After having been closed for renovations for about two years, the Beijing Olympic Museum reopened on 3 February 2024, serving as a special New Year’s gift for the public. The inauguration coincides with the second anniversary of the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. IOC President Thomas Bach sent a congratulatory message via video link. Zhang Jiasheng, Vice Minister of the General Administration of Sport of China, Yu Zaiqing, IOC Member, Vice President of the Chinese Olympic Committee and former Vice President of Beijing 2022, and You Liang, Vice Chairperson of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation attended the opening ceremony, along with Zhang Jiandong, Vice Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Beijing Municipal People’s Congress and former Executive Vice President of Beijing 2022, Han Zirong, member of the Party Leadership Group of the Beijing Municipal Political Consultative Conference and former Vice President (full time) and former Secretary General of Beijing 2022, Liu Jingmin, Executive Vice Chairman of the Beijing Olympic City Development Association (“BODA”), Jiang Xiaoyu, Vice Chairman of BODA, Liu Shuguang, Director General of the Chinese Museums Association and former Vice Minister of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, and Li Keliang, Mayor of Zhangjiakou. Other guests present at the opening ceremony included Angelita Teo, Director of the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage, Chair of the Olympic Museums Network and Director of the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Frédérique Jamolli, Head of International Cultural Affairs of the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage, Angelina Wang of the IOC Digital Engagement and Marketing Department, Andres Vergara, Senior Olympic Games Impact & Legacy Manager at the IOC Corporate and Sustainable Development Department, and Yalan Liu, Olympism365 Coordination Officer at the IOC. At the opening ceremony, Sima Hong, Vice Mayor of Beijing and Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, IOC Member and Chair of the Culture and Olympic Heritage Commission delivered remarks. Fu Xiaohui, Secretary General of BODA, moderated the opening ceremony.

(A group photo of officials and guests)

In his video speech, Bach extended his best wishes in Chinese to the Chinese people for the upcoming Spring Festival and praised BODA’s outstanding work in carrying forward the Olympic legacy. He said, “All Chinese people can take great pride in the fact that when Beijing became the first city in the world to host both the summer and winter editions of the Olympic Games, you were writing great Olympic history. The new and improved Beijing Olympic Museum is a shining example of a living legacy and will continue to inspire every visitor with timeless Olympic values.”

(Thomas Bach delivers remarks via video link)

Beijing’s Vice Mayor Sima Hong emphasised that the remodelling of the Beijing Olympic Museum is an important step Beijing has taken to effectively manage and utilise the legacy of the Beijing 2022 Games and write a new chapter as the dual Olympic city following General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions and Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. The new Beijing Olympic Museum is set to promote cultural prosperity in Beijing and improve people’s well-being. She introduced that the museum will host a series of exhibitions, as well as educational, research and cultural activities, to showcase and promote the spirit of the Beijing 2008 and Beijing 2022 Games and provide unique cultural goods centred on the Olympic spirit for the public. Beijing will pool resources of the dual Olympic culture, especially resources in the Olympic Common Domain, adopt new operations and management mechanisms, explore new forms, new formats and new products, and boost sports culture and tourism in an endeavour to promote the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Beijing will also strengthen cooperation with the IOC, the Olympic Museums Network and other international organisations and strengthen exchanges with other museums to jointly carry forward the Olympic spirit. Taking the reopening of the Beijing Olympic Museum as a new opportunity, we will carry forward the legacy of both the Beijing 2008 and Beijing 2022 Games and work with all sides to advance the progress in sports, she said.

(Sima Hong gives a speech)

On behalf of the IOC, the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage and the Olympic Museum, Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul expressed congratulations on the establishment of the Beijing Olympic Museum, which is now a part of the Olympic Museums Network. She said that the Beijing 2008 and Beijing 2022 Games are not just sporting events; they are a celebration of humanity’s ability to overcome challenges, break barriers and forge connections. The establishment of the Beijing Olympic Museum today demonstrates the continuous impact of Olympism. This museum serves as the custodian of the rich history, heritage, and cultural significance embedded within the Olympic Games. She hoped that the Beijing Olympic Museum would not only preserve the heritage of the Olympic Movement, but also play a significant role in disseminating the Olympic spirit and promoting international sports and cultural exchanges.

(Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul gives a speech)

(Fu Xiaohui moderates the opening ceremony)

At the opening ceremony, Olympic champions Ye Qiaobo, Deng Yaping, Tong Wen, Wu Dajing and Han Xiaopeng donated their collections to the museum.

(Athletes make donations)

Hou Ming, Curator of the Beijing Olympic Museum, announced a call for Olympic collections.

(Hou Ming announces a call for collections)

(Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul speaks to media)

Located south of the National Stadium known as the “Bird’s Nest”, the Beijing Olympic Museum covers a total area of 26,199 square metres. Functioning as a permanent specialised museum centred around the Olympic theme, and committed to carrying forward the Olympic legacy, the Olympic serves multiple functions such as research, collection, protection, display and solicitation of Olympic exhibits, as well as Olympic education. Founded in 2009, the museum was handed over from the Beijing Municipal Cultural Heritage Bureau to the Beijing Olympic City Development Centre in May 2021. After over two years of efforts, four indoor and outdoor renovation projects were completed at the end of 2023, delivering upgrades in the museum’s four functions – display and experience, education and research, external exchanges and services.

Highlighting elements of the Beijing 2008 and Beijing 2022 Games, the indoor exhibition space consists of the Entrance Hall, the Permanent Exhibition Hall, the Interactive Zone and the Temporary Exhibition Hall. To be more specific, the Entrance Hall presents two groups of exhibits – “The People’s Republic of China and the Modern Olympic Movement” and “Modern Olympic Movement”. Themed “Dual Olympic City: Together for a Better Future”, the Permanent Exhibition Hall covers an area of 8,604 square metres and is composed of three parts: “Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022”, “Memories of the Olympic Games Beijing 2008” and “Beijing, the Dual Olympic City”. The exhibition displays 1,394 exhibits and a wealth of images and video footage in various forms, such as scene replica, multimedia model and display without protective enclosures. It gives a full picture of the concerted efforts led by the Communist Party of China, as it guided the Chinese people through the process of bidding and hosting the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics and demonstrates the profound impact of the Games on the host city, as well as China’s contributions to the Olympic Movement. It also presents the remarkable moments and touching stories of athletes around the world with tenacious spirit.

There are also three characterful exhibition zones, namely, the “Setting a Benchmark” Themed Exhibition, the Wall of Champions and the Thematic Exploration Area. The “Setting a Benchmark” Themed Exhibition highlights the splendid journey of the planning and delivery of the Beijing 2022 Games from four perspectives: effective COVID-19 response, high-tech Games, green Games and the campaign of engaging 300 million people in winter sports. The Wall of Champions revisits the “highlight moments” of medallists at the Beijing 2008 and Beijing 2022 Games. Visitors can also “take a photo with champions” as a way of interaction enabled by technology. Featuring a treasure trove of interactive elements, the Thematic Exploration Area “Sports World” offers an engaging interactive experience. It invites visitors to immerse themselves in the thrilling sport events of the Winter and Summer Olympics.

A holistic approach was taken in the renovation to seamlessly integrate indoor venues and outdoor plazas, ensuring that each part complements and enhances the overall experience. The Shuang Ao Plaza and Shuang Ao Garden offer great outdoor views. The Shuang Ao Plaza comprises the Bird’s Nest South Square and Shuang Ao Road which connects the scenic boulevard to the museum entrance. The plaza features a multitude of displays, including the Olympic symbol consists of five rings, a majestic snowflake sculpture marking the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, and an impressive flag array featuring the Chinese national flag and the Olympic flag. This plaza has become a wildly popular destination for photography. The Shuang Ao Garden is situated in front of the museum’s main entrance. The reliefs on both sides of the garden tell the stories of the Winter and Summer Games. A newly built cascading water feature comes together with artfully placed steps and seating areas to create an open-air theatre. The trees in front of the small theatre, along with the meticulously arranged seating steps, add a distinctive touch, forming a pattern that represents the Morse code abbreviation of the word “Olympic”. The Interior Functional Zone include the Tourist Centre (Information Desk), the front hall, the Shop & Education Area, the Multi-Functional Activity Area and the Multi-Functional Room. The Tourist Centre (Information Desk) is situated on the eastern side of the museum’s indoor entrance. It offers a range of services, including consultation, wheelchair and stroller rentals, as well as storage for large baggage. The front hall is located on the first floor of the museum, where the floor showcases a captivating centrepiece – a large painting crafted for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Opening Ceremony. Flanking both sides of the hall, reliefs artfully portray the competitive events and major venues of the Beijing 2008 Games and the Beijing 2022 Games. The Shop & Education Area, situated on the east side of the first floor of the Beijing Olympic Museum, comprises an education space, a reading area, a shop, and a café. It is designed to offer visitors with a harmonious mix of educational opportunities, leisure activities, catering services, shopping, and more. The Multi-Functional Activity Area is equipped with movable walls and exhibition and conference facilities to meet the diverse needs of temporary and special exhibitions, conferences, information release and so on. The Multi-Functional Room on the B1 floor is designed for hosting a range of activities, including museum-related lectures, film appreciation events, international academic seminars, and various other events.

The Beijing Olympic Museum is open from 9:00 to 17:00 (no admission after 16:00), Tuesday through Sunday, excluding statutory holidays. Free reservations are available to group visits, while no reservation is required for individual visitors.

In celebration of the second anniversary of the Beijing 2022 Games, BODA will soon conduct exchange activities with the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage in Beijing. The two sides will establish long-term strategic cooperation mechanisms to jointly promote the Olympic Values Education Programme, develop educational resources, conduct Olympic related research, advance cooperation on Olympic culture digitalisation and strengthen exchanges and cooperation within the Olympic Museums Network. A variety of activities will be held, such as an art exhibition featuring the Beijing 2008 and Beijing 2022 Games, the Dual Olympic Culture Lecture and the Youth Winter Sports Carnival in the Summer Palace.

Also present at the opening ceremony were officials of relevant central departments, members and related organisations of the leading group for the construction of the Beijing Olympic Museum, former departments of BOCOG and Beijing 2022, BODA, leaders of Zhangjiakou and other Olympic cities in China. They were joined by Olympic volunteers and representatives of Olympic museums, the Beijing Olympic Games Community and other sections of society.