The Olympic Museum in Lausanne traces the history of the Games from Antiquity to the present day, set above the Quai d’Ouchy on the shores of Lake Geneva. Discover medals, torches and athletes’ equipment, interactive displays and a sculpture park.
Themed museums
Main highlights
- Over 10,000 objects telling the story of the Olympic Games, from their ancient origins to the present day
- Interactive displays to test your performance and watch archive footage of the Games
- Olympic Park laid out in terraces, dotted with sports-themed sculptures and offering lake views
Overview
The Olympic Museum opened on 23 June 1993 in Lausanne, on the initiative of Juan Antonio Samaranch, who wanted to create a museum and Olympic study centre there. It has become a benchmark for preserving and passing on Olympic heritage.
The building stands above the Quai d’Ouchy, on the shores of Lake Geneva. Renovated and extended in 2013, it offers 3,000 m² of exhibition space over three floors. Its collections include medals, torches, posters, equipment worn by athletes, and archive videos and photographs.
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What to see and do
The permanent exhibition unfolds over three themed levels. The first presents the Olympic world, from its ancient origins to the creation of the modern Games by Pierre de Coubertin. The second is devoted to the Games themselves : ceremonies, competitions and athletes’ performances. The third explores the Olympic spirit and the values of sport.
Interactive displays let you test your sporting abilities, go behind the scenes of organising the Games and follow the evolution of techniques and equipment. Touchscreens give access to thousands of hours of archive footage. Temporary exhibitions regularly complement the permanent displays.
Around the museum, the Olympic Park offers a terraced walk punctuated by sculptures by international artists on the theme of sport and movement, with viewpoints over the lake and mountains.
Practical information
Getting there : metro m2, Ouchy-Olympique stop, or bus to the Ouchy stop. There is a public car park nearby.
Visit duration : at least two hours, or three hours or more for sports enthusiasts.
Accessibility : the museum is fully accessible to people with reduced mobility.
On site : multilingual audio guides, TOM Café restaurant with a lakeside terrace, and a shop. Tickets available online or on site, no booking required.
Visitor tips
Opt for weekdays : weekends and school holidays draw more visitors. The audio guide provides extra detail on the objects and features athletes’ testimonies. The Olympic Park can be visited without an admission ticket.
This venue is part of the selection Lausanne : Olympic capital.
Nearby
- The Lausanne Botanical Garden brings together botanical collections, educational areas and walks.
- The MCBA Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts Lausanne, at Plateforme 10, presents its collections and temporary exhibitions.
- The Church of Saint-François in Lausanne, a 13th-century Gothic building, houses the Organopole and its four organs.
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