Plans for £18m Abba museum scrapped due to lack of money, money, money

From the Daily Mail UK:

But the founders  discovered fellow Swedes were raised to heights of frenzied apathy

over the idea – despite a recent resurgence in Abba-mania due to the musical and movie ‘Mamma Mia.’

Band members, who famously sang about cash in number one hit Money, Money, Money, agreed to co-operate because of the inter-active nature of the planned museum. 

Previously they had refused to have anything to do with exhibitions about them.

The band found that few investors were willing to part with money to build a shrine to the Eurovision stars.

The grand proposals included stages for visitors to dance with hologram versions of Anni-Frid, Benny, Bjorn and Agnetha, karaoke booths, mock ups of the Abba dressing rooms and a whole host of memorabilia including photos, outfits and handwritten song compositions.

 

The project was launched in 2006 and the founders began collecting stage costumes, platform shoes, gold records, childhood scrapbooks and first musical instruments.

Miss Wigenheim-Westman said. 'It was Abba’s cultural treasure.'

The collection was mothballed as plans were put in motion to spend £18 million pounds on renovating Stockholm’s former Customs House into the museum.

But costs spiralled out of control until the museum was going to cost around triple that amount.

The rights to Abba the museum have now been sold to another promoter who plans to take the idea on a travelling roadshow with no permanent base.