Stockholm. What do we associate with the Swedish capital? Köttbullar of course, a well-known furniture manufacturer has really implanted this in our brains. Cinnamon buns perhaps and the children's author Astrid Lindgren. But the city has also produced a famous DJ and producer: Avicii.
The Swedes are very proud of Tim Bergling. And rightly so. He has achieved more in his 28 years on our ball than many others have in their entire lives. So it's no wonder that there is an entire museum in Stockholm in his honor. The "Avicii Experience".
But anyone who thinks that these are just a few of his belongings, beautifully preserved behind glass, is mistaken. You really get something for the entrance fee of SEK 229 (the equivalent of around 20 euros). It is a so-called "interactive experience". This means that you are really encouraged to touch and try out everything yourself.
The museum was officially opened on February 26, 2022, almost 4 years after the death of the famous DJ. The idea came from Avicii's parents, Klas Bergling and Anki Lidén. They love the ABBA Museum, which is also located in Stockholm, and wanted to create a memorial to their son with something similar. A second monument, to be precise. The office supplies retailer and the actress set up a foundation in Tim's honor back in March 2019. The Tim Bergling Foundation has set itself the goal of promoting the mental health of young people.
Who was Tim Bergling?
With hits such as "Wake Me Up", "Hey Brother" and his breakthrough song "Levels", Avicii was omnipresent in the 2010 charts. The rather shy Swede delivered one chart hit after one chart hit after another after another. In between, he toured and performed in front of millions of fans worldwide. This extreme dedication took its toll. It wasn't just his mental health that suffered from the constant stress, little sleep and the pressure of constantly having to "deliver". He also battled chronic pancreatitis for a long time, which resulted in several hospital stays. Among other things, the painkillers he took for the inflamed pancreas also led to addiction. He battled addiction and depression for years. In April 2018, Avicii finally lost the battle. He took his own life in a hotel complex in Oman.
To give fans a better insight into his life and work, the Avicii Experience opened its doors a few years later on the central Sergelgatan square. Here you can try your hand at remixing some of his songs (it's harder than it looks) or simply experience what it feels like to stand behind a DJ booth in front of thousands of people. Soundproof karaoke booths are also part of the museum. The experience takes you through Tim's life. From his childhood bedroom to the record studio from which he did live streams and a memorial shrine with fan letters.
The aim is to bring Avicii's life closer to the fans.
It was important to the operators of the interactive museum that visitors see the world through Avicii's eyes. That is why they have also integrated a special room. Here you can experience for yourself what it is like to be confronted with flashing lights, screaming fans and intrusive reporters. It certainly helped that one of the operators knew Avicii himself. The experience is managed by Pophouse Entertainment (just like the ABBA Museum). The CEO of the organization, Per Urban Sundin, used to work for Universal Music Sweden - and discovered Avicii. Sundin now not only oversees the Experience, but also sits on the board of the Tim Bergling Foundation.
During a conversation with Hanna Kimblad Einarsen from Pophouse Entertainment, she said that the museum is constantly changing the exhibits. New items are always being added in consultation with Avicii's parents. It is very important to Pophouse to support the Tim Bergling Foundation. Part of the proceeds go directly to the charity. Ironically, Einarsen wasn't a super fan of the DJ at first. She says she felt the same way as some visitors:
"You initially don't have to love avicci, normally you leave loving him." - "You initially don't have to love Avicii, normally you leave loving him."
If you want to know more about Avicii, you can find a short biography here:
Sources:
https://aviciiexperience.com/happening-at-the-museum/
Interview with Hanna Kimblad Einarsen in February 2025 (ZOOM)
https://www.timberglingfoundation.org/
The authorized biography of Tim "Avicii" Bergling(ISBN-10 : 3426278685 andISBN-13 : 978-3426278680)
Photo copyright: Ingrid Müller
Courtesy of the Avicii Experience
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