Museums in Olympia

Ancient Olympia is the birthplace of the Olympic Games and today the area is one of the most important archaeological places in the world. Several remains of Zeus temple and other sites can be seen in the open-air museum of the ancient site of Olympia.

The Archaeological Museum of Olympia is one of the most interesting and well-known museums in Greece which presents the historical development of one of the most important sanctuaries of the antiquity. The museum hosts a permanent exhibition with findings which date from the prehistoric to the early Christian years. Of great value is the sculpture exhibition whereas the statues of Hermes and Praxiteles are set in a prominent location inside the museum.

The Olympic Games Museum is located in Olympia, known as the birthplace of the Olympic Games. The museum presents hundreds of exhibits dedicated to the historical games, approximately 463 ancient works which cover a long period from the 2nd millennium BC until the 5th century AC. The museum's permanent collection includes findings from the surrounded excavated sites from the prehistoric to the early Christian period.

Considered among the best museums in Greece, the Archaeological Museum hosts findings from the ancient site and from other excavations in the area. Well labeled and with many rooms, the most famous exhibits of the museum are the statues of Hermes of Praxiteles and of Nike Paionios.

The Museum of the History of the Olympic Games is housed in the old archaeological museum in Ancient Olympia. It houses findings from the entire area that are related to the ancient games.

The exhibits are accompanied by rich audio-visual material (in Greek and English), such as explanatory labels and giant posters with a lot of information, detailed diagrams, photos and complete bibliographical references.