Lausanne is truly an Olympic city. Not only is it home to Olympic House, the International Olympic Committee’s HQ which opened in June 2019, but also The Olympic Museum.
Referred to as TOM for short – there’s no doubt that this is one of the best sports museums anywhere in the world.
The permanent and temporary exhibitions provide a lasting sporting narrative and legacy for all citizens and creeds. It also provides for a unique events venue that has mass appeal across many industry sectors.
Sports Tourism News co-editor Ramy Salameh paid a visit to The Olympic Museum in Lausanne and here he picks out some of the best things to see.
An Olympic journey
Even before you step through the entrance of the museum, your personal Olympic journey starts within the “Olympic Park” that sits either side of a main “Olympic Walk” staircase taking you from the shores of Lake Geneva, to the clean architectural lines of TOM (designed by Mexican architect Pedro Ramirez Vazquez) in the Lausanne suburb of Ouchy and easily walkable from the city centre.
Within the footprint of the park you will find a 100m running track to compare your speed against that of Usain Bolt. On the opposite side from the track the Olympic flame burns brightly next to the Parvis forecourt, whilst modernist art sculptures such as the “Cycliste” and “Les footballeurs” lead you to the sliding door entrance framed by an Olympic high-jump frame set at the Olympic world record.
1,500 artefacts on show
Within the entrance foyer, a central spiralling walkway burrows its way through the building, depositing visitors to three main circular galleries covering, firstly, the history of the games, then onto the evolution and technology innovations of the Olympics and thirdly a zone entitled ‘The Olympic Spirit’ which explores the emotion and defines the ethos of Olympism. All of these levels are spread across some 3,000sqm of space showcasing some 1,500 objects.
This clever piece of architectural design must be mentioned, as it flows seamlessly between levels, before rewarding visitors with beautiful views of the lake and mountains from the top of the building.
Here visitors will also find the TOM café/restaurant and several meetings spaces for hire. One such room is “Club Coubertin” which allows guests to dine in front of framed Olympic athletes past and present.
Torches, flags and a truce wall
Athletes across the globe devote their lives to compete under the Olympic rings and to bring home a medal. On level one of TOM, there is a space with a horse-shoe glass cabinet showcasing the Olympic gold, silver, and bronze medals stretching back to 1896. Within the same area you will find several walls adorned with Olympic torches from every previous games since 1936.
To cap this all off, there is the “London 2012 Games Olympic Truce Wall” and the first Olympic flag from 1913 made by the department store Le Bon Marché which still hangs proud and brings Olympism to life in the most dramatic way.
‘Inside the Race’
One of many spine-tingling pieces of memorabilia to enjoy were Jesse Owens’s running shoes, the unmistakable brown tan leather form designed by German shoemaker Adolf “Adi” Dassler. He successfully lobbied German athletes and American star Owens to wear the personally handcrafted leather track shoes with extra-long spikes.
The American’s triumphs helped to launch Dassler’s business, and eventually he would start his own company – adidas.
Also, not to be missed on level zero is the 180° film entitled Inside the Race – which is guaranteed to give visitors goosebumps.
Interactive experiences
The museum is not just a gallery of incredible memorabilia collected over many decades, it is also one of the most interactive visitor experiences within any museum I have ever visited. One can take their place on a podium to collect a gold medal or measure hand-eye-coordination at various stations which include summer and winter Olympic disciplines. There are also booths to listen to stories from athletes and volunteers alike.
The Olympic Museum: address, timings and ticket prices
- Address: 1, quai d’Ouchy 1006 Lausanne Switzerland
- Website: olympic.org/museum
Ticket prices
- Full price adults (aged 17+): 18 Swiss francs (CHF 18/£14.93)
- Full price children aged 6-16 (under 6 free): CHF 10 (£8.29)
- Reduced price senior citizens: CHF 16 (£13.26)
- Reduced price students, disabled persons: CHF 12 (£9.95)
- Reduced price families (max. 2 adults and their children aged 6-16): CHF 40 (£33.16)
Opening times
- 9am-6pm from 1 May to 20 October (daily)
- 10am-6pm from 21 October to 30 April (Tuesday to Sunday, closed on Mondays)
- Closed on 25 December and 1 January
- Closed at 4pm on 24 December and 31 December