoners was closed.The location of the exhibition is not coincidental – it is the historic former Power Plant building of the Polish Military Transit Depot, renovated and arranged for exhibition purposes. The exhibition features the archaeological discoveries related to the site, the everyday life of the depot, the difficult and responsible service of Polish soldiers in the face of growing hatred of the Germans towards Polish presence in the area of the Free City of Gdańsk, and the camp for Polish civilian prisoners set up by the Germans after the seven-day battle (1–7 September 1939). The curators aim to make visitors aware that Westerplatte is not only a peninsula heroically defended by a small unit of Polish soldiers, but also the site of German crimes against Polish civilians. The exhibition also intends to highlight the symbolic significance of Westerplatte as the place where the Second World War began.Start your visit at Westerplatte with the Visitor Centre [Centrum Obsługi Zwiedzających ‘Pole Bitwy Westerplatte’]. At the information desk, you will obtain information related to the history of Westerplatte. Assistance in planning the route, finding a guide and information will help discover the monuments in the area. The building overlooking the sea provides visitors with a rest stop. It is adapted for people with disabilities.

Poland

Exhibition ‘Memory buried beneath the surface. Archaeology of Westerplatte’

Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín, a profoundly moving multimedia concert-drama, combines the magnificent music of Verdi with video testimonials and narration, to tell the story of the courageous Jewish prisoners in the Theresienstadt Concentration Camp (Terezín) who performed the celebrated Verdi Requiem while experiencing the depths of human degradation. With only a smuggled score, they performed the famous oratorio 16 times, including one performance before senior SS officials from Berlin and an International Red Cross delegation. Conductor Rafael Schächter told the choir: “We will sing to the Nazis what we cannot say to them.” Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezín features a full performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem, video testimony from survivors of the original chorus, segments of the Nazi propaganda film made at Terezín in 1944, and actors to relay the impassioned story of how and why these Jewish prisoners, who faced death every day, chose to learn and perform a Latin, Catholic mass during their darkest hours.

France

Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezin

For this seventh edition of the Rendez-vous d’Histoire de Bastogne, we have chosen to examine this question more closely: are we living in a new version of the 1930s, as some claim? Or does the current configuration of the international order—if that expression still holds meaning—and the very definition of contemporary warfare render such comparisons ineffective? Ultimately, what do we mean by “war” today?Throughout history, armed conflicts have reflected technological developments—the famous dialectic of projectile and armour—but also the social and ideological evolutions of the societies engaged in them. So, what are the defining characteristics of armed conflicts in the 21st century? To summarise them broadly: the persistence of archaic human passions, combined with unprecedented forms and radically new means.As always, the topic is far too vast to be exhausted in a single day of discussions. That is not the goal. Our ambition is to establish key reference points, offer avenues for reflection, and spark enough curiosity in our audience to encourage them to explore further.With: Clément BEAUNE - Daniel COHN-BENDIT - Michel DUCLOS - Kurt ENGELEN - Michel FOUCHER - Alain FRACHON - Benoît LUTGEN - Jean-Paul MARTHOZ - Aude MERLIN - Julien NOCETTI - Edwy PLENELFor more information, click <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bastognewarmuseum.be/events/les-rendez-vous-du-bastogne-war-museum-2026/">here</a>.

Belgium 

Is Europe at War?

The exhibition “My Childhood, 1939-1945” explores the daily lives of French and Canadian children during the Second World War and the war’s impact on civilian populations, particularly on youth.How did youth navigate this era, how were they transformed by the war, and how, for French children, did they experience the Occupation, the liberation, the battles, and the post-war reconstruction?Through immersive modules and testimonies, the exhibition compares the realities of the Occupation in France and the impact of the war on children in Canada.Visitors will better understand how childhoods were disrupted, their adaptations to new daily routines and how they experienced grief, gratitude toward Canadian soldiers, and regained freedom.The stories will be presented through several key themes:<ul><li>The Weight of Occupation (1940–1944) at school and at home</li><li>D-Day (June 6, 1944)</li><li>The Battle of Normandy (June–September 1944)</li><li>Liberation and the scars of war (1944 to today)</li><li>The “absences” experienced by French and Canadian children</li></ul>Learn more here: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.junobeach.org/exhibitions/my-childhood-1939-1945/">https://www.junobeach.org/exhibitions/my-childhood-1939-1945/</a>

Exhibition: "My childhood, 1939-1945" at Juno Beach Centre

Half-marathon across both banks of the Meuse between the bridges at Grave and Heumen, which were of great importance during World War II. Entry fee: €15.00.

Bridge2Bridgerun

The Freedom Ride is the ultimate cycling liberation festival. This year marks the 10th edition, where cycling enthusiasts gather in Arnhem to ride past historic sites connected to our wartime history.&nbsp;Cyclists can choose the peloton ride of 115 km or one of the open tours of 70, 110, or 150 km, all starting from Arnhem. For other cycling enthusiasts, there is a recreational ride of 40 km, also starting from Arnhem. Additionally, there is the Rabo Dikke Banden Race, so children can also take part in the Freedom Ride. Participation for kids is free.&nbsp;List of organising organisations:&nbsp;<ul><li>Central Events&nbsp;</li></ul><ul><li>Stichting Sportevenementen Nederland&nbsp;</li></ul>Initiators:&nbsp;<ul><li>Liberation Route Europe&nbsp;</li></ul><ul><li>Stichting Waardering Erkenning Politie&nbsp;</li></ul>Website:<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" class="Hyperlink SCXW226282460 BCX8" href="http://www.freedom-ride.nl/"> </a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.freedom-ride.nl">www.freedom-ride.nl</a>&nbsp;

Highlight Tours

Six outdoor exhibitions showing personal stories from the Second World War

Exhibition ‘Memory buried beneath the surface. Archaeology of Westerplatte’

Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezin

Is Europe at War?

Highlight Tours

Highlight Tours

Exhibition: "My childhood, 1939-1945" at Juno Beach Centre

Bridge2Bridgerun

Freedom Ride - Join the 10th edition in Arnhem!

Register your event on Europe Remembers

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Highlight Tours

Six outdoor exhibitions showing personal stories from the Second World War

Exhibition ‘Memory buried beneath the surface. Archaeology of Westerplatte’

Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezin

Is Europe at War?

Highlight Tours

Highlight Tours

Exhibition: "My childhood, 1939-1945" at Juno Beach Centre

Bridge2Bridgerun

Freedom Ride - Join the 10th edition in Arnhem!

Register your event on Europe Remembers