Tour

Our desire is that you leave the museum understanding our ski history.  The exhibits begin with an overview of ancient ski history. Then you travel through medieval history showing how, in that period, skiing was mainly used for hunting and warfare.  The exhibits then lead you through modern history - teaching you about the “father of modern skiing” and then bringing you through the history of skiing in the Sierras.  The displays follow the story as presented by Mark McLaughlin in his book of Sierra ski history “Longboards to the Olympics”. A special section is dedicated to Eddy Starr Ancinas’s book “Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows – Tales from two Valleys”.  Bill Clark and the Auburn Ski Club have created a fantastic display of the early years of skiing, including skis from some of Tahoe’s greatest.

We then enter the exhibits showcasing the 1960 Winter Olympic Games.   The story is told through the definitive book on the Olympics by David C. Antonucci: “Snowball’s Chance – The Story of the 1960 Olympic Winter Games”.  You will learn why being awarded the Olympics was considered a “Snowball Chance” and how Richard Nixon, Walt Disney and the State of California made the Olympics a success.  The Displays will include hundreds of artifacts from numerous donors from official materials from the Olympic committee to numerous collectibles that were sold during the games.

The Museum has also been given the privilege to display the Original Photos from Bill Briner – the Official photographer for the 1960 Winter Olympics.

Under development is a tribute to “Tahoe’s best” winter athletes currently with an overview of the best. Shortly we will provide a larger display that will include a large amount of memorabilia from the greats.

Come visit and be part of your great Ski History!