Visit the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao: tickets, prices, schedules

Take a dose of modern and contemporary art in an atypical place! We take you to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

If you are visiting the Spanish Basque Country, then the Guggenheim Museum is a must to discover in this charming region. With its amazing architecture signed Frank Gehry, and its collections of works that have marked the history of art, you will spend an excellent moment of culture. And above all, with his 32,500 square meters You will have the time to let yourself be surprised at every corner!

In this guide to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, we share the practical information to know for a serenity visit. Ready for a new cultural getaway? Let's go.

A few words about the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao

In October 1997, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation opened a new museum in the presence of King Juan Carlos of Spain. This inauguration closes many years of work to set up this heir of the Guggenheim New York , opened about forty years before.

The city of Bilbao is quickly chosen to install the museum because the idea is to rebooster the Spanish Basque region. Indeed, the area is experiencing a difficult economic crisis and a delicate transition. The installation of such a place is therefore intended to redorate the blazon of the region.

Thus, with its titanium structure, characteristic of Frank Gehry's style, and its successful collections, the Guggenheim Bilbao quickly achieves its objective. Over time, it has become one of the most known modern and contemporary art buildings in the world. It generates both a growing number of tourists and thus allows the creation of many jobs!

Even today, the Guggenheim Bilbao is an example of urban architecture with the use of the four elements, and a spot to discover for lovers of iconic works.

Our tips to visit the Guggenheim in Bilbao

Would you like to visit the Guggenheim in Bilbao easily? Then follow our recommendations to explore the famous museum without losing a miette. Also note that art lovers like neophytes are welcome to experience this unique aesthetic experience.

The best time to visit the Guggenheim in Bilbao

We recommend that you prefer one Morning visit at the Guggenheim in Bilbao. This allows you to take the time necessary to turn around this huge building. Also, afternoon visits are often more dense, with a flow of visitors that increases widely.

The duration of a Guggenheim visit to Bilbao

You can count between 2 - 3 hours for a simple visit. Guided tours can last a little longer. Once again, take the time to visit the collections, but also to visit the surroundings of the museum that are worth a look.

Some practical information

• The museum has easy access for people with reduced mobility and/or wheelchairs;
• If you come with children, the museum recommends that you consult a short explanatory video on its website to avoid involuntary accidents or degradation;
• You can request a stroller or a baby carrier in the dressing room;
• Animals are prohibited in the museum’s enclosure, apart from guide dogs;
• It is not allowed to take large objects with a size exceeding the dimensions 35 x 35 cm, as well as food.

What to do when you visit the Guggenheim in Bilbao?

The permanent collection

Let yourself be seduced by the unmissable works of art of the museum. These works, you may have already seen them in journals or art history books! Because the Guggenheim is full of famous works by artists who have marked their time.

For example, you can admire the paintings of the painter Mark Rothko, but also the amazing installations of Jeff Koons . The Californian artist Richard Serra, and the German Anselm Kiefer, are also honoured.

Finally, you can be surprised by the “Light illuminating a deer” by Joseph Beuys, the “Metrophysical box by the conjunction of two triedres” by Jorge Oteiza, and by the richness of the works of the incredible Louise Bourgeois.

Temporary exhibitions

The exhibitions change and do not look like the Guggenheim in Bilbao. Thanks to its aura in the cultural world, the museum offers numerous eclectic exhibitions in relation to modern and contemporary art.

The museum has thus seen exhibitions on the Crazy Years, on learning through art, or on the moving works of Cecilia Bengolea.

The building

As we explained in the introduction, the Guggenheim in Bilbao illustrates with its unusual architecture, a avant-garde inspiration of the twentieth century. Don’t hesitate to take a tour outside the spectacular work of Frank Gehry. You will also meet Louise Bourgeois’ famous spider (“Maman”)...

Activities

Whether you are between adults or children, a visit to the Guggenheim in Bilbao is not complete without a playful activity around art. You can thus participate in group reflections around art or attend a concert or share a “artistic” meal.

Discover all the information directly on the website Guggenheim.

How much does a ticket cost to the Guggenheim in Bilbao?

Count 16 € for an adult ticket purchased online and 18 € if purchased directly at the counter. The rates are divided by two If you're a student or retired student.

The museum is free for under 18 years.

You can take your ticket online or at the . If you take it at the window, keep in mind that only payment by Credit card is authorized.

Are there guided tours of the Guggenheim in Bilbao?

The ticket price includes one audioguide in the form of a mobile application that allows you to enjoy your visit and have the essential information about the collection and exhibitions.

Do you want to know the museum more deeply and discover the secret behind every work? So choose a visit “express” with a guide and especially free ! This last one lasts. 30 minutes and allows to present the highlights of the museum. In other words, it is an introductory visit.

You can also opt for a guided tour and groupée . The rate is 85 regardless of the number of people in the group (between five and twenty). The latter last 60 minutes and allow you to fully understand the place.

Are there combined visits with other monuments in Bilbao?

For a prolonged stay in Bilbao, we invite you to look at the side of the Bilbao Bizkaia Card . The latter allows visitors to easily travel to the city, obtain discounts and have access to cultural institutions, including the Guggenheim Museum.

It also allows you to access the Museum of Fine Arts of the city!

Practical information about Bilbao Bizkaia Card

Depending on the duration of your stay, you can choose between three formats : 24 hours for 10 €, 48 hours for 15 € and 72 hours for 20 €.

You can buy this pass directly at the Bilbao Tourist Office or directly online.

Opening hours of the Guggenheim in Bilbao

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday , 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. . It opens some Mondays of the year, so you have to check the dates on the museum website.

The museum also closes on December 25 and January 1. On December 24 and 31, he closed his doors at 5:00.

Note also the ticketing is closed half an hour before the museum is closed.

How to get to the Guggenheim in Bilbao?

The museum is located in the Abando district, next to the Bilbao Ria and the Abando Parque Republica. So it's enough Central and you will have no trouble finding it during a visit to the city centre of Bilbao.

There exists. two inputs to enter the museum: a main façade and a façade oriented towards the ria. Both entrances are accessible for wheelchair users.

Where to park near the Guggenheim in Bilbao?

We recommend that you park your vehicle at parking Saba , close to the Bilbao train station for 2,05 € per hour .

There is also public parking in Herriko Plaza or Ipark Madariaga. These two are covered.

Where to stay near the Guggenheim in Bilbao?

These are not the accommodations that miss near the Guggenheim! It's for all budgets. You can choose a hotel close to the museum like Pension Miribilla. There is also a Carlton hotel near the Guggenheim. Do not hesitate to use a Compare hotels to make a wise choice.

If you prefer custom accommodation, you can also choose to select a room at home or a private apartment on Airbnb For example.

Good visit to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and share your experience with us in comment!