What a wonderful city Bilbao is. What a pleasure to walk through its streets, enjoy its gastronomy, immerse yourself in its daily rhythm and feel like another neighbor. Without a doubt, Bilbao is one of those cities that hook you.
It is an inexhaustible town in which, for years, the Guggenheim Museum has stood out as a precious pearl. The Guggenheim in Bilbao is one of the most important Art Centers in the world. It opened its doors in 1997 and, from day one, it has become one of the references for contemporary creation.
With more than a million visitors a year, the Guggenheim in Bilbao is famous for its temporary exhibitions and for having an artistic collection that houses the best of recent art history.
For all these reasons,it is an ineluctable visit to take part in a tourist tour to the city of Bilbao. Whether being art lovers or simply curious, walking through its dozens of rooms and contemplating both the works on display and the museum building itself or its surroundings promise not to leave anyone indifferent.
The artworks, the building, and the visit
There are thousands of opinions about the 'essentials' of the Guggenheim Bilbao, about those artworks that any tourist or visitor, who crosses the doors of the museum, cannot miss.
In the background of its collection are artworks as relevant as some of the most famous paintings by Mark Rothko, one of the geniuses of the New York School and possibly the one who best understood the color language.
That of the national artist Antonio Saura is another of the names that are repeated the most in the gallery. Owner of figurative work and in constant conflict with the form, he is able to transfer a feeling of absolute pessimism to those who contemplate his works.
In the field of sculpture, the creations signed by Jorge Oteiza stand out. The Empty Box with Large Openingand the Sphere Emptying Essay are the most admired pieces by this creator born in Guipúzcoa in 1908 and one of the greatest masters of Basque sculpture.
Other prominent names from the art world with a presence at the Guggenheim in Bilbao are Andy Warhol, Antoni Tàpies, Jeff Koons –author of the famous dog/garden, which is one of the icons of the museum–, Chillida, Cristina Iglesias or Susana Solano, among others.
There are many 'visits' within the museum itself.
The building: another artwork
But the first thing that enters the eyes of the visitor to the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is the imposing building designed by the Canadian architect Frank Gehry.
According to the author of the building himself, it is a construction based on soft forms that respond to a pattern, even though the untrained eye can get lost in the number of 'waves' that make up the façade.
This is, without a doubt, another of the virtues of this Spanish museum: its building is, in itself, another artwork that deserves a visit.
Schedules and prices
The opening hours of the Guggenheim Bilbao are very extensive. The gallery is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The ticket office closes half an hour before the total closure of the museum and the rooms are vacated just at 7:45 p.m.
Regarding the Guggenheim Bilbao tickets, the standard rate is 13 euros. From there, there are reduced rates for students and retirees (€7.5) and groups (€12). Children and friends of the museum enter the rooms for free.
The Guggenheim in Bilbao is an icon of modernity, a spectacle for the senses. The visit is a sure surprise for everyone and is, without a doubt, one of the most interesting experiences that can be lived in the city.
