Abba museum to open in Stockholm

Abba broke up in 1982 but continue to sell records

A museum dedicated to Swedish pop group Abba is to open in Stockholm in 2008, organisers have said.

Outfits and instruments used by the band will be on display along with handwritten song lyrics.

"It is nice someone feels compelled to take on our musical history," the group said in a statement.

It took organisers two years to convince the foursome, who continue to sell nearly three million records each year, that the project was a good idea.

Band donation

The couple behind the project, Ulf Westman and his wife, Ewa Wigenheim-Westman came up with the idea after visiting the Beatles museum in Liverpool.

We are convinced that this is important both for Stockholm citizens and for marketing the city Kristina Axen Olin Mayor of Stockholm

The group - Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Reuss - split up in 1982. They will donate material for the exhibits, but they will not be involved in any other way with the project.

Stockholm mayor Kristina Axen Olin believes the museum will attract 500,000 people a year.

"We are convinced that this is important both for Stockholm citizens and for marketing the city," she said.