Thank you for the music
In Stockholm, a museum to the greatest Eurovision winners of all time captivates devoted Abba fan John Mcintosh
As a 10 year old growing up in a manse in rural Perthshire in 1974 I was allowed the rare treat of being allowed to stay up late to watch Abba win Eurovision. Ever since I’ve had a bit of a thing about the group – seeing Mamma Mia on stage at least seven times and watching it countless times on DVD.
On a visit to Stockholm a few years ago, I was one of only two tourists who signed up for an Abba-themed walking tour of the city, taking in such key sites as Benny and Frida’s former flat, the building where their record company Polar was based and the location of various photo-shoots.
I recently headed back to the Swedish capital with my family to visit Abba The Museum, which has opened since my last visit. And, “Mamma Mia”! This is a museum unlike any other, an experience that will tell you everything you ever want to know about one of Sweden’s most successful exports.
It’s a cornucopia of Abba information, with potted biographies of each of the group, recapping their pre-abba successes as well as their doomed 1973 bid to win the Swedish nomination for Eurovision. Apparently, too, they decided to wear glam rock costumes for their 1974 performance so that even if they didn’t win they’d be remembered for their outfits!
It’s highly interactive and, amidst much hilarity, we had the chance to pop into a private booth to record our own excruciating version of Mamma Mia. This painful experience was bettered only by a chance to dance along next to holograms of the group singing Dancing Queen.
What’s more, by scanning in our tickets, these performances were recorded for posterity and were available to view online afterwards, in the privacy of our home – although, unfortunately or otherwise, we’ve since forgotten the password allowing us to access them.
There’s a recreation of Björn’s summer cottage, a replica of the kitchen where Björn and Benny wrote Slipping Through My Fingers, the helicopter used on the cover of Arrival and even a telephone which – it’s said – might Ring Ring at any time, with a call from one of the group.
And, of course, there is a dazzling array of costumes – scores of them – and album covers and gold discs, as well as a frankly bizarre film made for the BBC of them singing Chiquitita, in which the group sit on an Swiss mountainside alongside a giant snowman.
The souvenir shop is pretty amazing too, with a range of merchandise that goes well beyond the usual mugs and key-rings to include Abba kimonos, crochet caps and an Abba-themed Monopoly set.
My only regret is that, when we visited, the nearby Mamma Mia! The Party taverna where you can enjoy a Greek meal while the staff sing numbers from the musical, was closed for a break – although a London version is set to open soon, based at (of course) Waterloo.
The museum isn’t one of the cheapest – about £25 a head – and can get very busy so it’s best to pre-book. And neither the shop nor museum accept cash – it’s pay by card only, as it was in many other places in the city, as Sweden edges towards becoming a cashless society. Perhaps this is no bad thing, given that Stockholm lives up to its reputation of being an expensive city – the cheapest bottle of wine we could find on offer in a fairly average restaurant was £50.
That said, it cost nothing to stroll round the enchanting old town of Gamla Stan with its medieval alleyways and cobbled streets, although you might well be tempted to splash out on a homemade ice cream at the bustling Café Muren.
Skansen, an open-air museum which includes scores of old buildings including an 18th century wooden church, farm buildings and a pottery workshop, is also a mustsee attraction. And, just a short walk from both there and from the Abba Museum, stands the Vasa, a restored 17th century warship that sank on its maiden voyage and lay on the Baltic seabed until being salvaged largely intact in the early 1960s. Almost as fascinating is the display of everyday artefacts – hats, bottles, pots and pans – recovered from the seabed and the simple diving bell used by divers 400 years ago to retrieve cannons from the wreck.
Undeterred by that maritime disaster, we also enjoyed a trip on the Baltic Sea, aboard the pleasure cruiser Stockholm as she weaved her way between the many islands that make up the archipelago, including a stop-off at Vaxholm, which is very quaint but also pretty crowded, certainly around the port area.
So, next time you fancy a few days away, why not Take A Chance on Stockholm? ■
We had the chance to record our own excruciating version of Mamma Mia
Norwegian (www.norwegian.com) fly daily from Edinburgh to Stockholm, with prices from around £41 one-way, booked well in advance. SAS also fly this route.