A Century of Olympic Posters

17 May - 7 September 2008

Olympic Games London 29 July-14 August 1948 Walter Herz ©Courtesy IOC / Victoria and Albert Museum 1948 Colour lithograph V&A: E. 331-2006 (click image for larger version)

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'.

A Century of Olympic Posters explores the fascinating representation of the Olympic Games through the intensely visual medium of the poster. Coinciding with the Beijing Olympic Games of 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.

At a time when the Olympic Movement is promoting the new Youth Olympic Games initiative, and underlining the benefits that young people from all backgrounds can experience through sporting activity, this exhibition celebrates physical and sporting achievement and offers inspiration to the athletes of tomorrow.