The Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage

In 1915, Baron Pierre de Coubertin established the IOC’s headquarters in Lausanne and created an embryonic Olympic Museum. Since then, the Museum has preserved the heritage of the Olympic Games and collected works of art and objects which illustrate the development of the Olympic Movement. A provisional museum was opened to the public in 1982 and remained in place for ten years. The land for the construction of the actual museum was purchased in 1984, works commenced in December 1988, and the actual museum was inaugurated in June 1993.

The mission of the Olympic Museum is to keep the heritage of the Olympic Games as re-established by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894: to put forward the ideals of Olympism and contribute outwards the achievement of man’s highest aspirations. The Olympic Museum is a must for all those who are keen on sport and the Olympic Movement, those who are interested in history, culture, and art, and those who care about the future of our society. As Coubertin put it, “Olympism is a state of mind.”

The museological concept is unique, lively, and interactive. Advanced audiovisual, computer and robotic technology lets the visitor share the greatest moments of the Games and the emotions of the athletes. The museum is the world’s largest center for information on the Olympic Movement.