articles

Atlanta History Center: Atlanta '96 Olympic, Paralympic & Tokyo Games

July 16, 2021

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the 1996 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and in anticipation of the rescheduled 2020 Tokyo Games, Atlanta History Center is thrilled to
welcome guests in-person and virtually for a variety of activities, digital exploration, and more.

“Ever since we opened the new exhibition Atlanta ’96: Shaping an Olympic and Paralympic City back in September 2020 during the pandemic, we’ve been anticipating the day when we can welcome the public back in a big way to see it,” Says President & CEO, Sheffield Hale, “The opening week of the Tokyo Olympic Games is a perfect time. That week also marks the 25th anniversary of the start of the Centennial Olympic Games here in Atlanta.”

Starting July 19, guests are invited to visit Atlanta History Center to see a special presentation in the Rountree Visual Vault showcasing torches from every Olympic Games as well as a variety of artifacts and mascots from the Paralympic Games. To learn more about the Atlanta Games story, Atlanta ’96: Shaping an Olympic and Paralympic City documents the long journey to becoming a host city, the urban history of the events, and memorable and historic moments from the Games themselves. The Olympic and Paralympic Celebration hub also include blogs, artifact highlights, and more to explore.


Virtually, guests are invited to a free virtual Author Talk on Wednesday, July 21st at 7 PM by authors Randal Roark and Michael Dobbins for their recently-published book Atlanta’s Olympic Resurgence: How the 1996 Games Revived a Struggling City. The book was also written by the late Leon Eplan, former Commissioner for Planning and Development for the Olympics.

To kick off the Tokyo Olympic Games, guests are invited to a watch party of the Opening Ceremonies on Friday, July 23rd at 7 AM ET. Join us to celebrate Team USA with complimentary admission, coffee, and sweet treats. For the Tokyo Paralympic Games, the event will be on Tuesday, August 24. Both free events will take place at Atlanta History Center’s Buckhead campus.

Full details on all festivities can be found on Atlanta History Center’s website.