Immerse yourself in the artistic wonder of Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum with a private guide on this cultural tour. Accompanied by your accomplished guide, explore the enthralling exhibitions of the museum in order to discover contemporary and modern art masterpieces; see timeless masterworks like Joseph Beuy’s ‘Lightning with Stag in its Glare’ and gaze at Jeff Koons’ colossal sculpture ‘Puppy’. Gain fascinating insight into different art movements and hear tales of the intriguing lives of some of the artists during this culturally enriching exploration.

Private tour of the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum with an official museum guide
Admire the chrome exterior of the Frank Gehry-designed building
Pose for pictures next to Jeff Koons' Puppy feature
See incredible works of contemporary art like Joseph Beuys’s Lightning with Stag in its Glare
Learn of the ideas behind Richard Serra's Expressionist masterpieces

What's Included

Private guide
Guggenheim Museum Admission Ticket

Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Abandoibarra Etorb., 2, 48009 Bilbo, Bizkaia, Spain
information desk point located inside of the museum

Start time

Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.

Opening hours

1/4/2023 - 12/30/2023
Tuesday - Sunday : 11:00 AM - 05:30 PM
1/4/2024 - 12/30/2024
Tuesday - Sunday : 11:00 AM - 05:30 PM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Greet your knowledgeable guide outside the Guggenheim Bilbao Museum and begin your tour by admiring the eccentric exterior of the museum; designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry, the distinctive structure caused quite a stir among European architects upon completion. Capture photographs beside the 39-foot (12-meter) sculpture of Puppy, a colossal canine made entirely from flowers, and them enter the museum.

Discuss your personalized itinerary then listen as your qualified, art-expert guide directs your attention to some of the gallery’s most significant masterpieces; see varied examples of art from a collection that spans from the mid-20th century to the present day. Admire the aesthetics of art scattered over three floors and appreciate the artful lighting and creative arrangement of the exhibitions.

Gain insight into the inspiration behind theatrical installations such as Joseph Beuy’s Lightning with Stag in its Glareb, and peruse pieces from painting pioneers such as Jenny Holzer, Richard Long and Francesco Clemente. Engage with tales of the antics of famous Basque artists and note how the surrounding landscape has inspired some of the pieces.

After your tour, bid farewell to your guide and continue to explore the museum independently if you desire.

Guggenheim Museum Bilbao

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Abandoibarra

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation

Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 7 days in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 7 full days before the experience’s start time.
Any changes made less than 6 full days before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
For a 50% refund, you must cancel 3–6 full days before the experience’s start time.

If you cancel less than 2 full days before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 2 full days before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.5

76 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 76 reviews

Guided Tour Happiness

Lisa_E, Jul 2023

Miriam was a very knowledgeable guide and we loved the tour. She was able to answer all our questions about the structure of the museum and the art. We took advantage of the entire day and saw every exhibit.

Great Experience

Linda_H, Jul 2023

I appreciated the tour leader in explaining the various aspects of the Guggenheim that I may not have recognized independently. She was very thorough and provided engaging explanations during the tour.

Must do…

Jon_Y, Jul 2023

Great experience with our private tour guide at the Guggenheim museum. Learned soooo much about the building itself as well as the exhibits. I’d say this is critical for getting the most out of the time spent at Guggenheim. Highly recommend.

Excellent docent

Martin_R, Jun 2023

The docent was incredible, giving us an education about this particular museum and its exhibits we never would have had otherwise.

Miriam was outstanding in knowledge of history, Basque culture, art history & how it all came together in Guggenheim

Karenlee_R, Jun 2023

Miriam's explanations of the interconnections of Bilbao history, Basque culture, and the history in the development of the Guggenheim Museum. She was spectacular in her sharing of knowledge. Truly an outstanding tour guide!

Ana was wonderful as our Bilbao guide!

Laurie_P, Jun 2023

Ana was a very knowledgeable and charming. She kept the pace but allowed for many questions. We loved having a personal guide like her because she brought meaning, connectivity and context to the different installations and architecture. Very highly recommend this!

Elena was a fantastic...

Carol_C, May 2023

Elena was a fantastic guide and energetically guided us throughout the museum, inside and out. Puppy received a flower change that was completed in less than the usual 9 days while we were in town. Bilbao is an undiscovered gem!

Agog at the Guggenheim

Gary_S, May 2023

Our guide, Mabel, knew a wealth of facts about the Museum structure and the art within it. The building is truly one of the wonders of the modern world.

Amazing!

Jodi_A, May 2023

Highly recommend the guided tour! Beautiful museum with so much to see! Our guide Miriam was extremely informative!

Glad we booked private guide.

Anne_H, May 2023

Our excellent guide enhanced our trip to the Guggenheim with fascinating insights and great stories about how this museum came to be. Insights on exhibitions were helpful. Very pleased.

Mangel Is The Best Guide!

Jean_P, May 2023

Mangel was superb! So knowledgeable, thorough, endearing, and great sense of humor. I’d book with her again for sure!!!

Our guide Santiago was...

Robert_K, Apr 2023

Our guide Santiago was great! Incredibly knowledgeable and a pleasure. Enjoyed so much. Recommend it

Highly recommend!

Stacy_A, Apr 2023

Family of 4 had a wonderful tour of the Guggenheim. Our guide, Santi, was truly an expert and gave history and context to the building itself and the art inside. Santi was engaging and even kept my 14 sons interested. I highly recommend Santi and this Viator tour.

An excellent guide!

Katrin_W, Jan 2023

We had a splendid guide with great knowledge and who was an excellent storyteller that told us the history of the museum in a very interesting way that made us all enthusiastic and more open to experiencing the whole exhibition of the museum.

Unforgettable Guggenheim tour with Miguel!

Maria_M, Nov 2022

The museum, inside and out, is amazing! Our guide, Miguel, was fun and very knowledgeable, which made the tour even more memorable! I highly recommend!♥️

Learned a lot

Julie_R, Oct 2022

She was a very knowledgeable guide and we learned a lot. The museum was very interesting and impressive

Five Stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

susannah_Q, Jul 2022

5*****We booked the 1.5 hour tour with Mr Santiago and it was fantastic! His knowledge and vocabulary were exceptional. It brought the museum’s history and art works to life. Highly recommended. V good value for unforgettable experience

The hour and1/2 tour was...

Mary_D, Jun 2022

The hour and1/2 tour was perfect. Got to see everything and had time after to view on our own. Miriam is a great guide.

The tour was beyond...

Paul_F, May 2022

The tour was beyond expectations. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and pleasant company. The highlight of our visit to Bilboa

Best guide ever !

Mark_W, May 2022

Miriam was an exceptional guide whose knowledge was vast and interesting. It was the perfect overview for a whistle stop tour.

...