On June 23, 1993 the new Olympic Museum, dedicated to both sport and culture, opened in Lausanne, Switzerland. On that occasion, Switzerland issued a 80c stamp. It shows a discus thrower on a Greek vase, symbolizing the museum's purpose of documenting the history of the Olympic idea. Ideally situated in spacious gardens on the shores of Lake Geneva, the museum building offers 3400 m2 (36,000 sq. feet) of exhibition space. Exhibits are presented in an attractive and instructive manner, enlivened by a variety of computer animations, interactive audiovisual facilities and computerized information stations. The museum traces the development of the Olympic movement, with its historical and cultural ties. It documents the Games of ancient Greece and the work of Baron Pierre de Coubertin as well as the modern Olympics. The displays illustrate Games' influence of art, design, architecture and town planning, as well as their purely athletic aspects. Valuable collections of Olympic stamps, coins, posters, badges, medals, etc. are neatly staged. An Olympic research centre with a database, large library (15,000 volumes), a photo section, an audiovisual unit and archives complete the attractive offerings.

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