Client
United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum

Project website
usopm.org

Realisation
2020

Partners
Centre Screen
CREO Industrial Arts
Gallagher & Associates

Photos
US Olympic and Paralympic Museum
Nic Lehoux
William Baum
Gallagher & Associates

A museum for everyone

On 30 July 2020 the long-awaited United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum opened. This impressive museum is one of the most accessible museums in the world, offering a world-class experience regardless of physical or cognitive ability. Located in Colorado Springs, the museum includes 20,000 square metres dedicated to interactive exhibits. Visitors of all abilities are able to experience the exhibits through inclusive design and assistive technologies such as video captions, audio description tracks, universal keypads, sign language and RFID-triggered customisation. At each of the exhibits, visitors be shoulder to shoulder with Team USA athletes. They compete alongside these heroes as they simulate athletic training in any number of sports, ranging from skiing to sledge hockey—ice hockey for players with disabilities—in the museum’s interactive galleries. Visitors can sprint against a US athlete, test their archery skills by pointing a physical bow, steer a skeleton sled with their body and train their reaction time by playing goalball.

At the Athlete Training gallery visitors test their speed, agility, strength, and endurance through full-body manipulatives and digital interactives, inviting visitors to participate in different Olympic and Paralympic sports.

The RFID-powered interactives seamlessly deliver a customised experience for each guest as they organically adapt to each persons’ unique selections and accessibility requirements.

All media is designed with inclusivity at its heart. The accessibility services are individually selected during guest registration and tailored throughout each exhibit, including video with audio descriptions, text-to-speech screen readers, high contrast and larger font sizes.

This gallery includes an immersive map of the US that shows the spread of athletes across the country, their training details & Olympic statistics and an exhibit where visitors can study all Olympic and Paralympic torches and read the rich stories connected to them.

Team USA athletes were involved and consulted throughout the project. Because of extensive testing carried out with the athletes, visitors can experience an authentic experience of Olympic sports.

Visitors can interview an athlete by asking questions of their choice to virtual Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Paralympian Matt Scott, wheelchair basketball superstar, answers over 2000 questions using artificial intelligence powered technology.

The museum has taken extensive measures to provide a safe and contactless environment for guests. The museum is expected to attract some 350,000 visitors per year.

"I am excited to see how powerful and inspiring stories come to light at the Museum.”

Bart Conner (gymnastics): two-time Olympic champion