International Museum Day: Utah Olympic Park’s 2 ski museums

The Alf Engen Ski Museum and the Eccles 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum located at the Park City's Utah Olympic Park. Photo: Courtesy of Connie Nelson

PARK CITY, Utah — Thursday is International Museum Day, thus a day to highlight Park City’s international museums, the Alf Engen Ski Museum and the Eccles 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum at the Utah Olympic Park (UOP).

“We are excited to welcome guests this summer to our two free museums, the Alf Engen Ski Museum, and the Eccles 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum,” Connie Nelson, executive director of the museums, told TownLift. “We have remodeled interactive exhibits that ‘wow’ the visitors and provide educational and entertaining stories from the history of snow sports in the Intermountain West and stories and artifacts from the 2002 Olympic Winter Games held here at the Utah Olympic Park and beyond.” 

Among the volunteer docents of the museum is Bonnie Bower, who is a font of information. Her late husband John, was the first executive director of the Utah Olympic Park. That was after he was a three-time Nordic Combined American Olympian, and two-time US Ski and Snowboard Sport Director. Bonnie’s son, Ricki, is a three-time Snowboard American Olympic coach and the current US Ski Team sport director. Bonnie’s grandchild, Ricki’s child, is a ski jumper who can be seen training and competing year round at the UOP.

Every fourth grade school class in northern Utah is able to take a field trip to the museums at the UOP.

Nelson said, “With the excitement of the prospect of hosting another Winter Olympic Games here in Utah, visitors can step outside and see athletes training and participating in a variety of UOP summer activities.  Guests can also ride our Mountain Sports Simulator to experience the thrill of a bobsled ride, Alta powder run, speed flying off Mount Superior in Little Cottonwood Canyon, and/or mountain biking down Tidal Wave at Deer Valley Resort.  The cost is $6 per person and includes three jumps on our simulated Nordic Ski Jump exhibit. Come to Alf Engen Ski Museum this summer, free fun for the whole family!”

Since the Engen family is connected to the industry of ski instruction, also located within the museum is the Professional Ski Instructor’s of America (PSIA) Hall of Fame exhibit.