Discover the Olympic Museum in Lausanne
If you’re a fan of Olympic history, you simply have to visit the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. Read on to find out more about this fascinating museum.
The Olympic Museum in Lausanne
The International Olympic Committee opened the museum on June 23, 1993. Situated on the banks of Lake Geneva, it focuses on the three key pillars of the Olympic movement: sport, art, and culture.
The initiative was spearheaded by the then president of the IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch. The museum was subsequently designed by a Mexican architect named Pedro Ramirez Vazquez along with a member of the IOC, Jean Pierre Cahen.
Two years after opening, the museum received a Museum of the Year Award for its innovation and exhibits. Between January 2012 and the end of 2013, the museum closed for renovation work.
An unparalleled tourist attraction
These days, the museum features more modern facilities and equipment and has three floors. There, you can learn about the games’ origins, competitions, and athletes through 300 screens and more than 1,500 exhibits.
The museum also contains a documentation and research center, a library with 22,000 works, temporary and permanent exhibitions of films, photographs, stamp collections, and coin collections, and multiple rooms for conferences and seminars.
Among the museum’s highlights are the Olympic torches and the medals that were awarded in each edition of the Games. You can also see the equipment used by famous Olympic athletes.
The museum enjoys an incredible setting with the Alps in the background. Furthermore, it’s also great for a day out with the kids. In fact, there are even interactive activities where the children can imagine that they’re athletes in the Games.
The museum is located on the Ouchy quay surrounded by a lush park with sculptures paying tribute to the Ancient Olympic Games in Greece, Baron Pierre de Coubertin (creator of the Modern Games), and some outstanding historical Olympic athletes.
One fascinating fact is that the Olympic Museum in Lausanne is the only place where the Olympic flame always stays lit between games.
There are many other reasons to visit the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, such as:
- The opportunity to tour its beautiful outdoor area.
- A chance to experience the Games to the fullest. Discover the Olympic spirit, put yourself in the shoes of an Olympic athlete, travel through time, see sports-inspired works of art, and take many photos.
- Take your picture next to the Olympic symbols.
Lausanne: a sporting, Olympic city
Lausanne is located in a really peaceful environment between the lake, forest, and fields. This Swiss city is the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee and the International Council of Arbitration for Sport. Lausanne also hosts many meetings related to the Olympic movement, such as IOC sessions and special committees.
As a result of this, the city also hosts various sporting events throughout the year. These include the Olympic week, a 26-mile marathon, and a 12-mile cycling race.
And if you don’t want to just visit sports-related places, the old town of Lausanne is beautiful, with its cathedral (and a bell tower in operation since 1405) and its pedestrianized streets.
You could also take a boat out on Lake Leman or visit a vineyard using the Laxaux Express wine train. You could even tour the Museum of Outsider Art (with its rather unique collection).
The Olympic Museum in Lausanne is doubtlessly one of the many attractions that the city has to offer. So, w hy not pay a visit, enjoy the nature, the local sights, and learn about the history of the Olympic Games?
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- XINHUA Español – Museo Olímpico en Lausana exhibirá pinturas chinas durante Festival de Primavera – Diciembre de 2019 – http://spanish.xinhuanet.com/2019-12/28/c_138662253.htm
