The Upottery Airfield Nissen Hut Heritage Centre
About This Museum
Tucked away in the rolling Devon countryside, this heritage centre is a portal to a pivotal moment in time: the eve of D-Day. It occupies a faithfully restored Nissen hut on the very airfield where thousands of American paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division boarded their C-47s for the Normandy landings. Stepping inside feels less like entering a museum and more like walking into a still-living billet, with personal artefacts, period uniforms, and photographs telling deeply human stories of courage and anxiety. The air is thick with memory here, a quiet, poignant atmosphere that connects you directly to those tense hours in June 1944.
Collection Highlights
The exhibits are powerfully personal, from original maps marked up for the invasion and hauntingly annotated flight logs to the simple cots where soldiers tried to rest. A replica C-47 fuselage section allows you to grasp the cramped conditions these men endured, while poignant letters home and recovered equipment fragments make the history tangible and immediate.
Visitor Information
It's run by passionate volunteers, so it's best to check their social media or website for opening times before you make the trip. The location itself, on a working farm down quiet country lanes, is part of the experience—you're truly off the beaten path.
Architecture & Building
The museum is housed in an original, corrugated iron Nissen hut, its distinctive semi-cylindrical shape instantly evocative of World War II temporary military architecture.
Contact & Location
Address: Honiton, East Devon, Devon, Devon and Torbay, England, United Kingdom
Phone: +44 7778 857722
Website: Visit Website
