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Museum · Reims, Grande Leste
Musée de la Reddition
Museum set up in the room where, on 7 May 1945, Germany signed the unconditional surrender that ended World War II in Europe. The map room has been preserved.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Musée de la Reddition
In February 1945, General Eisenhower established the Allied headquarters in a technical college in Reims, near the station. It was there, in a workroom lined with maps, that at 2:41 on 7 May 1945 Germany signed the unconditional surrender of its armed forces. The signing ended World War II in Europe; a second ceremony took place the next day in Berlin.
The building is today the lycée Franklin-Roosevelt, and the museum occupies a wing of it. The heart of the visit is the map room, also called the War Room, preserved as it was, with staff maps on the walls and the large table. The room has been a listed historic monument since 1985.
The exhibition route also tells how Reims experienced the war: the occupation, the bombings, the liberation and the arrival of American soldiers. Uniforms, everyday objects, photos and documents help to understand the period, and an audio guide accompanies visitors.
The museum is small and unobtrusive from the outside. It is easy to walk past the street without imagining what happened there, and it is precisely that simplicity that strikes visitors when they enter the room.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About 1 hour.
Best time
Any time of year. It is close to the station, so it works well on arrival or before catching the train. Check the weekly closed day before you go.
How to get there
It is on rue Franklin-Roosevelt, about 600 metres from Gare de Reims, some 10 minutes on foot. The Porte de Mars is on the way.
Tip
Combine the visit with the Porte de Mars and the Maison Mumm, which are on the same side of the city, north of the centre. Take the audio guide: it provides context to the map room.
Official website
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Musée de la Reddition
What happened in the museum room?
In the early hours of 7 May 1945, at 2:41 a.m., German representatives signed there the unconditional surrender of Germany's armed forces at Eisenhower's headquarters. It marked the end of World War II in Europe.
Is the room the original?
Yes. The map room was preserved as it was, with the staff maps on the walls, and is a listed historic monument.
How long does the visit take?
About 1 hour. The museum is small and is a 10-minute walk from Reims station.