Propel yourself into the 2024 Olympic Games, whether or not you managed to get tickets, by visiting an upcoming temporary exhibition at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. Opening on May 25, ‘Paris Olympique™: An Immersive Journey’ lets visitors put themselves in the shoes of former champions and discover how the Games have evolved over the centuries to become the world’s foremost sporting competition.
This free and experiential exhibition is a chance to explore all three Parisian editions of the Olympic Games: 1900, 1924 and 2024. Large-scale projections provide a glimpse into past and present identities of the City of Light, or go deeper and step back in time 100 years to the Paris of 1924 through the wonders of augmented reality (AR). Using an AR portal, visitors can enter what was then Colombes Stadium (now Yves-du-Manoir Stadium) and marvel at historical imagery from the Olympic Museum’s archives.
Then, try your hand at two ‘extinct’ Olympic sports no longer in the modern Games. The first is a ‘200-metre obstacle’ swimming event which featured in the Paris 1900 Olympics, where competitors climbed over a pole and a row of boats before swimming under another row of boats. Don’t worry, you can test your skills at this one virtually, so no swimming kit is required.
The second sport is a little simpler, but not necessarily easier: rope climbing, taken from the Paris 1924 Games. Can you make a medal-worthy ascent? There’s only one way to find out.
Once you’ve tested out your own athletic abilities, take time to delve deeper into the Olympic Games through wide-ranging interactive installations and artefacts. Trace back the event’s roots before looking at its modern-day identity as a world-renowned competition, discover some of the most successful and storied Olympic athletes from across the years (and their favoured sports), and examine the societal, artistic and cultural legacies of the Games through the famed opening and closing ceremonies and wider artistic projects.
The entire exhibition is set to a dramatic musical score that adds to the excitement and builds even more atmosphere. If it’s not clear by now, ‘Paris Olympique: An immersive journey’ is very much a 360-degree experience.
Afterwards, don’t forget to head downstairs snap a selfie with the French Olympic and Paralympic mascots, the Phryges, and take advantage of the chance to hold an official Paris 2024 torch.
There are also special events to look out for. Those visiting on the opening day – May 25 – can spectate a live painting session (renowned illustrators will create artworks inspired by sports at Paris 2024) and a live TV broadcast, featuring Swiss athletes discussing their preparations for Paris 2024, followed by an audience Q&A and autograph opportunities.
These include weekly Sunday guided tours of the permanent exhibition (running from May 26 until September 8) that reveal more secrets of Paris 2024, and a special summer menu at the Olympic Museum Restaurant that celebrates classic French cuisine (from May 25 until Aug 11). It’s the perfect end to a Parisian adventure that’s truly fit for a champion.
‘Paris Olympique: An immersive journey’ will be hosted at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne from May 25 until January 19, 2025. Find out more about the exhibition, including the full programme of events and activities, by visiting olympics.com/museum/events/paris-olympique.