A Greek amphora dating from 510 B.C. depicts Olympic athletes and is shown below. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. They were based on the original incarnation of the games, believed to have first begun at a festival held in Zeus’s honor at Olympia in 776 B.C. In 2024, the Olympics return to Paris after 100 years. Explore modern Olympic history through collection items, including postage stamps, from across the Smithsonian. Learn how the National Museum of American History aquires Olympic objects and how sports inspire and unite us.