Following the 291st Olympiad in 393, the emperor Theodosius banned the Games as pagan. Roughly 1500 years later, Pierre de Coubertin formed the International Olympic Committee, and the first games of the modern era were held in Athens in 1896. The following 120 years have seen the Games embrace more sports and more athletes from more countries, as well as controversy, scandal, and incomprehensible acts of violence. This exhibit highlights some memorable events in the history of the modern Summer Olympic Games as we look forward to the XXXI Games in Rio de Janeiro.