Museum in Bilbao

A visit to a museum in Bilbao is the best way to step into the past and understand the city’s culture. From art and history to science and innovation, museums here offer something for every interest. MakeMyTrip lists 163 must-visit museums in Bilbao for 2025, making it easy to plan your trip. Exhibits are well curated, with guided tours and interactive displays that keep both adults and children engaged. Whether you’re fascinated by ancient artefacts or modern installations, each museum tells a story worth exploring. With Bilbao museum prices starting from INR 313, spending a few hours inside is affordable yet highly rewarding. This October, discover a new side of Bilbao with MakeMyTrip’s handpicked museums.

Museums in Bilbao: A Legacy of the Basque and Other Cultures Exhibited

Bilbao, a Spanish city presenting an elegant mix of eclecticism and calm, is also known for its various museums and galleries. In the city are housed various collections of displays that come from different walks of life and varying fields of interest. Transforming the world of museum collections and exhibits, this city houses some of the most popular and rapidly developing architectural wonders used as museums, like the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

In the city, there are also various other museums that focus on various facets of life and aspects of interest, like art, history, culture, science, archaeology, along with various nuances of nature and speciality themes. Some top Bilbao museums include the likes of Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Euskal Museo Bilbao, and Bizkaia Museum of Archaeology. Depending on the specific fields of interest, individuals can check out their suitable museums and explore their exhibits and relics. Check out some top museums in Bilbao listed below.

Explore the Diverse Museums of Bilbao

Art Museums

1 - Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

A landmark museum exhibiting contemporary and modern art in various forms and media, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is also known for its impressive design. At this museum, you will find groundbreaking art collections, like minimalist art, pop art, abstract expressionism, conceptual art, and so much more. You can discover these art forms in various exhibits and artworks displayed in the Bilbao museum. With all the extensive displays and artworks, the museum aims to foster learning and art education among the general public.

• Address: The museum is located in Abando, Bilbao, in the Bizkaia region of Spain. You can take the metro on Line 1 up to Moyua station to reach this museum, which is just a few minutes away. Direct bus service is also available up to the museum from the Bilbao airport.
• Hours of Operation: Open from Tuesday to Sunday between 10:00 am and 7:00 pm. The Bilbao museum is closed on Mondays.

2 - Museum of Fine Arts of Bilbao

The Fine Arts Bilbao museum is known for its comprehensive collection of artworks, including about 10,000 displays, such as sculptures, paintings, and applied arts. The museum also houses some masterpieces that date back to the 13th century. In the museum, you will find art pieces from a diverse range of artists and styles. The collections here span a long duration, right from the medieval period up to the contemporary age. Here, you can also find artworks from Basque artists.

• Address: Located at Museo Plaza, 2, Abando, Bilbao, the museum can be reached via various means of public transport. One of the best ways to travel here is via the tram line up to Euskalduna station. You can also take a taxi or a public bus to reach here.
• Hours of Operation: The museum is open from Wednesday to Monday between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. Closing timings may vary on some days; closed on Tuesdays.

History Museums

1 - Euskal Museo Bilbao (Basque Museum)

Opened back in 1921 to the general public, this Bilbao museum represents the Basque people’s ethnography. The museum is located in a 17th-century building and depicts the culture and history of the Basque region through its various exhibits and artefacts. It comprises over 20,000 objects, telling the story of the region’s heritage and depicting various archaeological finds as well.

• Address: The museum is located at Unamuno Miguel Plaza, 4, Ibaiondo, Bizkaia, Bilbao. You can reach here by using available transportation options in the city, like Bilbobus, the metro, or tram. You can use a Barik Card for better travel experiences here.
• Hours of Operation: Open daily from Thursday to Tuesday, closed on Wednesdays.

2 - Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art

Visit this unique museum dedicated to the Diocese, following and related artefacts to explore its various liturgical objects and artworks, like sculptures and paintings. Preserving the sacred art, this Bilbao museum illustrates the enrichments of the community through various collections sourced throughout the timeline of the Sacred Art’s evolution in the nearby Basque churches.

• Address: The museum is located in the Old Quarters at the Encarnacione Plaza, Ibaiondo, Bilbao, and can be reached via the metro line to Casco Viejo station.
• Hours of Operation: Open from Tuesday to Sunday with varying timings; closed on Mondays.

Science & Technology Museums

1 - Bilbao Maritime Museum

Also called the Itsasmuseum Bilbao, the Maritime Museum here displays a wide array of indoor exhibitions across a space of 20,000 square metres, as well as outdoor displays at the dry docks of Euskalduna shipyard. In the museum, you can find ancient nautical technologies used during wars by the Basque community as well as Spain. The detailing of scientific ideas and technologies used in these ships makes this Bilbao museum an institution worth looking out for science enthusiasts.

• Address: The museum is located in Bilbao’s Abando region at Ramon de la Sota Kaia. You can easily reach this museum by using local transport.
• Hours of Operation: Open from Tuesday to Sunday between 11:00 am and 7:00 pm. The museum remains closed on Mondays.

Cultural & Specialty Museums

1 - Museum of Artistic Reproductions

A huge cultural centre in the city of Bilbao, the Museum of Artistic Reproduction of Bilbao attempts to bring together classic pieces of art and archaeology originating from the Basque people. In this Bilbao museum, which is the oldest in the Biscayan capital, you can find masterpieces of classical art, which are the first casts of the original works.

• Address: The museum is located at San Frantzisko Kalea, Ibaiondo, Bilbao. The best way to reach here is to board the metro to the Casco Viejo station, from where the museum can be reached by walking.
• Hours of Operation: Opens at 10:00 am from Tuesday to Sunday; closing time varies. (Closed on Mondays).

2 - Bizkaia Museum of Archaeology

This Bilbao museum houses collections related to the Bizkai or Basque people, discovered in the archaeological findings of Basque historic sites. It also focuses on the past of the regional culture and traditions and houses various related artefacts that shed light on the inheritances that the local people carry. The museum also serves as a center for conducting archaeological research related to the Bizkaia Province. There are about 500 interactive displays and artefacts put on as exhibits in this rare, culturally-rich museum of Bilbao.

• Address: The museum is situated at Calzadas de Mallona in the Old Quarter, which is conveniently reached via public buses and metro connectivity. The Nearest metro stations from here include the Casco Viejo and the San Inazio stations.
• Hours of Operation: Opens from Tuesday to Sunday, but timing varies. It is closed on all Mondays.

Children’s Museums

1 - Azkuna Zentroa

Known as the Contemporary Society and Culture Centre of Bilbao, Azkuna Zentora hosts a number of activities for kids along with various exhibits across different cultural and artistic spaces. There are about 43 columns in the museum’s central atrium, and it is a great space for kids to try out their creativity through various games, challenges, and such activities.

• Address: You can reach the museum by taking a bus or a metro to Arriquibar Plaza in Abando. The Bilbao museum and cultural centre is also easily reachable by buses and trains.
• Hours of Operation: The museum is open daily from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm.

Special Events and Night Tours in Bilbao Museums

• Art After Dark: A festival of art and music celebrated every month at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Art After Dark is known to host various exhibitions, lectures, and workshops apart from the entertaining music events held at night.
• Events and Exhibitions: Various other popular museums in Bilbao also host various exhibitions and events throughout the year, such as the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum, Itsasmuseum Bilbao, etc.