The US Olympic and Paralympic Museum (USOPM) has officially opened its doors to the public in Colorado Springs.
Paralympic pistol shooter Mike Tagliapietra — who was named to the committee in 2015, alongside goalball athlete, Matt Simpson — said both of them were “asked for our input as Matt has a very different perspective as a blind athlete, and me being a wheelchair athlete.”
The two gave insight on what it would be like for people with a disability to go through the museum.
“I remember the first thing I said to them was please don’t put carpet in the museum. It makes it difficult to push wheelchairs around on it,” said Tagliapietra.
Four-time Olympic triathlete Hunter Kemper, who is one of three athletes on the USOPC athlete advisory board, calls the 60,000 square foot building, “the most accessible and interactive museum in the United Sates.”
In addition to Kemper, gold medal hurdler Benita Fitzgerald Mosley and three-time medalist and Olympic speedskater Joey Cheek who make up the advisory board, added their feedback — not only to the 12 interactive galleries, but also aiding with the accessibility of the building.
And now, two months after the museum was due to open on US public holiday Memorial Day in May — an unexpected delay due to the coronavirus — it officially opened to the public.
USOPM worked with lead strategic technology solutions partner to design a unique interactive and personalised experience. The art of storytelling through experiential exhibits was a critical component.
“Panasonic has a longstanding history of creating interactive and immersive experiences,” said Joe Conover, National Manager, Panasonic System Solutions Company of North America. “For more than 20 years, we have been a proud partner of Olympic museums around the world, supplying sustainable and immersive solutions for international museums from Switzerland to Tokyo. Collaborating with the US Olympic & Paralympic Museum, from initial consulting stages, to design, and ongoing engineering support, was truly an honor. We’re excited to bring to life one of the most immersive and accessible Olympic museum experiences in the world.”
With the help of Panasonic’s professional displays, laser projectors and security solution technologies, visitors will be able to relive historical moments and experience life as an aspiring Olympian or Paralympian, whether you’re 6’0 tall, in a wheelchair, or blind or hearing impaired.
