go to content go to search box go to global site navigation

Bilbao

Museo Guggenheim

Good for: architects, architecture, architectural splendour, art exhibitions, art galleries

Not good for: showing art

  • Address
    • Avenida Abandoibarra 2
  • Website
  • Price
    • adult/child €13/free
  • Hours
    • 10am-8pm, closed Mon Sep-Jun

Correct these details

Lonely Planet review for Museo Guggenheim

Opened in September 1997, Bilbao’s Museo Guggenheim lifted modern architecture and Bilbao into the 21st century – with sensation. It boosted the city’s already inspired regeneration, stimulated further development and placed Bilbao firmly in the world art and tourism spotlight.

Some might say, probably quite rightly, that structure overwhelms function here and that the Guggenheim is more famous for its architecture than its content. But Canadian architect Frank Gehry’s inspired use of flowing canopies, cliffs, promontories, ship shapes, towers and flying fins is irresistible.

Like all great architects, Gehry designed the Guggenheim with historical and geographical contexts in mind. The site was an industrial wasteland, part of Bilbao’s wretched and decaying warehouse district on the banks of Ría de Bilbao. The city’s historical industries of shipbuilding and fishing reflected Gehry’s own interests, not least his engagement with industrial materials in previous works. The gleaming titanium tiles that sheathe most of the building like giant herring scales are said to have been inspired by the architect’s childhood fascination with fish.

Other artists have added their touch to the Guggenheim as well. Lying between the glass buttresses of the central atrium and River Nerviòn is a simple pool of water that emits at intervals a mist ‘sculpture’ by Fuyiko Nakaya. Nearby on the riverbank is a sculpture by Louise Bourgeois, a skeletal canopy representing a spider, entitled Maman, said to symbolise a protective embrace. In the open area to the west of the museum, a fountain sculpture randomly fires off jets of water into the air and youngsters leap to and fro across it. Whilst, on the Alameda Mazarredo, on the city side of the museum, is Jeff Koons’ kitsch whimsy Puppy, a 12m-tall highland terrier made up of thousands of begonias. Bilbao has hung on to ‘El Poop’, who was supposed to be a passing attraction as part of a world tour. With the fond, deprecating humour of citizens of all tough cities, bilbaínos will tell you that El Poop came first – and then they had to build a kennel behind it.

Heading inside, the interior of the Guggenheim is purposefully vast. The cathedral-like atrium is more than 45m high. Light pours in through the glass cliffs. Permanent exhibits fill the ground floor and include such wonders as mazes of metal and phrases of light reaching for the skies.

For most people, though, it is the temporary exhibitions that are the main attraction (check the website for upcoming shows). During 2012, these included Cristina García Rodero’s fantastic surrealist photographs, British artist David Hockney’s landscape paintings and the work of 1960’s artist Claes Oldenburg, considered one of the father figures of pop art.

Admission prices vary depending on special exhibitions and time of year. The prices we have quoted are the maxiumn (and most common); the last ticket sales are half an hour before closing. Free guided tours in Spanish take place at 11am and 5pm; sign up half an hour before at the information desk. Tours can be conducted in other languages but you must ask at the information desk beforehand. Groups are limited to 20, so get there early. It’s also possible to organise private group tours with advance request in Spanish, English, French and German among others. The museum is equipped with specially adapted magnetic loop PDA video guides for those with hearing impairments. Excellent self-guided audio tours in various languages are free with admission and there is a special children's audio guide. Entry queues can be horrendous, with wet summer days and Easter almost guaranteeing you a wait of over an hour. The museum is wheelchair accessible.