Quick, plan a trip to Thal, Austria because Schwarzenegger's childhood home, which is now the walk-through museum called ARNIE'S LIFE, is celebrating The Austrian Oak's 65th birthday with the fans! A big birthday party for all of Arnold's followers will be celebrated at the museum on July 28th, 29th and 30th.
Peter Urdl, Arnold's friend and museum manager/director of Arnie's Life gave TheArnoldFans.com an exclusive interview and shares some great photos. Who else would be the perfect director of this Schwarzenegger museum than Peter Urdl, who was a school friend of Mr. Schwarzenegger and the major of Thal for nearly 20 years.
TheArnoldFans: Hello Peter, can you please share with our readers how and when you first came to know Arnold Schwarzenegger?
Peter Urdl: Arnold und ich wurden in Thal geboren. Gemeinsam besuchten wir auch die Volksschule in Thal und waren enge Schulfreunde. Als Arnold seine Lehre in Graz antrat, sahen wir uns natürlich sehr oft in Graz. An Wochenenden auch in unserer Heimatgemeinde Thal. Später, als Arnold bereits bei Bodybuildingwettkämpfen innerhalb Österreichs teilnahm, waren ich und einige Freunde stets seine Fans und seine treuen Begleiter.
Peter Urdl: Arnold and I were born in Thal. Together we visited the elementary school in Thal and were close school friends. When Arnold began his apprenticeship in Graz, we were of course very often in Graz. On weekends in our home community Thal. Later, when Arnold took part in bodybuilding competitions already in Austria, I and some friends were always his fans and his loyal companions.
TheArnoldFans: Can you please tell me more about the wonderful jewelry piece that looks like it's made of silver and gold that shows Arnold in front of his home. Is that piece for sale at the museum and can it be ordered online?
Peter Urdl: Das Schmuckstück ( Cable Car ) wurde als Einzelstück und als Sonderanfertigung von der ARNIE´s life GmbH in Auftrag gegeben. Es wurde vom Grazer Juwelier und Künstler, Herrn Stefan Ableitner , kunstvoll gestaltet.
Nach Absprache mit Arnold wird es in einer gesicherten Glasvitrine im Museum ausgestellt. Es ist nicht verkäuflich und es gibt auch keine Repliken davon, die wir im Museum verkaufen. Es ist ein Einzelstück und soll es auch bleiben.
Peter Urdl: The jewel (a so called "Cable Car") was ordered as a single piece and as a special model by the ARNIE´s life GmbH. It was artfully designed in Graz by the jeweler and artist Stefan Ableitner. After consultation with Arnold it is issued in a secure glass case in the museum. It is not for sale and there are no replicas that we sell in the museum. It is unique, a single piece and should remain so.
TheArnoldFans: Roughly how many visitors have come to visit the Arnie's Life Museum so far? Or is it easier to say roughly how many visitors come through per day?
Peter Urdl: Seit der Museumseröffnung, am 30.Juli 2011, strömten mehr als 17.000 Besucher nach Thal, um das weltweit einzige Arnold Schwarzenegger Museum zu besuchen. Die Besucherzahlen am Tag bewegen sich zwischen 30 und 140 Besuchern. Oftmals kommen an einem Tage mehrere Besuchergruppen in Bussen nach Thal.
Peter Urdl: Since the museum opened, on 30th July 2011, more than 17,000 visitors came to visit Thal and to visit the world's only Arnold Schwarzenegger museum. The number of visitors a day range between 30 and 140 visitors. Often come in a day several groups of visitors on buses to Thal.
TheArnoldFans: Do you continue to acquire new Arnold artifacts to place in the museum and do you have upcoming plans for a new fantastic statue or display to come soon?
Peter Urdl: Arnold versprach mir bei seinem letzten Besuch am 4.Juli 2012, dass er noch weitere Ausstellungsstücke zur Verfügung stellen wird. Ich freue mich schon darauf.
Peter Urdl: Arnold promised during his last visit on July 4, 2012, that he will provide additional available exhibition pieces. I'm looking forward to get them.
TheArnoldFans: Do you ever have special events at Arnie's Life such as Cigar Nights or Movie Nights? It would be quite impressive to have a giant screen set up outside on occasion where fans could sit and watch Arnold's movies under the stars outside of Arnold's old childhood home.
Peter Urdl: Ganzjährig finden immer wieder Veranstaltungen statt. Zu den Osterfeiertagen gibt es im Museumspark Kinderveranstaltungen, zu Weihnachten gibt es einen Weihnachtsmarkt auf dem Museumsparkplatz. Die alljährliche Geburtstagsfeier von Arnold, am 30.Juli, findet ebenfalls im Museumspark statt. Dabei treffen sich neben Arnolds alten Freunden auch unzählige Arnold Fans aus verschiedenen Ländern. Eine Filmnacht ist leider nicht möglich, aber im Museum gibt es 6 Stück TV-Geräte, die an der Wand angebracht sind. Auf jedem Monitor läuft ein anderer Trailer eines Arnold Filmes.
Peter Urdl: Throughout the year there are a lot of events. At the Easter holidays there is, in the Museum Park, a special children's event and at Christmas there is a Christmas market in the museum parking lot. The annual birthday celebration of Arnold, on July 30, also takes place in the Museum Park. There will meet Arnold's old friends and countless fans from different countries. A movie night is not possible, but there are 6 flat screens in the museum, that are mounted on the wall. Each screen shows another trailer of an Arnold-movie.
*Arnold fan Christian Kaiser gets his shirt signed by Schwarzenegger at Arnie's Life. Read more about Christian's story soon!
TheArnoldFans: Is there a gift shop where fans can buy souvenirs and merchandise? What exclusive merchandise do you sell and do you plan on offering more souvenirs soon?
Peter Urdl: Selbstverständlich gibt es einen Shop im Museum.
Neben verschiedenen Artikeln aus der Region um Thal, wie z.B. " Steirisches Kernöl" , einen Arnoldwein, Arnold schokolade usw. Weuters gibt es Sticker, Buttons, Poster, T-Shirts , Bücher von Arnold etc. Natürlich sind wir bestrebt, immer wieder neue Merchandising Artikel zu kreieren.In diesem Jahr gibt es wieder eine Sonderbriefmarke zu Arnolds 65. Geburtstag.
Peter Urdl: Of course, there's a shop at the museum. In addition to various articles from the region around Thal, such as "Styrian pumpkin seed oil," an Arnold wine, a special Arnold chocolate, and so on, there are stickers, buttons, posters, T-shirts, books by Arnold, and many more. Of course, we strive constantly to create new merchandise. This year we created a commemorative stamp to Arnold's 65th Birthday.
Thank you, Peter! We can't wait to visit you and the Arnie's Life museum SOON!
The below commemorative stamp sheets will be sold throughout the birthday celebration and their new catalog will also be ready for you fantastic visitors! For more information, check out www.ArniesLife.com.
