Museum Tickets and Tours in Bilbao

If you plan to visit Bilbao, which is a cosmopolitan reference in Spain and a tourist destination that has grown exponentially in recent times, you will see a city that has transformed its purely industrial profile into a place with a wide range of attractions that attract millions of visitors every year.

The Guggenheim Museum, one of the most renowned in the country, was decisive in the goal of turning the city into a synonym of culture, but it is not the only one that offers exhibitions worth seeing. Among the best things to do in Bilbao are also visiting the Itsasmuseum and the exhibition at the San Mamés Stadium.

If we are talking about a list of museums in Bilbao, it is impossible not to mention the Guggenheim, which is one of the most important cultural attractions in the world. Located on the banks of the Nervion River and inaugurated in 1997 in a building designed by architect Frank Gehry, it has become an icon of contemporary architecture.

Its titanium, glass and limestone structure offers an undulating form that evokes the image of a ship and reflects the city's rich maritime heritage. Also, if you plan to visit Bilbao during the summer, you will be able to contemplate from there a clean perspective of the estuary.

Since its opening, this museum has profoundly changed the perception of the city, transforming it into an international cultural epicenter. Inside the building you will find a large collection of modern and contemporary art with works by artists such as Jeff Koons, with his famous Puppy sculpture, Richard Serra and Mark Rothko, among others.

Bilbao, which used to be a declining industrial center, underwent an urban and economic transformation, in a phenomenon known as the Guggenheim Effect. The museum, therefore, not only attracted tourism, but also inspired urban revitalization projects.

Today, the museum is not only an exhibition space, but also a center for cultural, educational and artistic activities that offers guided tours and is often included in the itineraries of the best tours of Bilbao. If you want to get tickets to the Guggenheim, you'd better hurry to book!

Interesting details

• Price: from 13 euros for adults.
• Location: Avenida Abandoibarra 2, Bilbao.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 am to 7.00 pm.

The Itsasmuseum, formerly known as the Ría de Bilbao Maritime Museum, is a cultural space dedicated to preserving and disseminating the maritime history of the city and its close relationship with the estuary and the sea. The museum is located in the former Euskalduna shipyards, an emblematic place that connects the industrial past of this destination with its more modern present.

Inside the Itsasmuseum you can tour exhibits that include model ships, shipyard tools and antique artifacts related to navigation. It also offers interactive exhibits that show the evolution of the port of Bilbao, maritime trade and shipbuilding over the centuries.

Among the highlights of this museum you will find reproductions of traditional boats and objects related to life aboard ships, which will allow you to learn about the life of sailors and the importance of the Nervion River in the daily life of the city.

Details of interest

• Price: from 7 euros for adults.
• Location: Ramón de la Sota Kaia 1, Bilbao.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 11.00 to 19.00 hours.

The San Mamés Stadium Museum in Bilbao is a space dedicated to the history and legacy of Athletic Club, one of the most emblematic soccer teams in Spain and a fundamental part of the Basque identity. Located in a stadium that is considered a world reference of the sport, the museum offers visitors an immersive experience in the world of soccer and the rich tradition of Athletic.

Inside the museum you will find a collection of trophies, historic jerseys, photographs, videos and other items that tell the story of the club since its founding in 1898. The exhibition highlights the showcases dedicated to the most glorious moments of Athletic Club, such as the numerous King's Cups won and the legendary players who have played for the team.

Athletic Club is an institution deeply rooted in the life of the Basque Country. That is why, with a unique policy that prioritizes the signing of Basque or home-grown players, the club represents local pride and identity. This uniqueness has forged a strong bond between the team and the community, which you can discover in this comprehensive museum that, with its interactive exhibits, also offers an ideal alternative if you plan to visit Bilbao with children.

Interesting details

• Price: from 19 euros for adults.
• Location: Rafael Moreno Pitxitxi s/n, Puerta 20, Bilbao.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 am to 8.00 pm.

While the Guggenheim redesigned the city's cultural profile with its opening at the end of the 20th century, Bilbao already had the Museum of Fine Arts, which is also one of the most important of its kind in Spain. Founded in 1908, this museum houses an art collection that spans from the 13th century to the present.

From Gothic and Renaissance works of art to contemporary representations, in the museum you can visit a wide range of paintings and sculptures including pieces by great masters such as El Greco, Goya, Zurbarán and Van Dyck. This museum also stands out for the way it presents the works, offering a narrative that connects different periods and artistic styles.

If what you want during your trip is to know the artistic heritage of Spain in general and the Basque Country in particular, then you can not miss this dynamic exhibition that is periodically enriched and provides testimony of European art.

Also, due to the extended opening hours of this museum, if you plan to visit it near closing time, you can combine your tour with some of the best activities in Bilbao during the evening or with dinner in the nearby restaurants of Abando, an area that is usually included in the itineraries of the best gastronomic tours of the city

Details of interest

• Price: admission is free.
• Location: Museo Plaza 2, Bilbao
• Hours: Wednesday to Monday from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm.

The Basque Country has historically had a zigzagging relationship with religion and its institutions, but that is not an impediment for Bilbao to have one of its most outstanding exhibitions in the Museum of Sacred Art. This exhibition, housed in the Convent of the Incarnation, in the old part of the city, houses one of Spain's most valuable collections of religious art.

Among the halls of the museum you will find more than 2,000 pieces ranging from the Middle Ages to the twentieth century. The collection includes sculptures, paintings, liturgical ornaments, antique books, goldsmith objects and altarpieces that reflect Basque and Spanish sacred art. Among the most outstanding works are Gothic sculptures of the Virgin Mary, Baroque crucifixes, chalices and gold and silver monstrances.

In addition, the Museum of Sacred Art of Bilbao has an important collection of medieval art that offers a complete vision of the devotion and religious symbolism of that time.

Details of interest

• Price: from 3 euros admission for adults.
• Location: Encarnacion Plaza, 9B, Bilbao.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 13.30 and from 16.00 to 19.00.

The Bullfighting Museum of Bilbao is a space dedicated to the history and tradition of bullfighting in the city and in the Basque Country. Located in the vicinity of the Vista Alegre Bullring, this museum offers a journey through the evolution of bullfighting through a large collection of objects, bullfighting costumes, old posters, photographs and sculptures.

Inaugurated in 1995, the museum seeks to preserve the memory of this centuries-old practice, offering visitors a complete vision of the bullfighting world, from the great bullfighters who have passed through Bilbao to the elements that make up a bullfight. In the exhibits you will find costumes of iconic bullfighters such as Manolete and historical photographs of great bullfights in Vista Alegre.

In addition, the Bullfighting Museum exhibits the tools used in bullfighting, such as capes, swords and banderillas, as well as important documentation on the evolution of bullfighting in Bilbao.

Bullfighting has a deep connection with Bilbao, a city that has historically been a key center for bullfighting in the Basque Country. However, this tradition has also generated controversy and this museum is not without controversy, as bullfighting has been the subject of animal rights protests and debates. So much so, that one room in the museum addresses the claims of anti-bullfighting.

Details of interest

• Price: from 3 euros for adults.
• Location: Martín Aguero 1, Bilbao.
• Hours: Monday to Thursday from 10.30 am to 1.00 pm and from 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm. Friday from 10.30 to 13.00 hours.

The Basque Museum of Bilbao, also known as Euskal Museoa, offers one of the most emblematic exhibitions of the city, dedicated to preserving and disseminating the history and traditions of the Basque people. With a large collection of ethnographic, archaeological and artistic objects that provide a comprehensive view of Basque life and identity over the centuries, it is one of the city's must-sees if you want to discover its cultural heritage.

The museum's exhibits range from agricultural and maritime tools used by the Basques throughout history, to religious objects, traditional costumes and a remarkable selection of archaeological pieces. Highlights include the Mikeldi Idol, a mysterious prehistoric sculpture of an animal carved in stone.

In addition, there are exhibits on daily life in rural areas, traditional festivities and the history of Euskera, the ancestral Basque language. Nestled in the old part of the city, it is strategically located so you can combine your visit with some of the best wine tasting in Bilbao or with a gastronomic tour to taste the tastiest pintxos in the city

Interesting details

• Price: from 7 euros for adults.
• Location: Unamuno Miguel Plaza 4, Bilbao.
• Hours: Wednesday to Monday from 10.00 am to 7.00 pm.

If you are one of those who enjoy diving into the primitive origins of the cities you visit, then the Archaeological Museum of Bizkaia will offer you an unbeatable alternative. This exhibition is dedicated to the preservation and dissemination of the archaeological heritage of the province of Bizkaia and offers a journey through the ancient history of the region, from prehistoric times to the Middle Ages.

The museum's main objective is to show how the inhabitants of this area of the Basque Country lived and evolved over the centuries, using archaeology as a tool to reconstruct the past. Its modern installation contrasts with the history it contains, making it a place where the ancient and the contemporary merge.

Inside the museum you will find archaeological pieces of essential historical value, such as stone and ceramic utensils from prehistoric times, fossilized Bronze Age tools and weapons, and even remains of Roman and medieval settlements.

Details of interest

• Price: from 3.50 euros for adults.
• Location: Mallona Galtzada 2, Bilbao.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 14.00 and from 16.30 to 19.00.

Although its premise is somewhat alternative, the Museum of Reproductions of Bilbao is a unique space in the city dedicated to the exhibition of faithful reproductions of some of the most important masterpieces in the history of art. With an unbeatable level of detail, this exhibition will allow you to admire exact copies of sculptures and classical works.

The aim of the museum is to bring the general public closer to the great works of universal art and in its rooms you can find iconic sculptures such as Michelangelo's David, The Victory of Samothrace, The Laocoon and many other key pieces of Greek, Roman and Renaissance sculpture.

What makes the Bilbao Museum of Reproductions special is its pedagogical vocation and inclusive approach. As reproductions, these works can be contemplated and studied without the restrictions often imposed in museums that exhibit the original pieces.

Details of interest

• Price: from 3 euros for adults.
• Location: San Frantzisko Kalea 14, Bilbao.
• Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 14.00 and from 16.30 to 19.00.

The Museum of Basque Nationalism is a space dedicated to studying and making visible the history and evolution of this phenomenon, which constitutes a political and cultural movement that has been key in the configuration of the identity of the Basque Country. Through a collection of historical documents and objects, it proposes a journey through the foundations of Basque nationalism.

In the museum you can find exhibitions that cover the main milestones of Basque nationalism, from its beginnings in the nineteenth century to the present. Among the most outstanding objects are the first flags and symbols of the movement, as well as books, letters and pamphlets that helped shape the nationalist ideology.

It also explores the most influential and controversial figures of Basque nationalism, such as Sabino Arana, founder of the Basque Nationalist Party.

Bilbao is not only the economic and cultural capital of the Basque Country, but was also a key place in the formation of Basque nationalism in the late 19th century. Also, if you want to go deeper into this subject, you can visit San Juan de Gaztelugatxe on an excursion from Bilbao. There you will find the Casa de Juntas de Gernika, one of the symbols of Basque freedom.

Interesting details

• Price: from 5 euros the entrance fee for adults.
• Location: Ibáñez de Bilbao Kalea 16, Bilbao.
• Hours: Monday to Friday from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm.