Water Cube

Olympic Pedigree: Home to swimming, diving, water polo, and synchronized swimming in 2008, and possibly where amphibious phenom Michael Phelps breaks Mark Spitz’s Olympic record of seven gold medals.

Be an Olympian: Chinese officials haven’t released details yet, but say that the Water Cube—an architectural wonder resembling a massive, membranous blue box built from soap bubbles—will become a water park for the public after the Games’ conclusion.