Bilbao City Guide - $section

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Guggenheim Museum
Locals in Bilbao are divided on whether it is a 'beauty or a beast', but the bizarre multi-million dollar Guggenheim Museum, opened in 1997, has brought thousands of visitors flocking to the city to be awed or floored. The massive museum, designed by Frank Gehry has no right angles and resembles a metallic flower, clad in shiny titanium, sited in the former dockyard alongside the Nervion River. Inside, apart from breathtaking spaces, the museum houses the works of some important 20th century artists, including Picasso, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, Willem de Koonig and Clyfford Still. There are also sections displaying the work of young Basque and Spanish artists, and rotating exhibits lent by the Guggenheim museums in New York and Venice.
Telephone: 94 435 90 80
Website: www.guggenheim-bilbao.es
Transport: Metro to Moyua station, streetcar to Guggenheim stop; a variety of buses also service the museum
Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 8pm (open Mondays between June and August)

Museo de Bellas Artes
For a more mainstream artistic experience than that offered by the astonishing Guggenheim gallery, the Museo de Bellas Artes in the Plaza Museo fits the bill admirably with some valuable works on display behind an unassuming façade. The museum's impressive collection spans art from the 12th to 20th century, highlights being some excellent Flemish works from between the 15th and 17th centuries. There are also works by El Greco, Goya, Gauguin, Francis Bacon, Picasso and Velazquez. To the rear of the building is a sculpture garden.
Telephone: 94 439 6060
Website: www.museobilbao.com
Transport: Metro to Moyúa station, or bus 1, 10, 13 and 18 to Museum Plaza
Opening times: Tuesday to Sunday 10am and 8pm