Museum of the History of the Olympic Games of antiquity — Attraction in Municipality of Ancient Olympia

More than 400 exhibits, dated from the prehistoric period to the 5th century A.D., are presented in thematic groups. The majority comes from Olympia, but also on display there are many ancient works of art from other important sites of Greece .

We can have a complete understanding of the historical development of the Olympic Games and the other panhellenic festivals (the Pythian at Delphi, the Nemean at the sanctuary of Zeus at Nemea and the Isthmian Games at the sanctuary of Poseidon near Corinth) through a wide selection of exhibits, as well as information panels and visual material.

Among the most important exhibits are the gold rings-seals with the first representations of athletic competitions, representative examples of the Minoan and Mycenaean art, bronze and clay geometric figurines of warriors and chariots coming from Olympia. Also, equipment used by athletes, such as discs, halterai (weights for long jump), arryballoi (small oil vases) strigils (for scrapping the dust from the skin) etc. Furthermore, exhibited in the galleries the visitor can enjoy a variety of interesting inscribed bases of statues of athletes who adorned the sacred Altis during antiquity, which constitute an inexhaustible source of information, also different small bronze figurines of athletes and many vases and vessels decorated with scenes of athletic performances.

The basement of the museum is equipped with the so called digital exhibition, a wide variety of high tech devices and computer systems. It is mostly availiable for schools and universities where students can be informed and educated about the Games in antiquity through scientific multimedia content (texts, pictures, maps, videos, 3-d representations of the ancient games, an interactive 3D theater etc). Notice that a booking of the visit should be made in advance. Contact the Ephorate of Antiquities of Ilia, the responsible administration authority...

I wandered into this small, charming museum and was pleasantly surprised. It’s located in a beautiful old neoclassical building that used to be the first archaeological museum in Olympia. The exhibits take you through the history of the Olympic Games from ancient times all the way to the 5th century AD. I really enjoyed seeing original athlete equipment like bronze discs, weights, and scrapers which made the daily life of the athletes feel real. There were also small statues and early depictions of sports on jewelry, which showed just how important athletics were in ancient culture. The museum is compact and easy to explore, with clear displays and helpful explanations. It’s much quieter than the main museum, so you can take your time and really absorb the atmosphere. The whole visit took about 30 to 45 minutes, and it felt like a nice complement to seeing the ruins. It’s located between the town and the archaeological site, so very convenient to add to your walk. If you’re curious about how the ancient Games worked and what they meant to the people of the time, this museum is definitely worth a visit. Where olive trees in silence grow, the ancient stones still softly glow. A sacred path beneath my feet, where gods and mortals used to meet.

The echo of a chariot’s race, still lingers in this hallowed place. Though temples lie in ruin’s grace, their fallen columns still embrace.

The Temple of great Zeus stands wide, in dreams, its golden form won't hide. The flame still burns where Hera’s name once lit the first Olympic flame.

I stood upon the starting line- no crowd, no cheer, yet all divine. And in the breeze, I swear I heard the past return,...

Very good. I have lived in Greece for almost 30 years and I never made time to see this incredibly important site which, considering the history of the region, still echos its magnificence. The site is huge and must have been incredible in its time, and its importance to world history cannot be overstated - 2,000 years later and, yes, we have the Olympics, the concept and spirit and indeed many of the sports of which started here. PRO TIPS: 1) wear walking shoes, you will cover quite a bit of distance, 2) wear a hat, while there are trees and some shade there is a lot of blazing sun happening, and 3) please trust me on this, bring your own water otherwise they hide the water they are obliged to sell by law (500 ml for 50 cents!) and try to force the expensive (500 ml for 4.50...