Touring exhibition: A Century of Olympic Posters

Exhibition available for hire

Over the past 100 years, the modern Olympic Games have come to represent the pinnacle of athletic achievement and now occupy a place on a global stage as 'the greatest sporting show on Earth'.

Curated to coincide with the Beijing Olympic Games 2008 and the build-up to London 2012, exhibits are drawn from the V&A's rich collections of posters and ephemera, including stunning recent acquisitions.

These posters offer a fascinating record of our world - four-yearly snapshots through which we can explore links between sport and art, politics and place, commerce and culture.

They illustrate the connection between art and physical culture embraced by the idealistic founder of the modern Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who revived the Olympic Games in 1896 with the aim of fostering national and international understanding through sport, and inspiring excellence - physical, moral and aesthetic - in society at large.

For further information about this exhibition please contact touringexhibitions@vam.ac.uk

Official poster for Paris Olympic Games, 1924 Jean Droit

1924 Paris E.329-2006.jpg
Official poster for Paris Olympic Games, 1924
Jean Droit
©Courtesy IOC / Victoria and Albert Museum
V&A: E.329-2006
Colour lithograph

'Poster for the 20th Anniversary (1894-1914) of the resolution to re-establish the Olympic Games', Edouard Elzingre

'Poster for the 20th Anniversary (1894-1914) of the resolution to re-establish the Olympic Games', Edouard Elzingre, Museum no. E.228-2006

Four Horses Olympic Poster

Four Horses Olympic Poster

‘The Start of the Sprinters’ Dash’. Poster for Tokyo Olympic Games, 1964. Yusaku Kamekura (art director); Osamu Hayasaki (photographer); Jo Murakoshi (photo direction)

‘The Start of the Sprinters’ Dash’. Poster for Tokyo Olympic Games, 1964. Yusaku Kamekura (art director); Osamu Hayasaki (photographer); Jo Murakoshi (photo direction), Museum no. E.341-2006 ©Courtesy IOC / Victoria and Albert Museum

Official poster for London Olympic Games, 1948

Official poster for London Olympic Games, 1948, Walter Herz, Museum no. E. 331-2006, ©Courtesy IOC / Victoria and Albert Museum

‘Peace Roo’. Official Design Poster no.1 for Sydney Olympic Games 2000, David Lancashire

‘Peace Roo’. Official Design Poster no.1 for Sydney Olympic Games 2000, David Lancashire, Museum no. E.353-2006, ©Courtesy IOC / Victoria and Albert Museum

'Edition Olympia poster for Munich Olympic Games, 1972'

'Edition Olympia poster for Munich Olympic Games, 1972', Allen Jones, Museum no. E.149-1971, ©Courtesy Allen Jones / Victoria and Albert Museum

'Official poster for Mexico City Olympic Games, 1968'

'Official poster for Mexico City Olympic Games, 1968', Lance Wyman; Eduardo Terrazas and Pedro Ramirez Vázquez (art direction), Museum no. E.338-2006, ©Courtesy of the artist / IOC / Victoria and Albert Museum