Lake Placid Winter Olympic Museum
Encyclopedia
The 1932 & 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympic Museum, sometimes referred to as the Lake Placid Winter Olympic Museum, in Lake Placid, New York
, commemorates the 1932 Winter Olympics
and 1980 Winter Olympics
, which were based in the village. It is the only Olympic museum in the United States
and is a part of the work of New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority
in the Lake Placid Olympic Region. Lake Placid is the only North America
n city to have hosted two separate Winter Olympics.
The museum
, which was opened by New York State in 1994, is located within the Olympic Center. Its collection includes the "Fram III" bobsled from the 1932 Olympic Games which had been missing for more than sixty years prior to being donated to the museum, the skates used by Jack Shea
in the same games, as well as memorabilia from the 1980 Miracle on Ice
hockey team. The museum also hosted the Olympic torch when it traveled the United States
prior to the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. In addition to hosting the Lake Placid film forum, the museum's collection also provided materials for the 2004 movie Miracle
, which focused on the 1980 hockey team.
The museum
was the recipient of the 2005 Olympic Cup
, one of the oldest awards given by the International Olympic Committee
, which recognizes institutions that have been active in the service of sport, and have contributed to the development of the Olympic Movement. It has benefited from and is augmented by the other Olympic institutions and programs located in and around Lake Placid which form part of former Governor Pataki
's promotion of Lake Placid as a tourism
destination. The museum draws between 25,000 and 35,000 visitors each year.
44.2840759°N 73.9847016°W
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
, commemorates the 1932 Winter Olympics
1932 Winter Olympics
The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1932 in Lake Placid, New York, United States. The games opened on February 4 and closed on February 15. It would be the first winter olympics held in the United...
and 1980 Winter Olympics
1980 Winter Olympics
The 1980 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIII Olympic Winter Games, was a multi-sport event which was celebrated from 13 February through 24 February 1980 in Lake Placid, New York, United States of America. This was the second time the Upstate New York village hosted the Games, after 1932...
, which were based in the village. It is the only Olympic museum in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and is a part of the work of New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority
Olympic Regional Development Authority
The Olympic Regional Development Authority is a New York State public benefit corporations, created by the State of New York to manage the facilities used during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games at Lake Placid, New York...
in the Lake Placid Olympic Region. Lake Placid is the only North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n city to have hosted two separate Winter Olympics.
The museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
, which was opened by New York State in 1994, is located within the Olympic Center. Its collection includes the "Fram III" bobsled from the 1932 Olympic Games which had been missing for more than sixty years prior to being donated to the museum, the skates used by Jack Shea
Jack Shea
John Amos Shea , better known as Jack Shea or The Chief, was an American double-Gold medalist in speed skating at the 1932 Winter Olympics. He was the first American to win two Gold medals at one Winter Olympics edition, and was the patriarch of the first family with three generations of Winter...
in the same games, as well as memorabilia from the 1980 Miracle on Ice
Miracle on Ice
The "Miracle on Ice" is the name in American popular culture for a medal-round men's ice hockey game during the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York, on Friday, February 22...
hockey team. The museum also hosted the Olympic torch when it traveled the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prior to the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. In addition to hosting the Lake Placid film forum, the museum's collection also provided materials for the 2004 movie Miracle
Miracle (film)
Miracle is a 2004 American biographical sports film about the United States men's hockey team, led by head coach Herb Brooks, that won the gold medal in the 1980 Winter Olympics. The USA team's victory over the heavily favored Soviet team in the medal round was dubbed the Miracle on Ice...
, which focused on the 1980 hockey team.
The museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
was the recipient of the 2005 Olympic Cup
Olympic Cup
The Olympic Cup is an award given annually by the International Olympic Committee.It was instituted by Pierre de Coubertin in 1906 and is awarded to an institution or association with a record of merit and integrity in actively developing the Olympic Movement.Its recipients have included amateur...
, one of the oldest awards given by the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
, which recognizes institutions that have been active in the service of sport, and have contributed to the development of the Olympic Movement. It has benefited from and is augmented by the other Olympic institutions and programs located in and around Lake Placid which form part of former Governor Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
's promotion of Lake Placid as a tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
destination. The museum draws between 25,000 and 35,000 visitors each year.
External links
44.2840759°N 73.9847016°W