Guggenheim Museum Bilbao: tickets, hours and what to see
The Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao looks like a titanium ship that has dropped anchor right in the center of the city. Even if you are indifferent to contemporary art, the building is worth seeing with your own eyes.
Inside there are 24,000 m², of which 9,000 m² are given over to exhibition galleries (as of 09/2026, official website). An adult ticket costs €18, and the audio guide is included in the price (as of 09/2026, official website).
Below we will look at the architecture, the sculpture courtyard, the galleries with the collection, and practical details: tickets, opening hours, and days off.
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Museum architecture
💡 In short:
- Adult ticket: €18, audio guide included (as of 09/2026, official website).
- Children and teenagers under 18 enter free of charge.
- Closed on Mondays; on all other days the museum is open from 10:00 to 19:00.
- Prices and opening hours: 09/2026, verified on the museum's official website.
The building was designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry. From the outside, it is a set of curved volumes clad in titanium panels. During the day the metal catches the light, and in the evening it reflects the sky and the water of the Nervión River.
The central part resembles an opening artichoke flower. Long wing-like pavilions spread out to the sides like petals. Inside, three levels are arranged around an atrium, and curved ramps, glass and titanium elevators guide you between them (as of 09/2026, official website).
© Naotake Murayama · CC BYPhoto: Naotake Murayama, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia CommonsWalk around the building along the riverfront: from the opposite bank you can see the entire silhouette. For the best light for photos, come an hour before sunset, when the titanium turns blue-purple and is reflected in the water.
The museum opened in 1997 and quickly became Bilbao's main tourist magnet (as of 09/2026, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao). The city invested money in the museum and got a flow of visitors and a renewed riverfront in return.
Sculptures near the museum
A curved pedestrian bridge leads to the building from the river side. Walk across it to circle the museum and see the sculptures in the courtyard and along the riverfront. You do not need a ticket for this.
The metal spider Maman by Louise Bourgeois holds its heavy body on thin, long legs. An adult can walk freely beneath them, and next to the sculpture a person seems like a tiny toy.
© Didier Descouens · CC BY-SAPhoto: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia CommonsAnother object in the courtyard is known even to those who have never been to the museum. It is Jeff Koons' Puppy: a terrier puppy figure made of live flowers, tended by the museum's gardeners. The shades change from season to season.
Nearby stand Tulips by the same artist, a bouquet of steel tulips with glossy paint. A little further stands Anish Kapoor's Tall Tree & The Eye, a tall column of mirrored steel spheres. All three works are accessible at any time of day.
Exhibitions
The permanent collection is based on the holdings of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. The galleries mainly feature art created after 1950.
© Tommie Hansen · CC BYPhoto: Tommie Hansen, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), Wikimedia CommonsThe strongest draw is Richard Serra's steel installations: heavy curved ribbons that invite you to walk between them.
Alongside the paintings, the galleries contain many installations. If the permanent exhibition is not enough for you, get a combined ticket: it also grants entry to the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum (as of 09/2026, official website).
The galleries and courtyard are almost never empty. Thousands of visitors come here to see the building up close and step inside for at least a couple of hours.
Tickets and opening hours
Category | Ticket |
|---|---|
Adults | 18 € |
Students 18-25 | 9 € |
Seniors 65+ | 9 € |
Children and teenagers under 18 | free |
Audio guide | included in the ticket |
The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 10:00 to 19:00 (as of 09/2026, official website). In summer, from June 15 to September 13, the galleries stay open until 20:00. Ticket offices close half an hour before closing time, and visitors leave the galleries 15 minutes before closing.
The museum is closed on December 25 and January 1. On the last day of each exhibition, a 50% discount applies from 16:00. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult (as of 09/2026, official website).
Buy tickets on the museum's official website: they also warn about counterfeits sold by resellers. With a guide, you will follow a set route through the galleries and hear stories about the building's construction. Museum tours on GetYourGuide.
Tours and tickets in Bilbao
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⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions
How much does a ticket to the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao cost?
An adult ticket costs 18 €, students 18-25 and seniors pay 9 €, children and teenagers under 18 enter free (as of 09/2026, prices and hours). The audio guide is included. Buying on the official website saves you from waiting in line at the ticket office.
When is the museum closed?
Regular day off: Monday (as of 09/2026, official website). Exceptions occur during holiday weeks and in summer. The museum is fully closed on December 25 and January 1, and on December 24 and 31 it closes earlier, at 17:00. In summer, from June 15 to September 13, the galleries are open until 20:00.
How much time should I allow for a visit?
Two to three hours is enough for the galleries and the courtyard. The museum covers 24,000 m², of which 9,000 m² is exhibition space (as of 09/2026, area and exhibition space). If you are only there for the architecture, an hour is enough for the riverside promenade, the courtyard, and the sculptures.
What can I see for free?
The courtyard and the riverside promenade. The sculptures Maman, Puppy, and Tulips stand outside, and no ticket is needed for them. An hour before sunset, the titanium walls reflect the light, and photos turn out best. Come in the evening, when the flow of tour groups has subsided.
Do I need a separate audio guide?
The audio guide is included with every ticket (as of 09/2026, official website). Inside, you scan a QR code with your phone and listen to a story about the building and the exhibitions. There is no separate fee, and it is better to bring your own headphones.
In short: what is worth booking
The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is worth planning ahead: in high season it is easier to get tickets on the official website, and accommodation and tours in Bilbao sell out quickly.
If you are coming for the architecture: arrive in the evening and walk around the building along the riverfront. If you want to see the collection: allow half a day so you do not have to rush through the galleries. If you are traveling with children: admission is free for them, and the sculptures in the courtyard appeal to them just as much as the galleries.
Hotels in Bilbao on Trip.com and Bilbao tours on GetYourGuide will help you build your trip around the museum.
A small editorial team writing guides for independent travel. We travel ourselves, but we haven’t been everywhere, so we check prices, opening hours and how to get there against official sources.