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F.acT: How did the BrauKunstHaus project come about?
Martin Lechner: My wife and I took over the management of the brewery in 2000 after spending several years abroad. From the very beginning, it was important to us to open the brewery to visitors in order to show locals and guests the special way we make beer. We also developed plans for the former location in the center of Zell am Ziller. However, it turned out that for space reasons it made more sense to move the brewery to the outskirts of the village, where the logistics had been located since 1994. However, in order not to overtake ourselves as a family business, we implemented the relocation in several stages from 2009-2019. The space for the BrauKunstHaus was considered from the outset.
F.acT: That's a long way to go. To what extent does that characterize the BrauKunstHaus?
Martin Lechner: During this long phase leading up to the actual conception of the exhibition, we looked at a lot of things and developed precise ideas about how various themes could and should be staged. That's why we had to be careful not to influence the artists, architects and experience producers involved too much and still make our aspirations and expectations clear. This led to an intensive and not always smooth process, but the result is something that everyone involved and, above all, we ourselves are proud of.
F.acT: Did you never run out of energy? What is the motivation to go through such a long process?
Martin Lechner: Several motivating factors certainly play a role here, but one is central: as a family, we have been producing unique and authentic drinking pleasure here in Tyrol for 16 generations now. We are proud of that. Unlike large corporations, philosophy and passion play a major role in our family business. This starts with 100% natural ingredients from Austria. Intensive partnerships with local farmers, some of whom have been with us for generations, guarantee us the highest quality from local cultivation. We then process these treasures of nature in a modern and particularly gentle way to create the finest varietal beer specialties with an unmistakable character. And because we and future generations can only obtain the raw materials we need from an intact natural environment, we take numerous measures to keep our ecological footprint as small as possible. For us, thinking about generations is a matter of course, but we are proud of it and want to communicate this to visitors.
F.acT: Naturalness therefore plays a central role in the exhibition. What else can visitors expect?
Martin Lechner: First and foremost, good entertainment. We have already removed the term "museum" from our vocabulary in the conception phase. In the BrauKunstHaus, a wide variety of content is conveyed in an entertaining way on an interactive tour. For example, there are ancestors throughout the exhibition who introduce visitors to the family history in an unconventional way. In addition to a presentation of the special raw materials we use for brewing, the brewing process and our brewing philosophy, a large part of the exhibition is also dedicated to the region with its many facets such as the Gauder Festival, alpine farming, music and mentality. Our beer specialties have been part of the region and its identity for more than 500 years. In the same way, the region in which we live shapes our beer specialties. You can taste this at the end of the exhibition in the Bräustüberl, where you can "taste" what the BrauKunstHaus is all about. The finest Tyrolean beer culture.
F.acT: The start in July 2020 was not an easy one due to the coronavirus situation. What is the first interim assessment and what were the reactions of visitors?
Martin Lechner: We are satisfied with the visitor numbers due to the current situation. Despite the difficult situation in tourism, we were able to welcome many guests and locals, at least until October, and were thus able to get a good picture of how the BrauKunstHaus is received by visitors. We already suspected in advance that we would succeed in entertaining visitors because we have put a lot of energy and passion into this project. However, the exclusively positive feedback surprised us. We managed to surprise people and offer them more than they had imagined. After another long forced break, we are happy to be open again and hope to be able to inspire visitors to the BrauKunstHaus without any interruptions.
Here is an insight into the 5000 square meter exhibition space:
