Olympia - Museum of the History of the Ancient Olympic Games

The Olympic Games were held for more than 1,000 years. The first games took place in 776 B.C. Participants and spectators from all over Greece took part. They were held continuously over 293 Olympiads until the Roman Emperor Theodosius I banned the Games in 393 AD, as he considered them a pagan cult.

The museum's Neoclassical building was completed in 1888. It stands on a hill about 400 meters northwest of Altis, across the bridge over the Kladeos.

In February 2012, an armed robbery was committed at the museum, during which numerous exhibits were stolen. However, the theft was solved in November 2012, and the items were recovered.

The Louis´ skyphon

A black-figure skyphon - 540–520 BC
Found in Thebes. On each side, a pair of long-distance runners.

Awarded to Spyros Louis, winner of the marathon race at the first modern Olympic Games, Athens 1896.
Returned to Greece by the Archaeological Institute of the Westfälische Wilhelms University of Münster, Germany