ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the International Olympic Committee's rationale for establishing an Olympic Museum, the process of funding its development and the museum's varied roles as archival repository, exhibition centre and tourist destination. The Olympic Games are now a major sport tourism event. During the early twentieth century, though, such a development seemed unlikely. The ‘revived’ modern Games had a modest profile; in some cases the Olympics were merely an adjuct to a much larger spectacle, such as exhibitions or trade fairs in Paris and St Louis. While Olympic athletes from around the globe excelled in sport, setting new standards and breaking world records, they were not expected to benefit financially from such glowing performances. Commercial sponsorship of the Olympics were nothing new, but for most of the twentieth century private companies had a low public profile during the Games and a modest role in providing financial support.
