POSTED: Tuesday December 9th 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ONLY COMPLETE COLLECTION OF OFFICIAL 2008 BEIJING OLYMPIC POSTERS OUTSIDE CHINA PRESENTED TO NEW SPORTS MUSEUM OF LOS ANGELES

Beijing Morning Post makes gift of posters to SMLA founder/CEO Gary Cypres

Los Angeles (Dec. 8, 2008) – The Sports Museum of Los Angeles (SMLA, http://www.sportsmuseumla.com) was presented with 34 Beijing Olympic Games posters in a special ceremony at the museum Monday. A group of Chinese officials representing the Beijing Morning Post made the presentation to museum owner and curator Gary Cypres.

The complete collection of posters is the only official poster set to be displayed outside China. Sixteen of the posters are from the Beijing Olympics, 16 from the Beijing Paralympics, and two others depict the modern Olympics and the 2008 Games.

“We are pleased to welcome the Beijing Morning Post to Los Angeles,” said Mark Liberman, CEO and President of LA INC. The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau.  “Their visit is representative of how popular the Sports Museum will be for our international tourists. More than half of Los Angeles’ 26 million annual tourists participate in at least one cultural activity during their stay, and this unique and wide-ranging collection of memorabilia depicting the culture of American and International sports will certainly be a sought-after attraction.”

The Beijing Morning Post’s trip to the museum is part of a program called Gold to Gold.  The Gold to Gold Program was started by the LA INC./ LAWA China Regional Office and is aimed at celebrating the relationship between LA and China.   The Olympic connection between China and Los Angeles is strong, as China won its first Olympic gold medal in Los Angeles in 1984 and China recently hosted the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.  The Gold to Gold Program will reinforce the connection between these two regions and stimulate Chinese interest in visiting LA.

“We are especially delighted to be at the Sports Museum of Los Angeles to celebrate the relationship between the two great cities of Los Angeles and Beijing,” said Kuo Tan, President of the Beijing Morning Post. “We proudly share the 2008 Beijing Olympics official posters with the museum in hopes to mark a significant starting point for both cities.  Through events like this, the spirit and passion of the Olympics will be continued and passed on to future generations.”

“This is a great honor for the Sports Museum of Los Angeles to receive these posters,” said SMLA founder and CEO Gary Cypres. “Although I wasn’t able to attend the Beijing Games, this brings me and others who will see the posters closer to the spirit of this spectacular event.”

The Sports Museum of Los Angeles opened to the public Nov. 28 to rave reviews and is home to the largest and broadest known collection of iconic sports memorabilia and collectibles in the world.

Conveniently located at Main St. and Washington Blvd., just south of downtown Los Angeles and just 1.2 miles from STAPLES Center and LA LIVE, SMLA is in the heart of Southern California sports. The 32,000 square foot museum contains more than 10,000 prized pieces valued in the millions of dollars and collected during a 25-year period by Cypres and housed in 30 galleries. The permanent exhibits feature items dating to the 19th Century and include one-of-a-kind pieces from football, basketball, baseball, golf, tennis, boxing, biking, soccer and other sports.

The 32,000 square foot museum contains more than 10,000 prized pieces collected during a 25-year period by Cypres. The items are housed in 30 galleries and valued in the millions of dollars. The permanent exhibits feature items dating to the 19th Century and include one-of-a-kind pieces from football, basketball, baseball, golf, tennis, boxing, biking, soccer and other sports. The museum envisions a Phase 2 development plan encompassing 14,000 square feet to house a vast exhibition of sports and athletics in the movies, as well as traveling exhibitions and a hall to host private parties.

SMLA features an unrivaled collection of artifacts from the greatest sports legends. The museum celebrates the advances of sports equipment through the centuries and the intersection of sports and pop culture. Sports history is brought to life at SMLA by providing visitors an opportunity to view historical pieces including photographs, uniforms, films and sports board games dating to the 1800s. In addition to a treasure trove of Southern California sports artifacts, SMLA possesses objects that chronicle American and international sports history.

SMLA is open Wednesday-Sunday from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. It is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and New Year’s Day. The last tickets are sold two hours before closing. Tickets are $14.95 for adults 13-59, $11.95 for seniors and students (with current ID), $8.95 for children 5-12. Children under 5 are free. Savings are available for groups of 15 or more. All tickets are sold on a timed ticketing system. Parking is available at the museum for $7. Public parking lots also are located across the street from the museum. The museum also is accessible on public transportation via buses and the Metro Blue Line.   

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Keywords · Beijing 2008 · Sports Museum of Los Angeles · Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau · Beijing Morning Post

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