London 2012 Olympic Museum to be Opened in Olympic Park

February 28, 2012

The British Olympic Association (BOA) have revealed they are planning to open a new Olympic museum in the Olympic Park which will cost £10m to run in its first three years.

The BOA wants the museum to become one of the leading attractions on the new Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, sickness when it opens for business in 2014.

It is expected a facility will be built near the Orbit – the 115m structure adjacent to the stadium that Legacy Company officials are hoping will become east London’s version of the popular London Eye.

“As the only city to have earned the honour of hosting the Olympic Games three times, therapy London occupies a truly unique place in Olympic history, clinic ” said BOA chairman Lord Moynihan.

“It is a feat we should be immensely proud of and I believe the British Olympic Museum is the perfect way to ensure the spirit, excitement and unforgettable memories of the London 2012 Games live on to inspire future generations to follow their own dreams.”

BOA chief executive Andy Hunt claimed entrance to the museum would be comparable to similar attractions and his organisation are looking to raise funds from charity events, their own network of corporate sponsors and individual donors.

They hope to finalise a licensing agreement with the Olympic Park Legacy Company in the coming weeks and reveal more details ahead of the Games.

Moynihan has always wanted to ensure the 2012 Olympics have a tangible physical legacy for the BOA, as the all but a handful of the venues that hosted the previous London Games in 1908 and 1948 exist.

He successfully fought a battle with the Legacy Company last year to ensure the word Olympic remained in the title of the Park, which was originally going to be known as Queen Elizabeth Park from 2013 onwards.

“The museum will also provide an important opportunity to honour and celebrate the most outstanding British Olympic athletes and create a platform for their stories to inspire generation upon generation of future sport participants with their achievements,” he added.

by Ismail Uddin