A new exhibit in Milan, Italy, will give fans the opportunity to explore the three-thousand-year legacy of the Olympic Games.
Hosted by Milan’s Fondazione Luigi Rovati and co-produced with the Olympic Museum and Musée cantonal d’archéologie et d’histoire in Lausanne, The Olympic Games: A Three Thousand Year History will dive into the evolution of the Olympic ideals of peace, excellence and inclusion through five sections ahead of February’s Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
Ancient Greek, Etruscan and Roman artefacts will be on display, alongside iconic Olympic memorabilia, connecting the Games of antiquity to the present day.
Perhaps most significantly, the Tomba delle Olimpiadi (Tomb of the Olympic Games) will be shown publicly for the first time outside the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Tarquinia. The tomb features vivid frescoes of athletic scenes that date back to 530–520 BCE.
From the modern era, there will be plenty of showstoppers: Usain Bolt’s shirt from Beijing 2008, Michael Jordan’s sneakers, Michael Johnson’s golden spikes, Jan Železný’s javelin and Alberto Tomba’s ski suit, many of which are leaving the Olympic Museum for the first time.
“The Olympic Games, A Three Thousand Year History, offers a rare opportunity to explore how sport has shaped societies across time,” said Olympic Museum director Angelita Teo. “This exhibition shows that the values of excellence, friendship and respect have deep roots that remain meaningful today.”
The exhibit opens Wednesday (26 November) and runs through 22 March 2026.
