Jesse Owens Museum
Overview
Glass display cases showcase rare memorabilia including programs from the 1936 Olympics, replicas of track uniforms and shoes, and medals and trophies from Owens' high school days.Contact Information
7010 Co Rd 203Danville, Alabama 35619
United States
Description
In the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin, a single man captured the attention of the world, winning 4 gold medals, an Olympic first. Sixty years later, thousands gathered to honor this man with the dedication of a park named in his honor, the Jesse Owens Memorial Park. Dedicated on June 29, 1996 with the arrival of the Olympic torch on its journey to the Atlanta games, the Jesse Owens Memorial Park is a tribute to the Olympic track and field superstar. The Jesse Owens Memorial Park Museum immortalizes Owens' memory by depicting the moments that made Owens great and portraying the people who shaped him as an athlete and as a man. Glass display cases showcase rare memorabilia including programs from the 1936 Olympics, replicas of track uniforms and shoes, and medals and trophies from Owens' high school days. In addition, the museum offers visitors interactive kiosks that highlight Owens' life and accomplishments. The museum's mini-theater shows the movie "Return to Berlin" in which Owens narrates the 1936 Olympics. Visitors can follow the larger-than-life panel displays throughout the museum that depict Owens' life beginning in Oakville, Alabama to his death in 1980. The panel displays highlight Owens' athletic accomplishments as well as his humanitarian efforts. For those interested in learning more about the life of Jesse Owens, the museum offers The Decatur Daily Resource Center. Equipped with computers and printers, the center allows visitors to do their own research of this Olympic gold medalist.