The “Records” exhibit at the Gallerie venue in Trento

The “Records” exhibit

Courage, loyalty, dedication, as well as emotions, smiles, and tears of joy and frustration. The history of the Olympics is made up of unforgettable images, but it’s also a tale of times, records, statistics, the weights and heights of athletes: in short, many different things that can be measured.

That’s why the “Records” exhibit at the Gallerie venue in Trento from 6 February 2024 to 6 February 2025 delves into the topic of measurements, exploring the history of sport through the evolution of its disciplines and the transformation of competitors’ bodies, an essential element in every competition. It does so in an engaging manner, involving experiential zones and data storytelling (a virtual map showing all the data on participation and results from the Olympics) as well as photographs, archive videos, televised commentary of the most memorable moments, simulators and much more.

The exhibit consists of 14 sections which allow visitors to immerse themselves in every aspect of the Games: from the sections describing the birth of the Modern Olympics and the story of their founder, Baron Pierre De Coubertin, to those devoted to the 22 Olympic and Paralympic disciplines for Milan Cortina 2026 and those focused on highlights from Olympic history through television and radio commentary from the past. Finally, there are the sections analysing Olympic records: times, speeds, and the bodies of athletes, considering both genetics and training.

Of particular interest is the section dedicated to Data Storytelling, in which the data accumulated over the course of many Olympic Games are systematically presented to the public in an immersive, eye-catching manner. For example, large video installations are capable of tapping into the value of this vast quantity of information as a historical source.

Anelli di congiunzione (The Rings that Bind)

This is the name of the important exhibition project organised as part of the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Cultural programme, as a journey leading up to the Olympics themselves.

The project will last from 2024 to 2026 in the form of three immersive exhibits, held in the spectacular Gallerie venue in Trento. With one exhibit per year, each will explore the past, present and future of the Games with a particular focus on one specific topic.

It will kick off in 2024 with the “Records” exhibit, which shines a light on the theme of measurements, after which the journey will continue in 2025 with an exhibit on the theme of technology, a central element in the evolution of sporting disciplines and performances, and then on into 2026 with a focus on the host countries, which provide the backdrops to the triumphs, disappointments and dreams that form a part of the Olympic and Paralympic stories.

So, over three years, the audience will become fully immersed in the excitement for the 2026 Games, in which two regions — Lombardy and Veneto — and two Autonomous Provinces — Trento and Bolzano — will enjoy the limelight.