THE ANZIO BEACHHEAD MUSEUM

The Anzio Beachhead Museum was inaugurated on January 22nd. l994, the 50th. Anniversary of the Allied landings. It is housed in one of the ground floor rooms of the splendid 17th. century Villa Adele, only two minutes walk from the Anzio rail-road station and five minutes from the centre of the town.
Realized by the voluntary and no-profit members making "Anzio Beachhead Research and Documentation Center" is divided into four sectors: American, British and Dominion, German and Italian. The exhibits include: uniforms, equipment, badges, shoulder and flashes (although the latter were not worn in the battle zone), decorations, documents, battle plans and maps, photographs of the landing of troops, as well as of veterans as they then were, brief personal histories, articles used by troops in their everyday life. All absolutely authentic. A library and collections of photos, video cassettes, press cuttings, magazines, propaganda posters and leaflets, prints concerning those times, flags and ensigns, two motorcycles (GB&D) and many other items complete the considerable number of exhibits, all generously donated by other Museums and by Veterans’ Associations and, of course, veterans and their families.
Many exhibits come from the bed of the sea in Anzio port and its approaches where there are still the remains of aircraft, war and merchant ships, landing craft lying at various depths. Many of these wrecks still have the crew on board, like the H.M.S Spartan, H.M.S. Janus and the Hospital ship St. David, to mention but three of many! A visit to the museum is not, as one might imagine, one to a cold conglomeration of junk, but a real and moving emotional and instructive experience intendend, above all, as a plea for peace and brotherhood among nations, a condemnation of war! It is also a pause for reflection for all the visitors on the horrors of war from those who, if they are lucky enough to be alive today, are still fighting for peace and democracy.
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