The Basque Museum of Bilbao reopens its doors after 4 years of renovation

The Basque Museum of Bilbao (Euskal Museoa) will reopen to the public on June 10 after four years of closure since October 2021. The museum underwent a major expansion and restructuring project costing over 20 million euros, funded by the Biscay Provincial Council and the Bilbao city council. The renovation added more than 6,000 square meters of exhibition space, acquired nearby buildings for conferences and educational workshops, and introduced an immersive architectural design by the Navarrese studio Vaíllo + Igaray, centered on the metaphor of a "living oak." New features include a gastronomic laboratory and a restoration workshop open to the public from September.

This reopening is significant because it marks a key moment in the cultural transformation of Bilbao, coming alongside the ongoing renovation of the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum by Norman Foster and Luis Maria Uriarte, and ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in 2027. The Basque Museum, which houses around 50,000 objects including the iconic Iron Age zoomorphic sculpture "Idol of Mikeldi," aims to become an international gateway to Basque culture. Its record attendance of over 100,000 visitors in 2019 underscores its importance as a cultural institution, and the ambitious renovation positions it to play a central role in the city's evolving cultural landscape.