Bucket list experience:
Credit Pål Allan/ABBA The Museum
This relatively new museum (opened 2013) tells the remarkable story of the Swedish pop supergroup ‘ABBA’. From their first Swedish hit single in 1970 (‘Hej gamle man’), to their last recorded song in 1982 (‘The day before you came’), Agnetha, Benny, Bjorn and Anni-Frid clocked up an astonishing 380 million record sales (and counting). Fifty years later, their songs are still sung by young and old alike. (Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love an ABBA song?)
Throw in outlandish costumes, iconic photographs, wacky memorabilia, and relationship exposés, and you’ve got one of the greatest pop music legends of all time and a Stockholm museum not to be missed.
ABBA were invited to enter a song into the domestic competition to choose Sweden’s entry for the 1973 Eurovision song contest. Their entry ‘Ring Ring’ finished a disappointing third, yet it became an instant number one hit in Sweden. ABBA re-entered the following year and famously went on to win the 1974 Eurovision competition with their song ‘Waterloo’, which launched the group onto the international stage.
The museum is located in the western end of the Royal Djurgården park. Take the ferry from Slussen and get off at Green Lund, or the subway to Karlaplan – it’s a 15-minute walk from the subway station. There’s limited parking.
To avoid entry queues, the museum requires that you buy an entry ticket for a specific time slot – though there is no time limit inside. Tickets are available via the website.
The museum is open all year round, seven days a week.
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Stockholm, Sweden[11.9 miles]
Sweden’s stand-out palace was originally commissioned by King John III for his queen Catherine, and completed in 1580. Many of Sweden’s monarchs have lived there since, including the current royal family who have a private wing. The rest of the palace and gardens are open to the public.
Best for ages: 13+ | £12
