Promoting Olympic values and history

Located in the Olympic Center, the Lake Placid Olympic Museum is home to North America’s second-largest collection of Winter Olympic artifacts. The museum preserves more than 30,000 items, including Olympic torches, medals, sporting equipment, photographs, textiles, and ephemera, and brings them to life through immersive exhibits and educational programs. By blending sport, culture, and education, the Lake Placid Olympic Museum inspires visitors of all ages while bringing Lake Placid’s Olympic legacy to life. 

A source of pride in the area, the museum is an important driver of tourism, attracting 63,227 visitors between April 2024 and March 2025, a year in which it generated revenue of USD 749,186, more than double the figure for 2018/19. It is one of several venues run by the New York Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA).

Its current displays include Quest for Speed, which reveals the history of speed skating and the development of the equipment used in the discipline, and tells the story of how US speed skater Eric Heiden won five individual gold medals at Lake Placid 1980. Totally 80 explains how the 1980 Olympic Winter Games logo created a unique identity for Lake Placid, while Miracle on Ice relives the USA’s shock 4-3 victory against the Soviet Union in the medal round of the men’s ice hockey tournament, displaying original footage, equipment and memorabilia from the game.

The museum also has a strong educational focus and gives schoolchildren the opportunity to learn about the village’s Olympic history and the role of photography in news stories. Using photographs from the museum’s own collection, youngsters are invited to write their own headlines and news articles. In recognition of the museum’s contribution to the development of the Olympic Movement, the International Olympic Committee awarded it the Olympic Cup in 2005, the first time a museum had received the award.

A further attraction for visitors to Lake Placid are some of the artworks commissioned for the XIII Olympic Winter Games as part of a national competition involving 175 artists. Reflecting the spirit and values of the Games, a total of 12 pieces were chosen on the basis that they would be meaningful to future generations. Five of the artworks were permanent and are still standing today. They include a steel and granite sculpture entitled Vans for Ruth; the Sonja Henie Ice Fountain; and 30 Below, a 10-metre circular brick tower.

As part of the fine arts programme for Lake Placid 1980, the schoolchildren of New York state were invited to create their own artworks, including banners and cards of the athletes taking part in the Games. The programme was one of the largest art festivals ever held in the USA at the time. In addition to two films on the arts, it featured dance pieces, a new chamber symphony, a jazz composition, a play and four traditional US music compositions. A film programme was also laid on at the Olympic Village and a number of temporary exhibits were shown as part of the Visual Arts Programme. In 2024, ORDA together with the Lake Placid Olympic Museum created an ongoing partnership with the Al Oerter Foundation and Art of the Olympians to feature art by Olympians throughout the venues as well as the corporate offices. 

Discover “Snow on Demand” at the Lake Placid Olympic Museum!

The Lake Placid Olympic Museum has just unveiled its thought-provoking new exhibit, Snow on Demand, opening at February 2026. This engaging display explores the impact of climate change on winter sports and what the future may hold for snowy traditions and Olympic competition. Designed to inspire reflection and conversation, the exhibit ties the region’s rich Winter Olympic legacy to one of the most pressing issues facing athletes and mountain communities today — making it a must-see for both history buffs and outdoor enthusiasts alike.