If you want to experience the magic of Diagon Alley or Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, you go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, in Orlando or Hollywood. If you want to experience the quaint majesty of the Shire, you visit Hobbiton in New Zealand. But, if you like your movie-themed experiences shaken, not stirred and James Bond is more your speed, you have to trek all the way to the top of a mountain in Austria for 007 Elements, A James Bond Cinematic Experience.
The summit of Gaislachkogl Mountain in Sölden, Austria, 10,000 feet above sea level, houses a new museum dedicated solely to the suave spy franchise that has been around for over half a century. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 14,000 square foot building, built into and jutting out from the mountain, contains a series of high-tech and immersive installations and galleries dedicated to the Bond franchise. The whole building itself looks like a secret lair, hidden from the world, where a Bond villain might scheme and plot all manner of evildoing. The museum was designed more like a fine art installation, intended to immerse guests in the world of the franchise with props and models, movies and music, echoing and examining the history of 007.
Those lucky enough to visit, or just checking out the website, might notice that the location looks familiar and that's because the last James Bond film, 2015's Spectre had several scenes shot on site. Spectre has a substantial presence in the museum, but Bond's long cinematic history is all represented in the video installations. The Tech Lab showcases the many gadgets in the franchise and the science behind them. There is plenty to geek out over, including the grappling pistol from Goldfinger and the exploding pen from Goldeneye. The lab also has a replica of the iconic golden gun and rebreather from Thunderball.
Because this museum is at a ski resort, some of the various ski suits the debonair spy has worn over the years are also on display in the Legacy Gallery. Naturally, there is also a gift shop where you can buy some Bond-esque ski apparel and 007 exclusive merchandise. Adjacent to the museum is the ice Q restaurant, which was the shooting location for the medical clinic in Spectre. This ultra-cool experience is only accessible by gondola ride, with one of the gondolas dubbed the "Bondola" sporting a gold, Bond-theme. Hotel Bergland at the base of the mountain is where the cast and crew stayed while filming Spectre, so in an obvious and smart bit of branding, there is now a "Bond Suite." And when 007 Elements opened last week, Naomie Harris, who plays Miss Moneypenny in the current iteration of the films, was on hand to cut the ribbon.
The next James Bond adventure, Bond 25, will be directed by Danny Boyle and arrives in theaters on November 8, 2019. For movies hitting theaters a little bit sooner, including a huge spy movie this week, check out our release schedule. For all your movie experience news and the eventual Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Sewer Excursions, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.
