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 instrumental in making the city synonymous with culture, but it's not the only one that offers exhibitions worth seeing. Some of the best things to do in Bilbao include visiting the Itsasmuseum and the San Mamés Stadium exhibition.

When it comes to a list of Bilbao museums, 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 River Nervión 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 can get a clear view of the estuary from here.

Since its opening, this museum has profoundly changed the perception of the city, transforming it into an international cultural epicentre. 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 centre, 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 revitalisation projects.

Today, the museum is not only an exhibition space, but also a centre 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 for the Guggenheim, you'd better book fast!

Interesting details

• Price: from 13 euros for adults.
• Location: Avenida Abandoibarra 2, Bilbao.
• Opening 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 visit exhibits that include model ships, shipyard tools and antique artefacts related to navigation. It also offers interactive exhibitions 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 on board the ships, which will give you an insight into the life of sailors and the importance of the Nervión 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.
• Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday, 11am-7pm.

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

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 display cases dedicated to Athletic Club's most glorious moments, 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 prioritises 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 which, 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.
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00 to 20.00.

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

From Gothic and Renaissance works of art to contemporary representations, the museum offers 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 discover the artistic heritage of Spain in general and of the Basque Country in particular, then you cannot miss this dynamic exhibition, which is periodically enriched and provides evidence of European art.

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

Interesting details

• Price: admission is free.
• Location: Museo Plaza 2, Bilbao
• Opening 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 does not prevent Bilbao from having one of its most outstanding exhibitions in the Museum of Sacred Art. This exhibition, housed in the Convento de la Encarnación in the old quarter of the city, is home to one of Spain's most valuable collections of religious art.

In the corridors of the museum you will find more than 2,000 pieces ranging from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The collection includes sculptures, paintings, liturgical ornaments, antique books, gold and silverware 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 view of the devotion and religious symbolism of that period.

Details of interest

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

The Bilbao Bullfighting Museum is a space dedicated to the history and tradition of bullfighting in the city and the Basque Country. Located in the vicinity of the Vista Alegre Bullring, this museum offers a journey through the evolution of bullfighting through an extensive 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 exhibitions you can find costumes of iconic bullfighters such as Manolete and historical photographs of great bullfights in Vista Alegre.

The Bullfighting Museum also 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 centre 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, in fact, that one room in the museum addresses the claims of anti-bullfighting.

Interesting details

• Price: from 3 euros for adults.
• Location: Martín Aguero 1, Bilbao.
• Opening times: Monday to Thursday, 10.30am-1pm and 4-6pm. Fridays from 10.30am to 1pm.

The Basque Museum of Bilbao, also known as Euskal Museoa, offers one of the most emblematic exhibitions in 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 overview 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. Among the most outstanding pieces is the Idol of Mikeldi, a mysterious prehistoric sculpture of an animal carved in stone.

In addition, you can admire exhibitions on everyday life in rural areas, traditional festivities and the history of Euskera, the ancestral Basque language. Nestled in the old quarter 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 sample the tastiest pintxos in the city

Interesting details

• Price: from 7 euros for adults.
• Location: Unamuno Miguel Plaza 4, Bilbao.
• Opening 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 for reconstructing 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, fossilised 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.
• Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-2pm and 4.30pm-7pm.

Although its premise is somewhat alternative, the Bilbao Museum of Reproductions 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 allows 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 Laocoön and many other key pieces of Greek, Roman and Renaissance sculpture.

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

Details of interest

• Price: from 3 euros for adults.
• Location: San Frantzisko Kalea 14, Bilbao.
• Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-2pm and 4.30pm-7pm.

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 shaping the identity of the Basque Country. Through a collection of historical documents and objects, it offers 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 19th century to the present day. Among the most outstanding objects are the first flags and symbols of the movement, as well as books, letters and pamphlets that helped to 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. If you want to delve deeper into this subject, you can also 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 for adults.
• Location: Ibáñez de Bilbao Kalea 16, Bilbao.
• Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm.