During the 2026 Winter Games, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum will be open seven days a week, offering a variety of activities and fan-facing programming throughout the duration of the Games. Stay tuned for the Museum’s full schedule of the 2026 Winter Games Experience.
Join us on Friday, February 6, at 12:30 p.m. for the 2026 Milano and Cortina Winter Olympic Games Opening Ceremony Watch Party. Guests are invited to gather at the Museum to watch the live broadcast of the Opening Ceremony, marking the official start of the Games and setting the stage for the days of competition and celebration ahead.
Downtown Winter Fest, produced by the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation, will take place at the Museum on February 7, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering free community access with winter-themed activities, live entertainment, food and beverage vendors, Olympic-inspired programming, and live Olympic coverage indoors and on an outdoor screen.
Bernard Sandoval, a local sports artist, will be at the Museum throughout the day creating a live painting inspired by the Winter Olympic Games, offering visitors a unique opportunity to watch his artistic process and see the Games interpreted through his work in real time.
Offered daily at 12 p.m., this guided experience highlights iconic winter sport moments and stories from the Games, providing visitors with a deeper look at athletic achievement and Olympic and Paralympic history.
Hosted daily from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. throughout the Games, these demonstrations offer visitors an up-close look at the Museum’s Olympic and Paralympic artifacts, highlighting their history and significance.
Join us on Sunday, February 22, at 1 p.m. MT to watch the Closing Ceremony live at the Museum. Celebrate the conclusion of the 2026 Winter Olympics, share in the excitement, and experience the memorable finale of the Games together.
Join us on Friday, March 6, at 10 a.m. for the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony Watch Party. Gather at the Museum to watch the live broadcast and celebrate the official start of the Paralympic Games, kicking off days of competition, achievement, and inspiration.
Celebrate the spirit of the Paralympic Games at the Museum with a full day of activities. Meet Paralympic athletes, watch the Games live, participate in interactive Museum experiences, and join the community in honoring the achievements and stories of these incredible competitors.
Bernard Sandoval, a local sports artist, will be at the Museum throughout the day creating a live painting inspired by the Winter Paralympic Games, offering visitors a unique opportunity to watch his artistic process and see the Games interpreted through his work in real time.
Offered daily at 12 p.m., this guided experience highlights iconic winter sport moments and stories from the Games, providing visitors with a deeper look at athletic achievement and Olympic and Paralympic history.
Hosted daily from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. throughout the Games, these demonstrations offer visitors an up-close look at the Museum’s Olympic and Paralympic artifacts, highlighting their history and significance.
Celebrate the conclusion of the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Paralympic Games at the Museum. Join us to watch the live broadcast of the Closing Ceremony, honor the athletes’ achievements, and share in the excitement of the Games’ grand finale. Time to be announced.
Beginning on February 6, the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Games will showcase 16 sporting events, including the Olympic debut of ski mountaineering. These Games will also be the most geographically widespread Winter Olympics in history.
While Milan has never hosted the Olympic Games, Cortina d’Ampezzo did so in 1956. At those Winter Games, the United States earned seven medals across figure skating, ice hockey, and bobsled.
Among those seven medals, the United States dominated in Figure skating with Tinley Albright securing gold in the Women’s Singles and Hayes Alan Jenkins securing gold in the Men’s Singles.
Tinley Albright was inducted into the United States Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame in 1988.
The Torch Relay has been a tradition at the Games since its introduction at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. The Winter Games first incorporated the relay at the 1952 Oslo Winter Olympic Games. While the relay traditionally begins in Olympia, Greece, Oslo marked a departure by starting the torch’s journey in Morgedal, Norway—an approach that became the standard for Winter Games beginning in 1964.
The 2026 Torch Relay will begin in Rome on December 6 and conclude in Milan on February 6.
Ski mountaineering is set to make its official Olympic debut at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games. After appearing at the Youth Olympic Winter Games in Lausanne in 2020, the sport was officially added to the Winter Games program in July 2021. Events will be held in Bormio.The 2026 Torch Relay will begin in Rome on December 6 and conclude in Milan on February 6.
Every edition of the Games features its own torches, mascots, and medals—symbols that reflect the host nation’s culture and values while giving each Games a distinct identity. This practice also ties the traditions of the modern Games back to their ancient origins.
Every edition of the Games features its own torches, mascots, and medals—symbols that reflect the host nation’s culture and values while giving each Games a distinct identity. This practice also ties the traditions of the modern Games back to their ancient origins.
The torches, named Essential, pay tribute to the excellence of Italian design. Every detail embodies the strength and determination of the athletes while symbolizing the unifying power of sport. Weighing just 2.34 pounds, each torch is primarily crafted from recycled materials such as aluminum and brass alloy. Sustainability guided the design, with a refillable system that allows each torch to be reused up to ten times—significantly reducing the number needed for both relays.
The medals are designed with geometric simplicity, inspired by the timeless elegance of Italian Avant-Garde. Their youthful, vibrant style reflects the spirit of contemporary Italy. Each medal is formed of two halves that join to create a whole—symbolizing unity through difference. This design embodies a sense of belonging and affirms the shared Olympic and Paralympic values
Tina and Milo are stoats chosen to embody the spirit of the Winter Games, reflecting liveliness and adaptability. Tina is named after Cortina, and Milo after Milano. Though siblings, they have distinct personalities and appearances.
Tina: Creative and artistic, she believes in the transformative power of beauty. Her motto: ‘Dream big!’
Milo: Resilient and inventive, he overcomes the challenge of a missing leg by using his tail. His motto: ‘Obstacles are trampolines!’
