Olympic Museum unveils five cultural initiatives for Milano Cortina 2026

The Olympic Museum and Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026 have unveiled a nationwide program of cultural initiatives throughout Italy accompanying the upcoming Winter Olympics. Angelita Teo and Yasmin Meichtry, Director and Deputy Director of the Olympic Museum, together with Domenico De Maio, Director of the Education & Culture at Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, met with journalists alongside a round table on January 28 to present the extensive program, which runs under the slogan “Culture moves the world.” The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes culture as one of Olympism’s three pillars, alongside sport and education. 

The Cultural Olympiad is a journey that highlights a country’s creative energy. The Cultural Olympiad program of Milano Cortina 2026 features exhibitions, music and theater performances, festivals, artistic and urban installations, workshops and educational projects.

Five collaborative initiatives

The partnership includes “The Olympic Games – A 3,000-Year History” at Fondazione Luigi Rovati in Milan through March 22, jointly organized by Fondazione Luigi Rovati, MCAH Lausanne, and the Olympic Museum. The exhibition explores connections between Greek, Etruscan, and Roman civilizations and the modern Olympic Movement.

“Musa” at Casa Italia in Milan runs Feb. 6-22, celebrating Italy through the nine Roman Muses. Based in the Triennale, the exhibition combines historic objects from the Olympic Museum’s Lausanne collections with artworks by internationally recognized artists.

Italian fashion photographer Giampaolo Sgura captured behind-the-scenes images from Milano Cortina 2026 Opening Ceremony rehearsals for “Olympism Made Visible at Milano Cortina 2026,” displayed at Palazzo Castiglioni in Milan from Feb. 12-17. The exhibition forms part of the Olympic Museum’s Olympism Made Visible photography initiative.

“Fundamentals: 1924-2026 Olympic Ice Sports” transforms the Portello Metro Station in Milan into a cultural hub through March 30. The art installation focuses on ice hockey and skating disciplines being hosted in Milan during the Games. The project is produced in collaboration with Milano & Partners and Metro 5.

“Competition – Interconnecting Rings” at Le Gallerie in Trento runs through Jan. 6, 2027, examining the emotions of athletes and the history of Olympic and Paralympic sport. The exhibition is curated with Fondazione Museo Storico del Trentino and the Autonomous Province of Trento, in collaboration with Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026.

Cultural Olympiad scale

Between 2024 and 2025, the Milano Cortina 2026 Cultural Olympiad activated around 500 initiatives, encompassing more than 2,250 event days and engaging around 6.8 million people, including audiences and participants in educational and cultural activities. “We have worked to ensure that each initiative could generate relationships, foster inclusion and tell the story of Italy through its beauty, creativity and vision for the future,” said Domenico De Maio, Education and Culture Director of the Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation.