Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao

You may think that the Guggenheim has satiated your appetite for art, but Bilbao has another museum up its sleeve: The Museo de Bellas Artes, or the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum.

Founded in 1908, the Fine Arts Museum that you see today didn't come into being until 1945, when it merged with the Modern Art Museum, moving to its current location in the corner of Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park. Home to more than 10,000 works, the museum is the perfect compliment to the Guggenheim: The Fine Arts Museum is intimate and traditional, focused primarily on local artists, while the Guggenheim is grand, abstract and largely features international pieces.

Indeed, among the Museo de Bellas Arte's galleries, you will find a more conventional museum collection (compared to the Guggenheim), ranging from paintings to sculptures, engravings, drawings and more. The bulk of these were amassed when the two original museums merged, and then via acquisitions and donations over the years, especially from local artists. And while the majority of the collection features Spanish and Basque artwork, you'll also come across Flemish and other international pieces as well.

Practical Info

The Fine Arts Museum is open every day of the week from 10am to 8pm, except on Mondays, when it is closed. Admission is 6 euros, however you can enter for free on Wednesdays.