Address: Public transport: Contact:: Timetable: What can I see here? Designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry and built by Ferrovial, the Guggenheim Museum is currently the biggest attraction in Bilbao, Spain built along the Nervion River. The museum that is entirely covered with titanium sheets houses European and American 20th century artworks, featuring styles such as Pop Art, Arte Povera, Conceptual Art, Minimalism, and Abstract Expressionism. The exhibits inside the museum change from time to time, though, aside from its permanent exhibit called The Matter of Time, Richard Serra’s series of weathering steel sculptures, can be found in the Arcelor Gallery. The creation of this building was made possible through the collaboration between the Basque government and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and it was first opened to the public on October 19, 1997. Many find the structure unique with its radically sculpted contours. The building, being built in a coastal city with a shipbuilding history, is designed to resemble a ship while its reflective panels are made to look like fish scales. Its popularity was a sure hit from the day one of its opening that two million people flocked into Bilbao in the museum’s first year of existence. Inside this 265,000 square foot titanium sheet-clad building, 19 gallery spaces that could be classified into three different types can be found – a conservative gallery for housing permanent collections, a dramatic elongated space for temporary exhibits, and seven distinct galleries that houses exhibits by selected living artists. Aside from exhibit galleries, the museum also has an auditorium, a museum store, a restaurant, and administrative offices. Apart from the art collection it houses, the building itself is an expression of art and extraordinary in nature. The choice of materials, such as glass, sinuous stone and titanium, gives the building a distinct character. From the outside it looks like a combination of shapes interlocked together. The use of glass in its walls gives the museum the natural lighting it needs at the same time makes it look and feel cozy inside despite the steel clad exterior. Another attraction to look out for in the museum is the metal flower skylight at the top of the atrium. The Guggenheim museum surely makes the trip to Bilbao a memorable experience. Locals truly take pride in the erection of this building for it not only put Bilbao in the map but also for the awe and the impact that it brings to tourists. The building is both humble and inspirational and a real architectural achievement of our time.
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BILBAO’S GUGGENHEIM: Spectacular deconstructivism
Spanish Good Museums
Museo Guggenheim
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