Amongst internationally-recognised experts, his Ski Museum is considered a cultural-historical rarity. Museum visitors are enthused by his guided tours. The exhibits which he has brought together are in good condition, as they are painstakingly restored and cared for. The collection is the life’s work, calling and passion of Noldi Beck.

The founder and collector

It all began with an old child’s ski binding, of the make Tyrolia 57, which was discarded on the workbench of the former ski service engineer in the sport equipment store Erwin Risch. “No one takes any notice of these old bindings,” thought Noldi Beck. “I could collect them.” But ski bindings were just the beginning. Skis, toboggans and all conceivable utensils associated with ski sport were also added.

Over the past ten years Noldi Beck, former ski racer, ski instructor, ski tester for the company Völkl and service engineer for Hanni Wenzel has collected together over 1000 exhibits. For many years he was an integral part of the international ski circus. The many contacts he was able to establish during his active years later enabled him to acquire valuable and rare items.

The collection

Noldi Beck’s collection is unique within the German-speaking Europe. In particular, the modern ski sport field is almost seamlessly documented. Especially rare is the equipment of a Liechtenstein wainwright who made skis by hand. The development of ski sport in Liechtenstein is also well-illustrated with fascinating documents.

The exhibits

The over 1000 exhibits extend from bending equipment from the twenties which was used to form the tips of skis, through examples of skis made in Liechtenstein to a touring snowboard which can be used for waterskiing in the summer. A range of skis with bindings documents the development of ski bindings over the decades.

Original rubbings of prehistoric rock engravings are displayed, showing people on skis and with ski shoes. Visitors can also admire the latest version of a ski racing shoe and a heated ski jacket as worn by the functionaries of the Swiss racing team at the Winter Olympic Games in Nagano. Museum visitors will find the starting numbers of internationally-renowned ski stars, their medals and their polished cups – even Hanni Wenzel’s Olympic downhill outfit of 1980 and much more.

The Ski Museum was opened in 1993 by Noldi Beck, who originally came from Triesenberg. It presents the history of winter sport from its origins to the modern day.

Noldi Beck began collecting various winter sport items at the end of the eighties, in particular from the fields of downhill skiing and cross-country skiing, shoes, sticks, documentation, awards and much more. In 1993 he was able to present a part of his collection to the general public for the first time. The Ski Museum was born.

At the beginning of 1996 the collection was donated to a private foundation, and the “Verein zur Förderung und Führung eines Skimuseums” or “Association to Promote and Manage a Ski Museum” was founded.

On 20 October 2001 Noldi Beck was able to reopen the Ski Museum at new premises neighbouring Spörry in Vaduz.