Articles & Publications

United States of America

NOA
December 22, 2020
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NOA Report

United States of America

In August 2020, the US Olympic and Paralympic Museum opened its doors in Colorado Springs, giving the US another powerful means of promoting Olympic ideals to the American public.

The mission of the Museum is to honour the Olympic and Paralympic ideas, to document and highlight the history of the Olympic and Paralympicparticipation of the United States and to celebrate the achievements of the athletes who represented the USA at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The 60.000 square foot (5,600 square meters) museum is dedicated to the US Olympic and Paralympic athletes and their fascinating stories, with objects, media and technology behind the athletes that made the United States proud.

The 60,000 sf United States Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs features 20,000 sf of galleries, a state-of-the-art theater, event space and café. Inspired by the energy and grace of Team USA athletes and the organization’s inclusive values, the building’s dynamic spiraling form allows visitors to descend the galleries in one common path. This main organization structure ensures that from entrance to exit, visitors of all abilities can tour the facility together in a shared experience. From the earliest stages of design, the team consulted Team USA athletes, including Paralympic athletes and persons with disabilities, to ensure the most authentic and inclusive experience. Today, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum is considered one of the most accessible museums in the world, and most recently received the 2020 Grand Award from the International Association for Universal Design, who noted the museum “embodies so completely the principles of inclusive design by treating all visitors as equal while providing for individual needs in a seamless and elegant whole.”

The Museum also focuses on the fundamental values of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements: friendship, respect and excellence, determination, equality, inspiration and courage.The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on the annual programming but at the same time provided the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee with the opportunity to support the building of a better world through sport, using digital applications.Children's book readings via Facebook live: Team USA athletes read their favorite children's books on their Team USA Facebook page to entertain their fans."Staying active at home" was the initiative of Team USA athletes to demonstrate home exercises by encouraging the maintenance of physical health during quarantine.

The #WashwithUS campaign connects and strengthens the Team USA community, with athletes and fans sharing their favorite Olympic or Paralympic moments while washing their hands safely.On 23 June, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee celebrated Olympic and Paralympic Day in the United States on Team USA’s social media. The programme included a live workout on TikTok with Paralympian Hunter Woodhall, and a Live on Instagram with American sprinter and hope for Olympics Michael Norman and Paralympic sprint runner Jarryd Wallace.

Finally, the Team USA for Tomorrow outreach programme continues to provide the vehicle through which American athletes offer their help and support to those in need.

Celebrating Moments That Move Us

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United States of America
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