THE ALF ENGEN SKI MUSEUM

Explore the Museum!

youtu.be/y4lG3RChnCs

THE ALF ENGEN

SKI MUSEUM

In 1993, a small 10-member charter group had a vision of one day opening a ski museum in Park City, Utah. It would be a modest, two-story A-frame building dedicated to showcasing the sport’s history and ties to the local area on a shoestring budget of $1 million.

Now almost 20 years later, the Alf Engen Museum welcomes over 500,000 visitors each year through the doors of two multi-story buildings spanning 29,000 square feet, plus an Olympic training park, totaling a cool $11 million.

Entry is free, making it a family—and budget—friendly activity anytime you vacation in Park City.

The museum is named after ski jump champion Alf Engen who was inducted into the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in 1959 and ran a world-renowned ski school in Alta, Utah until 1989.

Neighboring Salt Lake City and Park City also quickly earned their places on the international map as host of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.

Leading up to the Games, athletes from around the world arrived to train at Park City’s Nordic Olympic Park, located on the same grounds as the Alf Engen Museum.

An Olympic organizing committee decided to grant the training park land to the museum for just $1 per year over the next 50 years. The only requirement was that the museum agree to allow sports media outlets to make it their base of operations during the Winter Olympics, and the offer was simply too good to pass up.

Experience History!

youtu.be/h11drXmGSKI

THE MUSEUM TODAY

Alf Engen now features one of the most extensive collections of ski and Olympic memorabilia in the country. It receives approximately 400 guests every day, making it one of the most visited museums in the West.

“If there were one thing I wish for our visitors to experience, it’s the history of skiing in the Intermountain West through the interactive exhibits and to enjoy learning about how snow sports are paving the way for the future,” said Alf Engen Museum Director Connie Nelson.

The museum is already making good on that promise by featuring interactive exhibits where visitors are more than just spectators, they’re participants!

Guests have an opportunity to feel like an Olympian for a few minutes in the Nordic ski jump simulator and also hold the Olympic torch from the 2002 Winter Games, among several other virtual exhibits that place them directly at the intersection of the past, present, and future of winter sports.

Experience It!

youtu.be/mpdwSSeDhZ0

A LOOK AHEAD

As for what the future holds for Alf Engen Ski Museum, Connie Nelson said she envisions the museum continuing to improve and grow as new stories and sports emerge, incorporating them into their interactive exhibits.

She said the museum will move with history and evolve with technology as a dynamic institution whose ultimate goal is to become a world leader in ski history museums.

Another exciting possibility for the local area? A bid to host another Winter Olympics in 2030 or 2034, making the future look full of promise for Alf Engen Museum.

After a fun day at the ski museum, circle back to Circle J Club, a casual, family-friendly resort nestled in a quiet residential area yet just a short drive from downtown Park City.