Bilbao - Museo Guggenheim

The Guggenheim Museum is a museum of modern and contemporary art. It is one of several museums affiliated to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and features permanent and visiting exhibits of works by Spanish and international artists.

The architect was Frank O. Gehry. The foundation stone was laid in 1993 and the museum was inaugurated in 1997 in the presence of the then King Juan Carlos.

The Guggenheim Museum is one of the city's most important sights. In 2007, it welcomed its ten millionth visitor. The number of visitors is around 1 million per year, 60% of whom come from abroad.

The museum has led to a revitalisation of the district, where numerous cafés, bars and small shops have sprung up. The museum was not only a great cultural enrichment for Bilbao and the entire northern Spanish region, but also an economic success, as several thousand jobs were created. The term "Bilbao Effect" is derived from the museum building and its influence on the city.


Jeff Koons / 1955