New exhibit spotlights the "genius" behind the modern Olympics
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A new exhibit at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs. Photo: John Frank/Axios
A new exhibit at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum puts the spotlight on the founder of the modern Games — and America's overlooked role in them.
Why it matters: Pierre de Coubertin and a little-known chapter of Olympic history are finally getting their moment with this month's debut of the "Genius of Sport" exhibit.
State of play: The French education reformer is credited with reviving the Olympic Games in 1894 and recognizing the power of sports to unite people, decades before the international competition became a global phenomenon.
What they're saying: "He was the first to see the possibilities of sport as a vehicle for peace and a vehicle for uniting the entire world in a celebration of humanity," Olympic historian and filmmaker George Hirthler told us in a recent interview.
- "If he were alive today, he would be amazed at the extent to which his ideas have succeeded."
The intrigue: A central theme of the exhibit is Coubertin's two trips to the United States to generate support for the Games. He consulted with leaders from Princeton, Harvard, Yale and Cornell.
- In 1895, the first U.S. committee for the Olympic Games, chaired by former President Grover Cleveland, was formed.
- "America responded to the Olympic call like very few other countries have," Hirthler said. "I think part of that is because the American Dream of independence and individual autonomy … and the Olympic dream are sort of one and the same."
If you go: Visitors will find timelines tracing Coubertin's life and a floor-to-ceiling map documenting his 12,000-mile journey across America.
- In addition, the display includes a ticket to the first Olympic Games and the first medal awarded in the modern era, won by Harvard athlete James Connolly.
What's next: Organizers plan to turn the exhibit into a traveling museum beginning in 2027, visiting many of the colleges and universities he toured more than 130 years ago.
- That is expected to culminate in Los Angeles ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games.