The Olympic Museum in Lausanne

The winter Olympics are upon us, and what better time to visit The Olympic Museum in Lausanne than now? The Olympic Museum (TOM) overlooks beautiful Lake Geneva and the Alps providing a picturesque setting and the ideal backdrop to celebrate Olympic greatness.

Highlights for us were the Olympic Flame and racing Usain Bolt via beams of light on the outdoor 100m track. Our kids tired themselves out trying to beat the fastest man in the world! We toured the museum on a nice day, and at the conclusion we spent about 30 minutes investigating the grounds.

We are so lucky to have The Olympic Museum here in Switzerland and if you are Olympic fanatics like us you may want to add a visit to your winter to do list. If we have the opportunity, we may checkout some of the free special programs, (Opening Ceremonies and Winter Break Programs) coming up in February, designed to celebrate the 2018 Games.

Thanks to JulieAnne Dietz for providing this guest post for us!

Exploring the Exhibits

There are three permanent exhibits in the museum: The Olympic World (level 1), The Olympic Games (level 0), The Olympic Spirit (level -1).

The Olympic World themed section is the introduction to the permanent exhibits. The highlight for us was the impressive and beautiful Olympic torches display (pictured) – featuring a torch from each Olympic games since 1936. Our 7-year-old was fascinated to learn how the Olympic flame is kept burning while being transported in planes, trains and automobiles! We spent time examining each torch and picked out our favorites.

In this section, there is also a big screen film presenting the opening and closing ceremonies of past Olympics. We loved the film – it was a great way to introduce our kids to the Olympics and get us excited about what is to come this winter.

Next we moved on to The Olympic Games level– which focused on Olympians who have left their mark. Again there is an inspiring film – “Inside the Race.” As we explored this portion of the museum our kids were most interested in equipment used by Swiss and American athletes. Our daughter also adored the sparkly gymnastics and ice-skating performance gear and our son was excited about the soccer (or football – depending on where you are from) memorabilia.

One quick pointer – the items are not enclosed. Our daughter couldn’t resist reaching out for an ice skate. She was too quick for me to stop her but a museum staff member, who spotted her error, made sure to ask that she not touch the items. Younger kids would have to work pretty hard to reach the displays, as they are slightly elevated – but I know there are some savvy toddlers out there. She just happened to be the perfect age to get us in trouble, big enough to reach and young enough not to realize she shouldn’t. I wish I had thought to mention, “this is a no touching section of the museum”.

The final floor told the story of the The Olympic Spirit, amongst other interesting pieces, it featured interactive games, allowing visitors to test their Olympic skills. There were a few games that worked for our kids and a few that were better for the 10 years old and older crowd. My favorites were the balancing games and Nordic shooting.

With the Winter Olympics, in PyeongChang South Korea, just around the corner there are some really interesting displays that focus on South Korean culture and introduce the 2018 Olympic themes. We spotted a group of happy kids and adults trying on the traditional hanbok and taking a few selfies. Our kids enjoyed cuddling with the adorable mascots – Soohorang and Bandabi (pictured).

And finally, the showcase of Olympic medals, from 1896 to the most recent Olympics in Brazil, was really fascinating. We compared the changes over time, talked about the gold (“is it real?”) and picked our favorites.

Overview of Facilities

Once inside you can purchase a family ticket at one of the automated machines or the ticket desk. There are discounted rates with combined SBB ticket. They are also a Swiss Museum Pass Affiliate.

There are lockers in the clock room near the entrance and on the second floor near the Café. Ask for a green key at the main desk. They have changing tables in the bathrooms.

You can navigate your way through the museum via ramp and stairs. We didn’t see any families using strollers but the museum is wheelchair and stroller accessible if that works better for you.

The café is on the top floor and has a beautiful view of the Alps and Lake Geneva. Prices for kid’s meals range from 12-15 CHF and 24-36 CHF for an adult meal. They also have desserts and starters.

You could easily spend all day in the museum with a lunch break at TOM café, but we found our 5 year old had pretty much had her fill after 2 hours.

If it’s a nice day in Lausanne and you are looking to make a full day visit we have enjoyed a slow walk along Lake Geneva from Ouchy – technically a port but also a great space with a playground, boats, ducks, restaurants and a few shops, along the promenade to Le Denantou Park. It’s about a 20-minute walk and you will pass The Olympic Museum on the left. Or if you have more time you can take a boat ride on Lake Geneva from Ouchy.

Getting There

By car: The museum is located at Quai d’Ouchy 1, 1006. *We parked along the street right out front in metered parking. There are also nearby parking garages.

The closest parking garage is Parking Port d’Ouchy (Place de la Navigation 3, 1006 Lausanne). Their website says there is also disabled parking at the museum’s north entrance (Elysée entrance).

By public transport: Take a train to Lausanne-Gare, then walk south about 15 mins to the museum. If you are already in Lausanne, you can the M2 metro line to Ouchy or a bus to Musée Olympique, the closest bus stop.

Promotional video of the museum.