Opened on D-day, June 6, 2000, this is the creation of the late best-selling author (and Saving Private Ryan consultant) Stephen Ambrose, and it is the only museum of its kind in the country. It tells the story of all 19 U.S. amphibious operations worldwide on that fateful day of June 6, 1944. A rich collection of artifacts (including some British Spitfire airplanes) coupled with top-of-the-line educational materials makes this new museum one of the highlights of New Orleans. A panorama allows visitors to see just what it was like on those notorious beaches. There is also a copy of Eisenhower's contingency speech, in which he planned to apologize to the country for the failure of D-day -- thankfully, it was a speech that was never needed.