The Olympic Museum

Head for the Olympic Museum. Set opposite Lake Geneva and in front of a large colonnade, an Olympic flame shines permanently in Lausanne. In the magnificent Olympic Park, more than forty works of art are scattered around the 8,000m2 garden, representing different sporting disciplines. Visitors can admire 43 sculptures, including Non-Violence by Reutersward, the Footballers by Niki de Saint Phalle and the beautiful fountain on the Quai d'Ouchy. The walk takes in a 420-metre pathway, the exact length of an athletics track.

Also in the Olympic Park, there are sports facilities where you can challenge the greatest athletes, such as the running track where you can take on Usain Bolt.

At the very top of the park stands the recently renovated Olympic Museum. The Olympic Games are within everyone's reach. There's no need to rush to get into the museum... The building overlooks Lake Geneva and the Alps in a picturesque setting.

The building was designed by Mexican architect Pedro Ramirez Vazquez. In total, the museum houses over 10,000 objects relating to the Games and sport.

The museum is divided into three main galleries on three floors. The first deals with the origins of the Games. Projected on a screen at the entrance, reconstructions of Olympia set the tone. The highlight of this gallery is the impressive display of Olympic torches dating back to 1936.

There's then a change of scenery as you enter the second gallery, which focuses on the Olympic Games in general. The atmosphere changes and the cosy French-style lounges reappear, in honour of Pierre de Coubertin (creator of the Olympic Games). Here you can find out more about winter and summer sports, sports equipment and the clothes worn.

There are bobsleighs and sledges, as well as Jesse Owens' running shoes, Elswick's racing bike and a cap belonging to Harvey Wood (hockey goalkeeper in 1908).

The third exhibition is based on the state of mind of sport and athletes. This part of the exhibition is more philosophical and takes a closer look at the Games and their athletes. It features interactive games to test your skills and motivation, such as balance games and Nordic shooting.

Throughout the museum, screens abound. In all, there are 150 large and small screens. The scenography is remarkable, offering a rich collection of objects, including audio, video archives and photographs, to recreate the magic of the Games. The screens are touch-sensitive, allowing visitors to focus directly on the chapters, stories, interviews and biographies of the athletes.

Audio headsets also complete the interactive and lively tour of the museum. Visitors can listen to the testimonies of sportsmen and women while watching archive footage on giant immersive screens.

Temporary exhibitions

In addition to the permanent galleries, the museum offers a variety of temporary exhibitions throughout the year. The programme is available on the museum's official website.