SACRAMENTO, California — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says he asked an Ohio museum to return his Austrian army tank because he was concerned about the upkeep and wants to offer rides to schoolchildren.

Schwarzenegger, a native of Austria, said he plans to offer the rides to inner-city children in the Los Angeles area as a reward for staying in school, avoiding drugs and working hard.

Warren Motts, founder and director of Motts Military Museum, said Schwarzenegger acquired the M47 American-made tank from the Austrian government and had it shipped to Florida. He transported it to a Columbus, Ohio, shopping mall in 1999 when he opened a Planet Hollywood there.

Schwarzenegger lent the tank to the museum, located in Groveport, in 2000.

‘‘I’m pleased we had the opportunity to have it and let people see it,’’ Motts said Tuesday. ‘‘It was neat to have a Hollywood connection.’’

Motts said the tank was removed from the museum Feb. 19, hoisted by crane onto a truck and transported to California.

Aaron McLear, Schwarzenegger’s press secretary, said the governor plans to store the tank at a private location.

Schwarzenegger said he had offered trips to his movie sets as an incentive to kids, but since he became governor and stopped making movies in 2003, he hasn’t had anything enticing to offer.

He said children just aren’t that excited about a tour of the state Capitol.

Schwarzenegger entered the army in 1965, at a time when one year of military service was compulsory in Austria.