Lake Placid Olympic Museum

06/23/2026

⭐ Meet Magique, the official mascot of the 1992 Albertville Olympic Winter Games!

Created by Philippe Mairesse, Magique was the first Winter Olympic mascot since 1976 that wasn't an animal. Shaped like a star, he symbolized dreams and imagination, while his colors reflected the French flag. 🇫🇷

Did you know? A mountain goat was originally chosen as the mascot before organizers switched to the iconic star-shaped Magique just two years before the Games.

06/22/2026

Lake Placid Olympic Center's Hall of Fame. Understand the selection criteria, nominations and where they are displayed

06/17/2026

The spirit of the Miracle on Ice extends far beyond the hockey rink. As Team USA continues its World Cup journey, we’re resharing a recent FOX Sports interview with the U.S. Men’s National Team coach, who reflects on the 1980 Olympic team’s enduring impact and the lessons that continue to inspire athletes across generations. Good luck, Team USA!

Mauricio Pochettino takes inspiration from USA's 1980 'Miracle on Ice' hockey team.

06/17/2026

Celebrate Olympic Day at the Lake Placid Olympic Museum with our third annual Olympic Day Friendship Bracelet Craft Activity! 🏅✨

Join us for this free, all-ages celebration where creativity and connection bring the Olympic values of Excellence, Respect, and Friendship to life. Create your own friendship bracelet, share in the Olympic spirit, and celebrate the ideals that unite athletes and communities worldwide.

Olympic Day commemorates the founding of the International Olympic Committee, and we invite you to celebrate with us through a fun afternoon of crafting and community.

📅 Tuesday, June 23, 2026
🕛 12–4 PM
📍 Empire Room, Olympic Center

We hope to see you there!

06/16/2026

On February 10, 1932, Italy’s Giovanni Delago took to the trails in the Olympic 18-kilometer cross-country ski race in Lake Placid.

Starting and finishing at the Olympic Stadium, athletes tackled the challenging “Mt. Whitney” course, which featured 500 meters of climbing, a steep ascent beginning at the 11-kilometer mark, and a long descent through the Adirondack winter landscape. ⛷️❄️

06/09/2026

Snowboarding made its Olympic debut at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano, Japan, marking a major milestone for the sport. The inaugural Olympic snowboarding program featured two events: the men's and women's halfpipe (freestyle) and giant slalom (Alpine).

From the Lake Placid Olympic Museum collection: a USA Snowboarding Team pin from the 1998 Olympic Winter Games. The pin features a snowboard with the phrase “Victory Bound! Nagano 1998,” alongside the official Nagano Games logo.

05/27/2026

Carving through history at Whiteface Mountain ❄️⛷️

During the 1980 Olympic Winter Games, Whiteface Mountain in Wilmington, New York, hosted the alpine skiing events, including downhill, slalom, and giant slalom competitions. From downhill speed to tight slalom turns, Whiteface was at the center of the alpine action in 1980.

05/21/2026

This Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games luge helmet was hand-painted by renowned artist Jon Wooten, who first caught the attention of the sliding world after his unique helmets debuted at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Since then, Wooten has created every Olympic team helmet for USA Luge.

This particular helmet is especially unique: it is the original prototype design for the 2010 Vancouver team and one of just 16 created for the U.S. Olympic Luge Team. Though never worn by an athlete, it represents the artistry and innovation behind the sport.

Each helmet can take about 10 hours to individually paint by hand. This helmet, in particular, used only about 15 grams of paint to keep it lightweight for competition. Designed in bold patriotic colors, the graphics were created to stand out clearly even at fast racing speeds.

To learn more about Wooten’s artistic process, follow this link: https://wydaily.com/sports/2026/02/05/road-to-milan-meet-the-williamsburg-native-behind-team-usas-luge-helmets/

05/18/2026

Today, museums around the world are celebrating International Museum Day and this year’s theme, “Museums Uniting a Divided World.” 🌍

Museums have the power to bring people together through shared stories, dialogue, and experiences, and at the Lake Placid Olympic Museum, we see that connection through sport every day.

The Olympic Games unite athletes and spectators from across the globe, transcending language, borders, and differences. Through the stories preserved in our galleries, we’re proud to share the moments where sport inspired connection, understanding, and a sense of community worldwide.
International Council of Museums - ICOM

05/15/2026

A frozen track, roaring crowds, and Olympic history in motion ❄️⛸️

This photograph captures the first heat of the 10,000-meter speed skating event at the 1932 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid. In the end, Team USA’s Irving Jaffee claimed gold, followed by Norway’s Ivar Ballangrud with silver and Canada’s Frank Stack with bronze.