Lake Placid Olympic Museum

10/16/2026

Long before Cool Runnings (1993) invited viewers to "Feel the Rhythm, Feel the Rhyme," the Walt Disney Company was founded on this day (Oct. 16) in 1934. The Winter Olympics have inspired Disney content, from character-adorned pins to the depiction of Lake Placid's 1980 Games in Miracle (2004). It's always "Bobsled Time" at the Olympic Museum, where visitors can "Get On Up" in the bobsled simulator, located in the Snow on Demand exhibit.

From the Lake Placid Olympic Museum Collection: Cool Runnings (1993) Walt Disney Movie Poster

10/13/2026

🏅 A Pair of Champions!

On February 10, 1932, two American speed skating champions posed together in Lake Placid during the III Olympic Winter Games.

Elizabeth DuBois claimed victory in the women's 1,000-meter speed skating event, held as part of the demonstration program, while Lake Placid's own Jack Shea made Olympic history by winning gold in both the men's 500-meter and 1,500-meter races.

📸 This historic photograph captures two champions celebrating their achievements in Lake Placid!

10/07/2026

Make your fall visit to the Lake Placid Olympic Museum unforgettable!🍂 Join us each weekend to discover hidden artifacts, hold an authentic Olympic torch, and learn about the stories behind Lake Placid’s Olympic legacy.

🏆 Artifact Encounter – Fridays & Saturdays, 11:00 am - Noon
🔥 Touch-a-Torch – Fridays & Saturdays, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

*Programs are subject to change.

10/02/2026

In 1980, the Olympic Torch Relay commemorated the American Bicentennial, starting at Yorktown where the final battle of the American Revolution was fought in 1781. Along the way, the flame passed through historic sites and major cities, including Washington, D.C., New York City, and Philadelphia.

More than four decades later, the LA28 Olympic Torch Relay will build on this tradition of connecting communities through the Olympic flame. Its recently announced route will visit all 50 states for the first time, beginning in Atlanta, host city of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games.

From retracing America’s history in 1980 to reaching all 50 states in 2028, the Olympic Torch Relay continues to bring the Olympic spirit to communities across the nation.

Image from the Lake Placid Olympic Museum Bob Josuweit Collection.

09/24/2026

Hours Update: We will be closing at 3 pm today, September 24, for a private event.

09/23/2026

🎬 We’re on Museum Access!
Take a behind-the-scenes look at the Lake Placid Olympic Museum with Leslie Mueller! Explore our collections, exhibits, and the stories behind Lake Placid’s Olympic legacy.🥇

Watch the episode and visit us in Lake Placid!:

Step inside the Lake Placid Olympic Museum in Lake Placid, New York...

09/22/2026

During the Lake Placid 1980 Olympic Winter Games, each major competition venue was assigned its own color, creating a visual identity that helped distinguish venues across signs, maps, tickets, publications, and other Olympic materials.

💙 Blue — Olympic Center
💚 Green — Mt Van Hoevenberg
💛 Yellow — Olympic Ski Jumps
❤️ Red — Whiteface Mountain

More than four decades later, these bold colors remain an instantly recognizable part of Lake Placid’s 1980 Olympic identity and a colorful reminder of how design helped bring the Games together.

09/16/2026

“The City of Albany is just now in the midst of what may be called the ‘bob’ sled craze.” — Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, January 30, 1886

Before bobsled became an Olympic sport, the “bob” sled was already drawing crowds in New York State.

This archive comes from the January 30, 1886, issue of Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, featuring an illustration and article titled “A Coasting Carnival in Albany.” The illustration depicts 13 men riding a large bobsled during a winter celebration in Albany, New York.

According to the article, 80 clubs were represented by more than 150 bobsleds, with thousands of spectators lining the streets to watch the procession. The Albany bob was described as: “Not simply a plank fastened upon two hand-sleds. It is an elaborate machine, fifteen to forty feet long, gorgeous in fancy paint, gold-lettering, and cushions, and equipped with complicated steering apparatus, head lights, steel brakes, and trip gongs.”

Bobsled made its Olympic debut at the first Winter Games in Chamonix, France, in 1924, with the four-man event.

09/15/2026

The Lake Placid Olympic Museum has hit it out of the park again for the third year in a row, winning another ISHY Award for the new Snow on Demand exhibit that opened in February this year.

Story is linked in the comments!

09/15/2026

Thank you, Adirondack Daily Enterprise and Lake Placid News, for highlighting the Lake Placid Olympic Museum’s third consecutive ISHY Award! We’re proud of the recognition Snow on Demand has received and grateful to the staff, partners, and colleagues whose expertise and collaboration helped bring this exhibit to life. We appreciate you helping share this achievement with our community!

For the third year in a row. https://buff.ly/RnbsAQw

Lake Placid Olympic Museum