The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum is a tribute to the Olympic and Paralympic movement, centered on Team USA athletes. The 60,000-square-foot building, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Architect of Record Anderson Mason Dale Architects, includes 20,000 square feet of galleries, a state-of-the-art theater, event space and a café. Inspired by the energy and grace of Team USA’s athletes and the organization’s inclusive values, the building’s dynamic spiral shape allows visitors to descend through the galleries in one continuous path. This basic organizational structure allows the museum to be one of the most accessible museums in the world, ensuring that visitors with and without disabilities can seamlessly share the same overall experience.
The Square: The plaza with terraces is located in the center of the museum complex, surrounded by the museum building to the south and the café to the north. The plaza frames a postcard view of Pikes Peak and the Rocky Mountains beyond. With an integrated 230-seat amphitheater, the plaza can host outdoor events throughout the season, from winter to summer.
Atrium in the Level 1 lobby: A skylight illuminates the 40-foot-high atrium, and perforated fiberglass-reinforced plaster screens provide views from the lobby. Four balconies of varying heights overlooking the atrium reorient visitors in this central space as they move through the galleries.
Level 1, 2, 3 galleries: DS+R designed 20,000 square feet of gallery space in the form of overlapping petals that wrap around a central atrium. Skylights in the seams between these petals provide soft daylight emanating from the central atrium space, ending in vertical windows around the building’s perimeter. This lighting strategy simultaneously serves as an orientation, guiding visitors back to the atrium and positioning them along a trajectory moving through the galleries, which feature immersive interactive exhibitions designed by Gallagher Associates.
Level 1 Theater: The 2000 square foot theater can seat 130 people. Two rows of seats can be removed to accommodate a maximum of 26 wheelchairs, allowing the entire Paralympic hockey team to sit together.
Tier 2 Event Space: The 1,300-square-foot event space has panoramic views from downtown Colorado Springs to the Rocky Mountains. The space can also open up to an adjacent 500 sq. ft. outdoor terrace. Café and Education Room: A 2800 sq. ft. café with an additional 400 sq. ft. outdoor dining area. The café’s landscaped roof showcases native plantings that reflect the changing seasons.