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Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
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Hours and Days of Operation for the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao: Tuesday through Sunday 10am through 8pm (20.00). Closed Mondays.
Admission for the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao: Adults 11€; Seniors 6.50€; Groups of 20 or more 10€ per person; Children free.
The incomparable Guggenheim Museum Bilbao or “el Goog” as it is affectionately referred to by residents and those in the know, is one of the most famous and recognizable buildings in the world. It is an unparelled masterpiece designed by the Canadian-American architect, Frank Gehry.
El Goog, housing modern and contemporary art, was built alongside the Nervión River as the primary element in the effort to transform and revitalize Bilbao’s decrepit industrial and port area. Since October 18, 1997, when King Juan Carlos I of Spain officially opened the museum, Bilbao’s art district and the surrounding areas have flourished.
Built in the Deconstructivist style of fragmentation with architectural manipulation of the structure’s skin to form non-rectilinear shapes, the Museum’s visual appearance is that of unpredictability and controlled chaos. One of the most compelling descriptions of Museo Guggenheim Bilbao was penned by The New Yorker critic, Calvin Tomkins, when he wrote it is "a fantastic dream ship of undulating form in a cloak of titanium." For a less esoteric explanation from Frank Gehry, the apparent randomness of the building’s curves is designed to catch the light.
The museum is fully integrated into its urban setting; the multiple interconnecting shapes of stone, glass and titanium rest on a 32,500 square meter (350,000 square feet) plot of land that, while modest from street level, is extraordinarily impressive when seen from the river. Of that area, there are 11,000 square meters (120,000 square feet) dedicated solely to exhibition space spread around nineteen galleries. Ten of them can be identified from the exterior by the stone finishes; the other nine are irregularly shaped and are easily identifiable by their swirling organic forms and titanium cladding.
The Museum’s interior is designed around a huge light-filled atrium measuring 45.72 meters / 150 feet in height from which the individual galleries radiate out. The river outside the atrium is incorporated into the design by means of a raised walkway linking it to the museum’s water garden.
The majority of the exhibitions are large scale works created specifically for El Goog by contemporary artists. The collections most often highlight Avant-Garde pieces, 20th century abstract works, non-objective and thematic art with a strong emphasis on installations and electronic forms.
The highlight of the collection and the only permanent exhibit is “The Matter of Time” by Richard Serra. Incorporated into Serra’s colossal undertaking is his earlier work, “Snake” – all 100 meter / 340 feet of it. The series, housed in the Arcelor Gallery, is sculptured from 1,000 tons of weathered steel designed for visitors to move around and through. You literally become one with the art.
While serious in intent, El Goog is playful in appearance - so it should be no surprise that the entry is guarded by a 12.2 meters / 40 foot figure of a dog made entirely of flowers. “Puppy” is the creation of Jeff Koons, the kitsch American artist, and has become the unofficial mascot of the city.
Admission for the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao: Adults 11€; Seniors 6.50€; Groups of 20 or more 10€ per person; Children free.
The incomparable Guggenheim Museum Bilbao or “el Goog” as it is affectionately referred to by residents and those in the know, is one of the most famous and recognizable buildings in the world. It is an unparelled masterpiece designed by the Canadian-American architect, Frank Gehry.
El Goog, housing modern and contemporary art, was built alongside the Nervión River as the primary element in the effort to transform and revitalize Bilbao’s decrepit industrial and port area. Since October 18, 1997, when King Juan Carlos I of Spain officially opened the museum, Bilbao’s art district and the surrounding areas have flourished.
Built in the Deconstructivist style of fragmentation with architectural manipulation of the structure’s skin to form non-rectilinear shapes, the Museum’s visual appearance is that of unpredictability and controlled chaos. One of the most compelling descriptions of Museo Guggenheim Bilbao was penned by The New Yorker critic, Calvin Tomkins, when he wrote it is "a fantastic dream ship of undulating form in a cloak of titanium." For a less esoteric explanation from Frank Gehry, the apparent randomness of the building’s curves is designed to catch the light.
The museum is fully integrated into its urban setting; the multiple interconnecting shapes of stone, glass and titanium rest on a 32,500 square meter (350,000 square feet) plot of land that, while modest from street level, is extraordinarily impressive when seen from the river. Of that area, there are 11,000 square meters (120,000 square feet) dedicated solely to exhibition space spread around nineteen galleries. Ten of them can be identified from the exterior by the stone finishes; the other nine are irregularly shaped and are easily identifiable by their swirling organic forms and titanium cladding.
The Museum’s interior is designed around a huge light-filled atrium measuring 45.72 meters / 150 feet in height from which the individual galleries radiate out. The river outside the atrium is incorporated into the design by means of a raised walkway linking it to the museum’s water garden.
The majority of the exhibitions are large scale works created specifically for El Goog by contemporary artists. The collections most often highlight Avant-Garde pieces, 20th century abstract works, non-objective and thematic art with a strong emphasis on installations and electronic forms.
The highlight of the collection and the only permanent exhibit is “The Matter of Time” by Richard Serra. Incorporated into Serra’s colossal undertaking is his earlier work, “Snake” – all 100 meter / 340 feet of it. The series, housed in the Arcelor Gallery, is sculptured from 1,000 tons of weathered steel designed for visitors to move around and through. You literally become one with the art.
While serious in intent, El Goog is playful in appearance - so it should be no surprise that the entry is guarded by a 12.2 meters / 40 foot figure of a dog made entirely of flowers. “Puppy” is the creation of Jeff Koons, the kitsch American artist, and has become the unofficial mascot of the city.
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