Olympic Museum Lausanne (Musée Olympique)
The basics
Several day tours from Geneva make a stop in Lausanne, with many tour itineraries including a visit to the Olympic Museum along with other regional highlights, such as Chillon Castle or Schilthorn. Some tours also include a cruise on Lake Geneva. You need around two hours to explore the museum and park grounds. Admission tickets can be purchased in advance, though some tours include the entry in the price.
Things to know before you go
- Swiss Pass holders receive free entry to the Olympic Museum, plus hundreds of other museums across the country.
- The museum is fully accessible for wheelchair users.
- Strollers and other large items can be left in one of two on-site cloakrooms.
- The museum grounds host a cash machine, cafe, and shop.
How to get there
Day tours from Geneva typically include round-trip transportation. Otherwise, the museum is a 20-minute walk from Lausanne’s main station, or a short ride on the M2 metro line, alighting at Ouchy. Regular cruise services stop at the neighboring Port d’Ouchy, which is also home to a large underground parking lot.
When to get there
The museum opens daily during the summer. Between October and April, it’s closed on Mondays, as well as major holidays. The park offers scenic views at any time of year, but the blooms of spring and summer make for an ideal outdoor picnicking on the sprawling grounds.
Sports in Switzerland
Lausanne famously houses the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee, but this is not Switzerland’s only claim to sporting fame. Zurich is also the home of the world-famous football association FIFA, while Oberhofen remains the seat of the International Ski Federation. The FIFA Museum, the ISF-managed Winter Sports Museum in Davos, and the Olympic Museum can all be visited for free by Swiss Pass holders.