Abba museum to open in Stockholm

[TomLondon]

Latest Update


Björn and Benny without gold records!


This week, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus left their large collections of gold and platinum records in the care of ABBA the Museum. The awards are amazing artefacts from an outstanding career. Among the examples in the collection are ”Ring Ring single 100 000 copies 1973 Sweden”, ”The Album 1 million copies sold 1978 United Kingdom”, ”Super Trouper 500 000 copies USA 1980”, ”ABBA Gold 20 million copies world wide”, and many more.

Now these works of art, if one may call them that, will be carefully renovated before they take their special place in the attraction.




The star guitar lost – a new one found!



The star-shaped special silver guitar that Björn Ulvaeus used in Brighton in 1974, when ABBA won with ‘Waterloo’, is missing. We have been searching in attics and in basements without finding it and no-one seems to know where it is. The story is that the guitar manufacturer Hagström gave Björn two guitars. One was used on stage and the other, which was gold-coloured, was given to the German magazine Bravo as a prize in a competition. The gold guitar is said to be in the possession of a private person in Germany, but the silver-coloured one is still missing.

But every cloud has a silver lining. In our search we found another guitar, decorated with stars and with “ABBA” written in mother-of-pearl on its neck. It turned out to be something as unusual as Benny’s guitar. The one he used in the Fernando video and which can be seen on the cover of the Fernando single.





ABBA the Museum - an interactive experience where you can sing, dance and participate in the ABBA history with all your senses. Opens in spring in 2009.

[TomLondon]

TICKETS GO ON SALE NEXT WEEK !!!

Exclusive ticket release on december 5 at 1 pm, swedish time!

If you want to be first in line when ABBA the Museum opens in 2009, here is your chance. On Wednesday, December 5, we reveal the opening date and the same day at 1 pm the first Opening Packages for this glittering Opening Week are released. 3 000 packages are released worldwide through www.ticnet.se.

Your Opening Package includes entrance tickets, the right to by-pass the queue and to decide the exact day and time for your visit, and other Opening Week VIP benefits. There are three different packages: Platinum, Gold and Silver.

The Platinum Packages also include invitations to “behind the scenes” events before the attraction opens and the chance to win 2 tickets for the star-studded Grand Opening Party.

All the information about the Opening Packages is available at www.abbamuseum.com.

[TomLondon]

the silver package looks FINE to me

[lolly]

I was all set to go for the silver, but I'm not convinced it's worth it really.

[loomer]

2009?!

[Star]

Plans unveiled for Abba 'museum'

Plans for Stockholm's museum dedicated to supergroup Abba have been unveiled by organisers in Sweden.
The new attraction, due to open in the Swedish capital in June 2009, will include an area where fans can make their own recordings of Abba hits.

The three-floor complex will also feature a wardrobe room dedicated to the band's famous fashions.

The quartet, who had a string of hits in the 1970s and early 80s, have given their backing to the project.

Disco room

The 1974 Eurovision Song Contest winners are donating clothing, musical instruments and other memorabilia to the museum, but are not formally involved with its creation.

The recording room will be a recreation of the Polar Studios facility where the foursome created many of their well-known hits.

There will also be a disco room where visitors will be able to show off their dance moves to Abba hits.

Organisers hope to attract 500,000 visitors a year to the waterfront attraction, which is being built at a cost of 200 million Swedish krona (£15.3m).

In a statement released last year when initial plans for the museum were revealed, the group said: "It is nice someone feels compelled to take on our musical history."

[loomer]

I am fucking sooo going here!

This can be part of my European tour. Definitely will make time for Sverige.

[Christian]

"DELAYED"

Can't believe they're having problems. This is such a SURE FIRE MONEY SPINNER

Dear ABBA lovers!

We hereby announce the sad news that it won’t be possible to open the ABBA museum in Stockholm in 2009. The reasons are that the premises where the museum was to be built will not be ready in time and that the project in several respects has become more complex than we had counted on.

This is very sad for everyone involved and especially for all the fans the world over who are longing for the day when the museum opens. But please keep a bright outlook on the future – there will be an ABBA museum. All the original ABBA items have been collected, work on the interactive exhibition is ongoing, and we are working very hard, moving forward with the project. As a concept, ABBA the Museum is much bigger than temporary setbacks. So don’t give up – we’re not giving up!

Best regards

Ewa Wigenheim-Westman & Ulf Westman

ABBA the Museum delayed

On June 4, 2009, ABBA the Museum was scheduled to open in Stockholm. But it has become clear that the project is more complicated than what was predicted earlier, and also that the renovation of the 100-year-old Stora Tullhuset – the location of the museum – will take longer than expected. This means that it’s not possible to open ABBA the Museum in Stockholm in 2009. -It’s better to make this decision at an early stage, even though it’s a sad message. Everyone involved has high expectations, but now we are faced with the facts that we won’t be able to open June 4 on the intended premises. Therefore we have to take appropriate action and review our plans, and open ourselves to new ideas. Because there is no doubt that there will be an ABBA museum, although it may take a while longer than expected, says Ulf Westman, founder of ABBA the Museum.

Despite this sad news, the initiators have a bright outlook on the future. The interest in the museum is incredibly large the world over and new investors are entering the project, which will secure its financial future. There is no doubt that there will be an ABBA museum, although it may take a while longer than expected

Those who have purchased tickets may use their right to receive a refund.

[lolly]

The Abbamail people have got their knickers in a right twist about this. We're talking full on conspiracy theories and everything

[Christian]

Me and my ABBA loon mate had a good old GOSSIP about it a couple of weeks ago. The whole thing seems a little odd - this thing is the most obvious license to print money since the Nintendo DS

Maybe B&B's bank balances couldn't take any more COLD HARD CASH without disrupting the Swedish banking system

[Star]

Aww I wanted to go to Sweden next year

[lolly]

According to abbamail they don't think it's likely to make much money.

I've not booked tickets or flights yet, so I'm not too pissed off. We were hoping to go the end of 2009 or early 2010. Looks like it will be early 2010 if we're lucky.

[Christian]

Wouldn't make money? I'm surprised. The venue looks amazing but I can see it costing a fortune to convert. What with the ongoing resurgence interest in all things ABBA and the fact that it's another indoor activity in a city which could probably do with such diversions for the loooong winter, I'd have though it was a complete no brainer.

Shame though, we were planning to go next year. I hope it still happens, the plans look ace.

Do the loons have any other decent theories? Has Agnetha put the KIBOSH on the whole thing?

[lolly]

I don't know really, I couldn't be arsed to look beyond the headlines.

[David_5000]

Has Agnetha put the KIBOSH on the whole thing?

He ruins everything.

[TomLondon]

Have we seen its now going on TOUR?!
2008-12-15

ABBA the Museum set for world tour!

The global love affair with ABBA seems to grow more ardent with every passing day. Now the world has an opportunity to experience ABBA more intimately than ever before.

As the Mamma Mia! movie, DVD and soundtrack album are enjoyed by millions worldwide, there are preparations to take ABBA the Museum – the living story of Sweden’s most celebrated, iconic musicians – on the road in 2009.

A unique touring exhibition filled with music, original costumes, history, images, instruments and never-before-displayed memorabilia from the group’s recording and performing heyday, ABBA the Museum is an interactive experience featuring the latest technology in sound, visuals, multimedia and communications.

It is the only exhibition of its kind, approved by ABBA, with more than 750 pieces of memorabilia. Most of these have been supplied exclusively by the quartet: Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, and Agnetha Faltskog.

ABBA the Museum is produced by Touring Exhibitions (TX) of Stockholm, backed by Parks & Resorts Scandinavia, the largest amusement park company in Sweden; Polar Music, the company behind ABBA’s original success, part of Universal Music Group, the world’s leading music company; Live Nation, the world’s largest live music company; Synergera Rättighetsförvaltning and Eventum Exhibitions.

Magnus Danielsson, President of Touring Exhibitions, said: “ABBA the Museum puts the visitor right into the middle of the ABBA experience, from past to present! It’s perfect for the whole family, with so much to see, hear, feel, touch and experience, thanks to state-of-the-art technology. The museum will even enable you virtually to sing and perform ABBA’s hits in front of a ‘live’ sell-out crowd at stadiums where ABBA performed back in the day.”

Before joining Touring Exhibitions as President, Magnus Danielsson was responsible for the European division of Feld Motor Sports, formerly Live Nation Motor Sports.

ABBA the Museum was originally to have opened in Stockholm in 2009, but this has been deferred as a result of project complications and a delay in the renovation of the location, Stockholm’s 100-year-old building, Stora Tullhuset.

In the meantime, ABBA the Museum will embark on its world tour starting next year. The producers are currently drawing up plans with prospective business partners, and choosing countries and cities to visit.

The itinerary will take into account the renewed worldwide ardour for ABBA, stimulated by the smash Universal Pictures film of the stage musical based on their songs. Mamma Mia! is now the most successful movie musical of all time, and its November release on video has also broken records around the world: in the UK, for example, it became the fastest-selling DVD ever .

Moreover, the Universal Music soundtrack of Mamma Mia! is one of the blockbuster albums of 2008: global sales exceed 4 million copies so far. In total, ABBA’s recordings are estimated to have sold more than 370 million units worldwide. Their 1992 album, “Gold,” is one of the most popular albums of all time, with sales of 26 million copies.

[lolly]

Yes, I read that. I don't see the point in commenting on it, except to say that the longer it goes on, the less likely I am to think that ANYTHING is going to come to fruition.

[TomLondon]

VERY TRUE

[Jonfessions]

They'd be stupid not to pull out all the stops in terms of getting it finished quickly. They're missing out on all the Abba goodwill at the moment.

[Madison]

Looks like it will finally open next year:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012...a-music-museum

[lolly]

Live press conference at the official opening of the museum in 28 minutes

http://www.svt.se/kultur/musik/abba-...-oppnar-idag-1

[lolly]

That link has gone down. Try this http://www.svt.se/nyheter/ and click the 'Rapport - Abba museum' link on the right.

[lolly]

Oh GET ON WITH IT and just WHEEL FRIDA OUT

[lolly]

Well that was twenty minutes of my life I'll never get back

[Pingu]

What happened? Or indeed didn't happen...

[David_5000]

Is Madison there? He's in Stockholm right now.

[lolly]

What happened? Or indeed didn't happen...

It was just a bit of waffle from the CEO of the museum, followed by more waffle from Bjorn. That was it, really.

[lolly]

[lolly]

Is Madison there? He's in Stockholm right now.

Keep an eye on this live footage from the red carpet. I've got my eyes peeled for Mr L.

http://tv.aftonbladet.se/webbtv/nyhe...article1244.ab

[lolly]

Or this link. It's obviously a big event in Sweden.

[lolly]

Frida on the red carpet. Glad to see she's gone back to being a proper brunette again.

[Christian]

I went to the museum at the weekend and it was an amazing experience. Anyone who's even the vaguest fan of them would have a ball there.

The opening bit has you sitting in a room watching a brilliant wrap around montage of their career with an amazing soundtrack blasting out - truly a fabulous moment!

I loved how geeky some of the exhibits were. Blasting out "Just Like That" (though sadly not the Matt Pop mix) in one of the rooms was an amazingly well calculated decision that had me grinning from ear to ear. It felt like my childhood flashing in front of my eyes at times. Sitting in the Arrival helicopter was much more fun than is decent.

Best of all was the fact that the audioguide was the four of them discussing the various parts of the museum as you walked into them (and laughing, joking, responding to what the other said, etc.). The section on The Visitors was quite chilling... and the final "thank you" room very touching.

LOON UP

[lolly]

Mr L LOVED it. He thought it was smaller than the Abbaworld exhibition at Earls Court, but the exhibits were better.

And the merchandise shop certainly LOVED HIM

[Christian]

Mr L LOVED it. He thought it was smaller than the Abbaworld exhibition at Earls Court, but the exhibits were better.

And the merchandise shop certainly LOVED HIM

It took me 3.5 hours to get through it - some of the videos were very long (fabulously so) and the audioguide really took its time (even more fabulously so). The exhibits were really excellent and really tapped into whatever deep seated feeling I have for them with a vengeance

The gift shop was hilariously full on - I did fear for the loons who set foot in there. All that merchandise you can't get anywhere else... including the "Slipping Through My Fingers" drawing pad and pencil set...

Still, there was some lovely stuff there. Not least of all, the "I Was There First" t-shirts

How much did Mr L spend?

[Christian]

The PHONE was the most brilliant touch ever... I can't imagine the MESS that would ensue if it ever did ring!

[Diddy]

OMG I want to go now

[lolly]

He didn't buy any of the t-shirts, thankfully. Or any of the other items that were just rebranded AbbaWorld merchandise which he said a lot was, essentially. But a ridiculous number of fridge magnets and postcards and some other bits. He says he spent about SEK1500.

[Christian]

OMG I want to go now

It's a weird building - totally unprepossessing facade, though a beautiful location. But the content couldn't be richer. Fabulous stuff! Go go go!

[Agnetha]

He didn't buy any of the t-shirts, thankfully. Or any of the other items that were just rebranded AbbaWorld merchandise which he said a lot was, essentially. But a ridiculous number of fridge magnets and postcards and some other bits. He says he spent about SEK1500.

Isn't that about £150?

[Agnetha]

It's a weird building - totally unprepossessing facade, though a beautiful location. But the content couldn't be richer. Fabulous stuff! Go go go!

Your description has me salivating.