Euskal Museoa Bilbao – Museo Vasco
Museum of Basque history and ethnography in the former Jesuit college in Bilbao's Casco Viejo, with a historic cloister and a collection from Bizkaia.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The building dates from 1610, when a bequest from Domingo de Gorgolla made it possible to found the College of San Pedro and San Andrés of the Society of Jesus in the Askao suburb. After the expulsion of the Jesuits, in 1775 the House of Mercy occupied almost the whole building, and it later housed the School of Arts and Crafts, the Provincial Court (Audiencia Provincial) and the municipal courts.
In 1914 the town council handed the courtyard over to the Comisión de Monumentos de Vizcaya so that an archaeological museum could be set up. In the following years the archaeological museum and the Basque ethnographic museum shared the cloister, and in 1921 their boards merged; the museum opened on 3 July 1921. With the reform of the 1960s it was named the Museo Histórico de Vizcaya, and in the following decades the cloister's wings were recovered and the exhibition space was enlarged.
In 2009 the Archaeology and Prehistory collections passed to the new Museo Arqueológico. In 2020 the board approved a comprehensive renovation project by the architect Vaillo-Irigaray. Today the museum manages the ethnographic and historical collection of the Basque Country and presents a selection of reference objects in the display “Imprescindibles” (Essentials).
Highlights
- Cloister of the former Jesuit college in the Casco Viejo
- Ethnographic and historical collection of the Basque Country
- “Imprescindibles” selection of reference objects
- Visitable storage area with guided tours
- Exhibitions, activities and live music programme in the cloister
Permanent exhibitions
- Imprescindibles – A selection of reference objects from the museum's collection, including an election wine jug from the Bilbao Consulate of 1733, an Artiach biscuit tin and a French thicknesser (wood-planing machine).
- Depósito visitable – Guided visit in small groups to anthropological objects that are not on the main route, with explanations of how they are registered, conserved and restored.
- Founded
- 1921
- Operated by
- Bilbao Bizkaia Museoak
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Young people up to 26, people over 65, students, large families and groups of more than 10 people |
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult with their own ticket; each adult may bring up to five children under 12. |
| Seniors | €5People over 65. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Free admission for people with disabilities and one companion, with accreditation. |
| Students & apprentices | €5 |
| Groups (11+ people) | €5 per personGuided visit for groups of up to 20 people: €50 per group plus €5 admission per person; booking at least 72 hours in advance. |
| Special reduced ticket (people in legal unemployment) | €3 |
Free admission: Wednesdays (Museum Day).
Free admission also for children under 18, Friends of the Museum, teachers with a teaching card, holders of the ICOM-ICOMOS card and media professionals. Reduced and free admission requires proof of eligibility. Each ticket allows a single entry and is generally non-refundable.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Access and circulation spaces are wide and accessible, with lifts on all floors, accessible toilets and a dedicated toilet for people with an ostomy. Wheelchairs are lent free of charge at the information point (limited availability). People with disabilities and their companion enter free and have priority access without queueing. Audio guides are free for accessibility reasons. Reduced-price guided visits for groups with disabilities or at risk of social exclusion, by advance booking.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
The programme includes family leisure (“ocio en familia”), with workshops, tours and sensory and creative experiences.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Zazpi Kaleak / Casco Viejo (metro)
Metro: Zazpi Kaleak / Casco Viejo station, Unamuno exit. Tram: Arriaga or Ribera stops. Bus: lines A2 and A5 (Unamuno); 11, 22 and 62 (Viuda de Epalza 1 / San Nicolás); 11, 22 and A9 (Arenal / opposite San Nicolás); 56, 75, 77 and 85 (Arenal / Arriaga), and others at Puente del Arenal. Train: Renfe at Bilbao Abando and Euskotren at Zazpi Kaleak.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The museum has no car park of its own for visitors. Parking Arenal is about 500 metres away (maximum height 2.13 m); the municipal spaces around it are pay-and-display.
The main entrance is on calle Cruz (Gurutze Kalea), next to Plaza Miguel de Unamuno. Bicycle parking is available on Plaza Miguel de Unamuno; Bilbaobizi bike stations are at San Nikolas, Arriaga and Erriberako merkatua.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Coat check
- Wi-Fi
Free wifi throughout the museum. Free cloakroom with limited capacity. Shop with publications and products inspired by the collection and exhibitions.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Corporate events
The museum offers its spaces for corporate events; events telephone: 946 558 519.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 1.5 hrs |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (EU, ES, EN, FR) |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Audio guide for €2 extra on top of admission (free for accessibility reasons). Guided visit “La puerta a la cultura vasca” (90 minutes), “Descubre el depósito visitable” (60 minutes) and short themed visits “Begiradak” (30 minutes). Group visits of up to 20 people with advance booking on 946 076 548 or at erreserbak@euskalmuseoa.eus. |
