Museo Guggenheim Bilbao
Museum of modern and contemporary art designed by Frank Gehry, a symbol of Bilbao’s transformation, with monumental sculptures inside and outside.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Negotiations between the Basque Government and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation began in February 1991, and the agreement was signed at the end of that year. In mid-1992 the architect and the site beside the Bilbao estuary were chosen, and work continued until 1997. King Juan Carlos I opened the museum on 18 October 1997.
The building, by the architect Frank Gehry, covers some 24,000 m² and combines curved forms with a cladding of titanium and limestone. Its three levels are organised around a large central atrium and linked by curved walkways, titanium-and-glass lifts and stair towers. The building and the permanent collection belong to Basque institutions; in 2014 it was agreed to renew the partnership with the Guggenheim Foundation for another twenty years.
Besides temporary exhibitions, the museum houses permanent installations such as Richard Serra’s “The Matter of Time”, installed in 2005, and outdoor works such as Jeff Koons’s “Puppy” and “Tulips”, Louise Bourgeois’s “Maman” or Anish Kapoor’s “Tall Tree & the Eye”. The museum’s influence on the city’s urban regeneration is known as the “Guggenheim effect” or “Bilbao effect”.
Highlights
- Frank Gehry building clad in titanium
- “The Matter of Time” by Richard Serra
- “Puppy” by Jeff Koons, beside the entrance
- “Maman” by Louise Bourgeois, beside the estuary
- “Tulips” and “Tall Tree & the Eye” by Koons and Kapoor
Permanent exhibitions
- La materia del tiempo – Permanent installation by Richard Serra consisting of seven steel sculptures, installed in 2005.
- Esculturas exteriores – Outdoor works in the museum’s surroundings, such as Jeff Koons’s “Puppy” and “Tulips”, Louise Bourgeois’s “Maman” and Anish Kapoor’s “Tall Tree & the Eye”.
- Founded
- 1997
- Operated by
- Fundación Solomon R. Guggenheim
- Director
- Miren Arzalluz
- Visitors per year
- approx. 1,305,003 (2025)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €12 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €6Students aged 18 to 26, pensioners and people over 65 (with proof of status) |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Under-18s enter free; children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. |
| Seniors | €6Pensioners and people over 65, with proof of status at the ticket office. |
| Visitors with disabilities | €6companion free · Discount equivalent to that for students and pensioners, with supporting documentation. |
| Students & apprentices | €6Ages 18 to 26, with proof of status at the ticket office. |
| Groups (20+ people) | –Groups of more than 20 people: book at least one week in advance by phone (94 435 90 23, Monday to Friday 9:00–14:00). Professional external guides with groups of 8 or more people can book a free one-hour visit in advance. |
| Combined ticket with Bilbao Museoa (adults) | €16A single ticket gives access to both the Guggenheim Bilbao and Bilbao Museoa. |
| Combined ticket with Bilbao Museoa (students and over-65s) | €8 |
The audio guide is included in the price of all tickets. On the last day of each exhibition there is a 50% discount from 16:00 to 19:00. Friends of the Museum enter free. Issued tickets are not refundable.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits
- Sign language tours
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Wheelchair access via the main façade (with lift, through the café) and via the estuary façade (with ramp). Wheelchairs and lightweight folding chairs can be borrowed free of charge from the cloakroom. All toilets have individual wheelchair-accessible cubicles. Induction loop in the auditorium and at the counters; tactile models of the building and of several sculptures, tactile tours for blind visitors, video guides in Spanish Sign Language and guided tours with interpreters. The museum has no car park of its own; the public car park at Plaza Euskadi has accessible spaces.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Baby changing facilities
Baby changing facilities on levels 1 and 0. Children must be accompanied at all times and may not run; breastfeeding is allowed, but eating and drinking are not permitted in the galleries. The website recommends watching a short information video before visiting with children.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Guggenheim (tranvía)
Tram: Guggenheim stop. Metro: Moyua station, Ercilla-Guggenheim exit. Bus: lines 01, 10, 13, 18 and A7 (Museo 1 / Henao stop); lines 13, 27, 38 and 48 (Alameda Recalde 31 and 11 and Alameda Recalde 12 stops); lines 11 and 71 (La Salve / Igogailua and Campo Volantín / La Salve stops). Train: Renfe at Bilbao Abando and Euskotren at Atxuri.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The museum has no car park of its own for visitors. The website cites metered on-street parking, the public car parks at Plaza Pío Baroja and Plaza Euskadi (with accessible spaces) and, in summer only, a motorhome parking area at Calle Monte Kobeta 31.
Low-emission zone restrictions apply. From Santander (A-8), or from San Sebastián and Vitoria-Gasteiz (A-68 and A-8), take the Bilbao San Mamés exit and follow Avenida Abandoibarra. Bilbao airport (Loiu) is 15 km away and has a bus service.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Restaurant
- Coat check
Restaurants Bistró Guggenheim Bilbao and Nerua Guggenheim Bilbao (one Michelin star). Specialised library on contemporary art. Cloakroom for coats and items not permitted in the galleries.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| Photography | Photography without flash is permitted for private use; tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed in the galleries. |
| Good to know | The audio guide is activated by scanning a QR code with your phone inside the museum. Backpacks, large bags, parcels and umbrellas are not permitted in the galleries (indicative maximum size of belongings: 35 × 35 cm). It is advisable to arrive 15 minutes early to use the cloakroom. Free guided tours are available for groups with special needs and for groups at risk of social exclusion, with prior booking by email. |
