Even if you don't have tickets. Even if you hate traffic. Even if you're allergic to cold. The Olympics are here, and there's a little something for everyone.
The Games have attracted a slew of sideshows that aren't necessarily Olympic-related but are here through February. Even if none of them appeals to you, just feeling the Olympic atmosphere is worth some hassle. The city has an international flair, from the bagpipe band practicing on a side street to the panhandler with "Change please" and "Beer needed" written in half a dozen languages. The ticket scalpers, the languages you can't even identify, people draped in stars and stripes and Olympic-pin-covered ball caps ? it's just fun.
You'll go home tired and cold, with an arm full of Falun Gong pamphlets, but it's worth the trip to see your own city.
Walk on the World
The Children's Museum is hosting a special exhibit at the Gateway, 444 W. 100 South, featuring a giant globe, NASA'S newly released satellite images over the past 40 years and a 30-foot-by-15-foot map of the earth that scales from a world view, to the Mountain West, to the Wasatch Front, to Park City venues and finally to downtown Salt Lake City. Visitors can make a "Fragile Blue Marble" pendant or key chain.
The exhibit also includes a display of pictures of post-Sept. 11 vigil sites and a video of celebrities singing "We Are Family."
The museum requests a $3 donation per person. The exhibit runs from 3 to 8 p.m. until Saturday. Call 328-3383 or 560-8742 for more information, including information on parking.
Olympic Piano Gallery
The public is invited to play on the five Steinways at Abravanel Hall. There's a lime green piano with orange and yellow keys, unveiled for the Olympics, and a blue piano with inlaid stars to commemorate the 100th anniversary of George Gershwin's birth. The pianos of Vladimir Horowitz and Van Cliburn are there, as well as the 500,000th piano Steinway made.
The pianos are available from 1 to 4 p.m. daily through Sunday. Come show off your Scott Joplin repertoire or just play "Chopsticks."
The Declaration of Independence
One of only 25 surviving original copies is on display at the Utah State Capitol Rotunda. Admission is free.
Whole Body Scanner
You can have your body scanned at the Gallivan Center as the Air Force Research Laboratory demonstrates equipment it uses to gather information for human physiology research. The Air Force designs cockpits, helmets, visors and other equipment using data from body scanning. But the display during the Olympics is for demonstration, not research.
Body scanning takes 20 seconds, and the scanner is available from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 5 to 9 p.m. throughout the Olympics. Recruiters and the project spokesperson will be on hand, and there are lots of Air Force freebies.
Discover Navajo
In the northwest corner of the Gateway is a display of Navajo culture. You can watch the creation story, see people make baskets, learn some Navajo words and talk to one of the World War II Code Talkers.
The Trading Post tent features Navajo arts and crafts. The Tepee Kiosk is a computerized display of Navajo art that you can purchase there and a print will be sent by mail. Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for senior citizens and $8 for children 3 to 12 years old.
Ethnic Village
The Ethnic Village features foods, crafts and music from many cultures: Hispanic, African American, Pacific Island, Native American and Asian American. The display exists to show the world Utah's rich cultural diversity. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. The village is set up in a white tent on 500 West at the south end of The Gateway.
Jell-O Museum
At the ZCMI Center center court, 15 S. Main, is a traveling exhibit from the Jell-O Museum in LeRoy, N.Y. The exhibit consists of four panels with eight displays and a recorded message from Bill Cosby. The display highlights Jell-O history, memories, sponsors and weird facts.
The Salt Lake Art Center
The Chihuly 2002 Glass Art Exhibition is showing daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. until March 17. Tickets are $10. There is a gift shop, and cameras are allowed. Call 534-4935 for more information.
Olympic hospitality houses
Most Olympic houses are for VIPs and athletes. But at least two nations have opened their hospitality houses to the public. It's a fabulous opportunity to experience different cultures.
The Nagano House, on 300 South, off Main Street, features a small, inexpensive restaurant that hands out free miso soup daily from 10 a.m. to noon. Even if you don't want to eat, you can walk around and browse the souvenirs, Olympic pins and Japanese jellies, spices and food.
The Swiss House, 18 Market St., just north of the federal courthouse, consists of a restaurant and a bar. It's here until Feb. 25 and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Reservations are available. Call 519-9200.
Nazi Olympics Exhibit
The University of Utah Marriott Library has a multimedia exhibit that tells about the 1936 Olympic Games hosted by Nazi Germany. Admission is free, and the exhibit is here until March 22. For more information call 585-1682.
Mountain Dew Ice Village
The Ice Village features snowboarding ramps and nightly concerts. From 2 to 9 p.m. daily, snowboard performers will show off their stunts. Concert groups are listed on the not-so-user-friendly Web site www.theicevillage.com. Last day for the village is Sunday.
Bud World Party
Featuring concerts, table hockey tournaments, food vendors, a huge TV, exhibits for Panasonic and glass blowing. From 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., you can see the Clydesdales. The horses parade Tuesday through Sunday at 3 p.m. Ice skating is available from 11 a.m. to midnight, but public skating will vary depending on special ice shows and exhibits. Bud World is open through Sunday.
Olympic Square
Along with the Medals Plaza and the Olympic Superstore, Coca-Cola has a tent here with Winter Olympic activities. You can compete in pushing a bobsled and hitting a hockey puck. The most popular event is a mini luge run with a huge line. You can also have your photo taken with a digital camera and e-mail it to a friend for free.
E-MAIL: ajacobs@desnews.com