New Rio Olympic Museum celebrates Rio 2016 Games and their legacy

08 August 2025 – The Rio Olympic Museum officially opened its doors on 3 August – the ninth anniversary of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Located on the second floor of the velodrome at the heart of Olympic Park, the museum offers a dynamic and interactive journey through the first Olympic Games ever held in South America – celebrating the city’s transformation, memorable sporting moments and the lasting legacy.

“The museum shows that we hosted a beautiful celebration that captivated the world and left a legacy that goes far beyond the Games,” said Eduardo Paes, Mayor of Rio de Janeiro. “Everyone who visits will relive the excitement and better understand how it all came together.”

Key highlights of the museum include:

• 13 thematic zones and 80 immersive activities, from gymnastics rings to canoe slalom simulators

• Original Rio 2016 artefacts including the Olympic torch, medals and equipment

• Stories told through multimedia by athletes, volunteers, organisers and officials

• A focus on the Olympic Movement, with 39 per cent of the content dedicated to its history and values

• Integration with the surrounding Olympic legacy projects and community facilities.

Alongside the Games memorabilia, the museum also highlights the social and environmental legacy of Rio 2016.

This Rio Olympic Museum captures the thrill and glory of the Olympic Games, while also telling the powerful story of how Rio 2016 helped to transform the city and impact the lives of its people. As a member of the Olympic Museums Network, it will play an important role in advancing our shared mission to promote the values of sport and Olympism across Latin America and beyond.

Angelita Teo
Director of the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage

Founded in 2006, the Olympic Museums Network (OMN), chaired by the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, is an international member-based organisation dedicated to advancing the culture, heritage and legacy of the Olympic Games. United by the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, respect and solidarity, OMN members bring together best practices in storytelling, collection stewardship and educational programming to inspire diverse communities worldwide. The Rio Olympic Museum became its latest addition and 37^th member in 2025.

Created with a focus on sustainability and innovation, the museum also showcases the wider legacy of Rio 2016, from new public transport systems like the BRT and VLT to “nomadic architecture” solutions that turned dismantled venues into educational facilities, such as the Future Arena.

The Rio Olympic Museum is also part of the continuing transformation of Rio 2016’s Olympic Park, where the velodrome today serves both elite athletes and the local community. The surrounding area includes Rita Lee Park, formerly the Olympic Way and now a vibrant public space, while the Isabel Salgado Olympic Education Gymnasium, the former Carioca Arena 3, has been repurposed as a public school.

Open to sports fans, students, researchers and tourists, the Rio Olympic Museum expects to welcome 200,000 visitors annually, and will serve as a platform to promote the Olympic values and inspire future generations.

Rio 2016: Shaping urban renewal and social progress in challenging times