The Guggenheim Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Bilbao was inaugurated on 18th October 1997 by King Juan Carlos I of Spain.
The Basque government had suggested to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation that it would fund a Guggenheim Museum to be built in Bilbao’s once flourishing port area.
It cost US$100 million to construct, $50 million in acquisitions, $20 million fee to the Guggenheim and a subsidy to the $12 million annual budget. The Foundation manages the museum.
It became instantly popular. In the first 3 years almost 4 million tourists visited the museum, helping to generate $500 million in economic activity.
It was designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry and has been described as “the greatest building of our time”, “a fantastic dream ship of undulating form in a cloak of titanium”, “mercurial brilliance”…and much more.
We were in Bilbao on a lovely spring day. The museum certainly makes a statement beside the river.
The steel bubbles create great reflections.
There is a giant spider in front of the museum.
This is actually the back of the museum. We walked up the steps towards the entrance.
The Jeff Koons puppy looms large.
Here is the entrance to the museum.
I would love to take you inside, but it was closed!
We were happy to see the stunning exterior and may go back one day to see the art.