Guggenheim Museum Bilbao: A Must-Visit

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

Words: Caning Jaramillo
Photos: Monica Tindall

One of Europe’s most exciting public attractions is the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, artfully juxtaposed against the tranquil banks of the Nervion River. This museum showcases modern and contemporary art and is an absolute must-visit while in the capital of Biscay.

In October 1997, the esteemed King Juan Carlos I of Spain inaugurated the museum, designed by the visionary Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry. It opened as a cooperative venture between the Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation and the Basque administrations of northern Spain (the Basque Government and the Diputación Foral de Bizkaia – provincial council of Biscay). The museum itself is an extraordinary example of 20th-century architecture, boasting three interconnected buildings covering an impressive overall area of 24,000 square meters, with 9,000 dedicated to exhibition space, solidifying its position as one of the biggest exhibition halls in the country.

Inside, visitors can explore permanent and visiting exhibitions of Spanish and international artists. At the same time, the outside is covered in an extraordinary free-form titanium-sheathed mass, suggesting a unique and gigantic abstract work unlike anything seen in the postmodern world.

To arrive, we strolled from the Old Town (one of Bilbao’s top attractions) along the river boulevard, reaching the museum plaza in around 15 minutes. Our first encounter with the museum was the impressive 30-foot-tall sculpture called “Maman” (1999) – a giant spider made of bronze, stainless steel, and marble, crafted by Louise Bourgeois. As we approached the entrance, we admired the facade, a mesmerising dance of titanium that seemed to ripple to life. Later on, we were fascinated by another sculpture, an installation of balls made of stainless steel and carbon steel called “Tall Tree & The Eye” (2009) by the Indian-British artist Anish Kapoor, leaving us eagerly anticipating the inside exhibitions.

The Atrium is often the first space visitors experience, a signature trait of Frank Gehry’s architectural design. With curved volumes and large glass curtain walls connecting the inside to the outside, the Atrium is flooded with light and covered by a grand skylight. The building features three levels organised around the Atrium, all interconnected with curved walkways, easy-access staircases, and glass elevators. There’s a clever distribution of space: despite hundreds of visitors exploring the 20 galleries, the museum never felt crowded. Each artwork could be contemplated fully, as the indoor design played with different volumes and perspectives, preventing us from feeling overwhelmed.

During our visit to level 1, as part of the museum’s permanent collection, we had the opportunity to appreciate eight giant artworks of Richard Serra made of weathering steel, called ‘The Matter of Time’ (1994-2005). The artist exposes how individuals have different perspectives of time, and visitors can experience walking through each of these unique and multidimensional steels, creating an unforgettable, dizzying feeling of space in motion. Impressive!

At other galleries, we saw the limited-time exhibition of the famous and veteran contemporary Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, with the theme: “1945 till Now.” This exhibition focuses on the existential questions that drive Kusama’s creative explorations. Through paintings, drawings, sculptures, installations, and archival materials documenting her happenings and performances, the show offers an in-depth survey of Kusama’s work, from her first drawings as a teenager during World War II to her most recent immersive, mirrored installations.

Later, at the second level, we enjoyed another temporal exhibition. The display of artworks, books, and videos from the late impressionist Austrian artist Oskar Kokoschka, who was a target of the Nazis during World War II, themed “A Rebel from Vienna”, left a lasting impression.

Another interesting and limited-time collection came from the hand of the British painter and writer Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, well known for her portraits of human figures and her exhibition theme: ‘No Twilight Too Mighty.’ It presents a selection of over 70 paintings and charcoal drawings from 2020 to 2023, displayed for the first time. It offers a chance to see the painter’s evocative paintings that are connected to the human condition on an infinite scale.

“On level 3, as part of the museum’s collection, a giant piece by El Anatsui, a Ghanaian sculptor who uses bottle caps sourced from alcohol recycling stations, caught our attention (Rising Sea, 1998). Another inspiring sculpture called ‘Tulips,’ by the talented American artist Jeff Koons is from his ‘Celebrations Series.’ Other exciting artworks worth mentioning are the latest painting acquisitions by the Guggenheim, featuring famous and well-known artists such as Mark Rothko, Jean Michel Basquiat, and Willem de Kooning, among others. 

Finally, we used a queuing app to enter a kaleidoscope artwork created by the aforementioned Yayoi Kusama, titled ‘Infinity Mirrors’ (2020). Only allowing eight visitors to view at a time, the ingenious app allowed us to continue browsing while “waiting in line.” Hence, the 45-minute wait was spent enjoying the galleries rather than in a physical queue. This temporal exhibit is an installation of mirrors, LED lights, metal, wood, and acrylic panels, through which the artist expresses her wishes to all human beings from beyond the universe. It was a colourful and magical show.

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is an unparalleled gem in the contemporary art world. Its fusion of artistic brilliance and architectural marvel creates an enchanting haven for all art enthusiasts and curious wanderers alike. Visiting this museum is an experience like no other, an opportunity to be inspired and forever changed. If you find yourself in Bilbao, make sure to indulge your senses and explore this extraordinary haven of creativity.

Reasons to visit the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao: one of the most striking modern art museums you will ever encounter – an absolute must-see attraction while visiting Bilbao.

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Avenida de Abandoibarra 2, 48009, Bilbao-Bilbo (Basque Country), Spain
+34 944 35 90 80
www.guggenheim-bilbao.eus

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao Opening Hours
June 19 to September 17: Daily from 10 am to 8 pm
Rest of the year: Tuesday till Sunday from 10 am till 7 pm.

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao Ticket Prices
Adults: €16 online /€ 18 Admissions desk
Students: €8 online /€ 9 Admissions desk
Seniors: €8 online /€ 9 Admissions desk

Visit the museum’s website for more detailed and up-to-the-minute information on opening hours and ticket pricing.

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