Beijing's Olympic Museum features life size replicas of the mascots from last year's Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games ©BJOM

A museum which records the story of both the 2008 Summer and 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing has been described as "uniquely placed to advocate the Olympic spirit," 

The Beijing Olympic Museum (BJOM) has been elected to the international Olympic Museums Network (OMN) which is "designed to increase the promotion of the values of Sport and Olympism".

BJOM is housed at the National Stadium - more popularly known as the Bird's Nest Stadium - in the Chinese capital which uniquely staged Opening and Closing Ceremonies at both the Summer and Winter Olympics.

"Established in 2009, the Beijing Olympic Museum never stopped collecting artefacts and creating educational programmes to reach local populations and share the Olympic values,” BJOM director Hou Ming said.

"We are now refurbishing our museum to enhance the visitor experience and give the best exposure to our collections,”

Beijing is the 33rd member of the OMN, founded in 2006.

"The Beijing Olympic Museum is a great addition to an already dynamic network, and this further enhances our commitment to reach more people to spread the Olympic ideals," Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage director and OMN Chairwoman Angelita Teo said.

"Based in a host city of both the Olympic Summer and Winter Games, they are uniquely placed to advocate the Olympic spirit and inherit the legacy of the Beijing 2008 and Beijing 2022 Games."

Children participating in a workshop are among the 200,000 visitors to the Beijing Olympic Museum since it opened in 2014 ©BJOM
Children participating in a workshop are among the 200,000 visitors to the Beijing Olympic Museum since it opened in 2014 ©BJOM

Since it opened in 2014, Beijing's Museum claims to have welcomed over 200,000 visitors.

They are offered guided tours, take part in community based workshops, information campaigns and other special events.

The BJOM hopes "to introduce the Olympic Movement to more people and encourage the general public, especially teenagers, to actively participate in sport."

Exhibits include examples of the bronze Fou drums which were used by 2,008 drummers at the start of the Olympic Opening Ceremony in 2008. 

Torches, equipment and other historical memorabilia are also on show.

Life size models of 2022 Olympic mascot Bing Dwen Dwen and Paralympic counterpart Shuey Rhon Rhon have also proved popular with visitors.

In addition, the giant cauldron from Beijing 2008 is to be found on the site outside the entrance to the Stadium.

The Museum was not open to international visitors during Beijing 2022 as organisers operated a "Closed Loop System" as a precautionary measure against the spread of COVID-19.

Drums used during the Beijing 2008 Opening Ceremony are among the original artefacts on display at the Beijing Olympic Museum ©BJOM
Drums used during the Beijing 2008 Opening Ceremony are among the original artefacts on display at the Beijing Olympic Museum ©BJOM

Other Olympic museums in China include one in Nanjing, opened in celebration of the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games, and similar institutions in Tianjin and Xiamen.

Worldwide, the OMN network features museums in Athens and in the other Olympic cities of Barcelona, Helsinki, Lake Placid, Lillehammer, Montreal, Nagano, Sapporo, Seoul and Tokyo.

The Museum in the inaugural Youth Olympic host Singapore is another affiliate to the group.

The German sport museum in Cologne, Qatar’s in Doha and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs are also amongst those forming part of the OMN network alongside the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.