Olympic Museum
Museum Museum chronicling Olympic history and sports artifacts
Perched above Lake Geneva in Lausanne, the Olympic Museum displays Olympic artifacts, multimedia exhibits and IOC archives. Visitors pair interactive displays on athletes and Games history with views across the lake toward the Alps.
The Olympic Museum in Lausanne is a museum dedicated to the history and values of the modern Olympic movement, located on the shores of Lake Geneva in the Ouchy district. It functions as the principal public museum interpreting Olympic history and culture.
Exhibits combine trophies, torches, medals and athletes’ objects with interactive and multimedia displays that cover multiple editions of the Games, Olympic ideals and the organization of the International Olympic Committee. The museum’s outdoor spaces include sculptures and terraces with views over the lake.
Opened in the early 1990s, the museum has undergone redevelopment to add modern exhibition technologies and expand visitor facilities. It operates alongside the IOC headquarters in Lausanne and serves as a focal point for Olympic education and temporary exhibitions.
Located in Ouchy on the Lausanne waterfront, the museum is accessible from central Lausanne by public transport and sits directly above lakeside promenades and parks.
- Lake views: The museum sits on the Ouchy lakeshore and has terraces with clear views across Lake Geneva, making late afternoon light a good time for photos.
- Visitor services: Audio guides and multilingual displays are available to explain objects such as torches, medals and athletes' memorabilia.
What to See #
- Permanent galleries: Permanent galleries presenting objects, images and multimedia that trace the modern Olympic movement from its 19th-century revival to the present.
- Olympic Park and sculpture terrace: A lakeside park and sculpture trail that displays monuments and commemorative works related to the Olympic Games, adjacent to the museum.
How to Get to Olympic Museum #
The Olympic Museum (Musée Olympique) is in Ouchy on the shores of Lake Geneva in Lausanne. Take Lausanne’s Metro Line M2 to the Ouchy-Olympique stop; the museum is a very short walk (about 3-5 minutes) from that station. By car, Lausanne is about 60 km (around an hour) northeast of Geneva on the A1 motorway.
Tips for Visiting Olympic Museum #
- Take Lausanne's metro M2 to Ouchy-Olympique for the most direct public-transport access to the Olympic Museum and lakeside park.
- Combine the museum visit with a lakeside walk in Ouchy-the museum's multimedia displays and temporary exhibitions pair well with the outdoor Olympic sculptures and the waterfront setting.
Best Time to Visit Olympic Museum #
The Olympic Museum is best seen in spring or autumn on weekdays to avoid the busiest summer crowds and enjoy shorter lines.
Weather & Climate near Olympic Museum #
Olympic Museum's climate is classified as Oceanic - Oceanic climate with warm summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 0°C to 26°C. Abundant rainfall (1144 mm/year), wettest in June.
January
January is the coolest month with highs of 5°C and lows of 0°C. Regular rainfall (81 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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February
February is cold with highs of 7°C and lows of 0°C. Moderate rainfall (79 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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March
March is cold with highs of 11°C and lows of 2°C. Moderate rainfall (75 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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April
April is cold with highs of 14°C and lows of 5°C. Regular rainfall (89 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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May
May is cool with highs of 19°C and lows of 9°C. Significant rainfall (102 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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June
June is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 12°C. The wettest month with heavy rain (126 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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July
July is the warmest month with highs of 26°C and lows of 15°C. Significant rainfall (103 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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August
August is mild with highs of 25°C and lows of 15°C. Significant rainfall (103 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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September
September is cool with highs of 21°C and lows of 11°C. Significant rainfall (105 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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October
October is cool with highs of 15°C and lows of 7°C. Regular rainfall (99 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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November
November is cold with highs of 9°C and lows of 3°C. Regular rainfall (96 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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December
December is cold with highs of 6°C and lows of 1°C. Regular rainfall (86 mm) and mostly overcast skies.