Olympia, Greece: Archaeological MuseumExhibits in the Archaeological Museum at Olympia, Greece.(more)Olympia, Greece: Archaeological MuseumStatue of a bull among the exhibits in the Archaeological Museum at Olympia, Greece.(more)The first excavations were conducted around the in 1829 by the French Expédition Scientifique de Morée, led by Abel Blouet. The temple was sufficiently cleared to reveal its general plan, and fragments of three sculptured metopes (panels) were found, which were later placed in the Louvre, in Paris. The great German excavations of 1875–81 (led by ) cleared the whole of the sacred precinct and some buildings that lay outside it, and the position of the was located by exploratory trenches. Thus the plan of a great Greek sanctuary was revealed for the first time. In the early 20th century some small-scale exploratory digging was done in the deeper layers of the sanctuary. Large-scale work was resumed by German archaeologists in 1936, one of the chief aims being the excavation and of the stadium. Interrupted in 1942 by the events of , work was resumed in 1952, and in 1960 the excavation of the stadium was completed, with its restoration in 1961. Other structures were explored in this period, the most important of which was the atelier (workshop) of the master sculptor , who was the creator of the Statue of Zeus. In the late 20th century, research was conducted primarily by the German Archaeological Institute in and the Ephorate (Magistrate) of Antiquities in Olympia. The opened in its present location in 1982. , Olympia (Modern Greek: Ολυμπία [oli (m)ˈbi.a]; Ancient Greek: Ὀλυμπία [olympí.aː]), officially Archaia Olympia (Greek: Αρχαία Ολυμπία lit. 'Ancient Olympia'), is a small town in Elis on the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece, famous for the nearby archaeological site of the same name., Things to Do in Olympia, Greece: See Tripadvisor's 25,541 traveler reviews and photos of Olympia tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in June. We have reviews of the best places to see in Olympia. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions..