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I agree that once you have seen the outside, that is a big part of the museum. We had visited the three big art musums in Madrid and the exhibits inside the Guggenheim pale in comparison. We enjoyed the car exhibit there last summer, but that was pretty much an hour of time and then we were done.Don’t hang me, but I thought the Guggenheim in Bilbao was fantastic...BUT ONLY FROM THE OUTSIDE! Lackluster exhibits while we were there and crowded, but the sculpture outside was wonderful (especially in the evening). I’d skip spending a day in Bilbao rather than one walking, knowing that I can spend the evening wandering the city after arriving there earlier in the day.
Thanks @Vacajoe, you saved me from having to type the same thing. However, when viewing the outside be sure you get to see "Puppy" by Jeff Koons. When we were at the Guggenheim there was a whole floor of Koon's work. The only thing worth seeing was Puppy.Don’t hang me, but I thought the Guggenheim in Bilbao was fantastic...BUT ONLY FROM THE OUTSIDE! Lackluster exhibits while we were there and crowded, but the sculpture outside was wonderful (especially in the evening). I’d skip spending a day in Bilbao rather than one walking, knowing that I can spend the evening wandering the city after arriving there earlier in the day.
Just what I needed to read! I loved Serra's installation at LACMA before they condensed it.The "Bellas Artes" is more to my Old Masters-loving taste and they're open until 8:00!The Guggenheim stays open to 7:00pm most days and most people only visit for about an hour. As others have said, the architecture is the big draw for the Guggenheim and the collection is secondary. while It looks huge from the outside, the actual area available to exhibit art isn’t that large, especially if you subtract the space used for Richard Serra’s monumental “Matter of Time.”
i would suggest you visit their website to get a feel for their collection and see if it really interests you. They have a decent range of artists in the collection, but the only works that stood out on my visit were El Anatsu’s “Rising Sea, Jenny Holzer’s “Installation for Bilbao and Serra’s “Matter of Time,” the rest of the works inside were rather average works for the artists.
Their website will also inform you of what exhibitions they will have in June. On June 27th they open a new Yayoi Kusama exhibition that should be interesting, but it no doubt swell the crowd for the first couple of weeks If not longer.
If you are going to the Guggenheim because you really enjoy art as opposed to going because you have heard it is a must see, then you should have a good visit. In that case I would also recommend visiting the nearby Bellas Artes de Bilbao.
Three pieces of art that can be viewed from the outside along the riverside that most visitors miss are Yves Klein’s “Fire Fountain” which operates from about 19:30 pm to 20:30pm, Fujiko Nakaya’s “Fog Sculpture, #08025 (F.O.G.) which operates on the hour from 10:00 to 20:00 and Jenny Holzer’s “Like Beauty in Flames” which requires downloading an app and a good wireless connection.
Same! The museo de bellas artes is fantastic and much less crowded. Some real gems in there.The "Bellas Artes" is more to my Old Masters-loving taste and they're open until 8:00!
Yes, check Gronze, it's great. Yes, it's much better to do an uninterrupted walk. But nooo, don't miss off that first stage Irun-San Seb - it's one of the all-time greats with a water crossing and hike over the epic Basque mountain, Jaizkibel.Gronze has 7 stages from Irun to Bilbao. If I had to eliminate a stage I would start walking from San Sebastián. Not because it's not a beautiful section, but because I'm in favor of an uninterrupted walk.
I agree.Sure to be many ways of seeing this, but for me and many people I met en route, 6 days was the actual walking time from Irun to Bilbao.
Start in Irun, and you'll probably get to Bilbao in 7 days. But don't stress if you find it's more demanding than you anticipated. If necessary you can take the bus from Gernika. Or as happened when I did it, the pilgrim numbers suddenly thinned out after Lezama because there were lots of tempting bus stops on the main road that you walk along. And for a while at least it wasn't that interesting. However if you do hang on in there and schlep up the big hill, you get a great view looking down on Bilbao as your rewardThank you for the great responses and apologies for not viewing DaveJ's 2022 comments before posting. Based on this I'll just "follow the Camino" from Irun to Bilbao.
Okay. You are right. Start from Irun, then bus into Bilbao if you run short on time.Yes, check Gronze, it's great. Yes, it's much better to do an uninterrupted walk. But nooo, don't miss off that first stage Irun-San Seb - it's one of the all-time greats with a water crossing and hike over the epic Basque mountain, Jaizkibel.
I agree - outside is best - the exhibits were very disappointing. But every time I am in Bilbao - I take the time to get a bus to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. So Spectacular. The Walk and the views. Worth the few hour trip!Don’t hang me, but I thought the Guggenheim in Bilbao was fantastic...BUT ONLY FROM THE OUTSIDE! Lackluster exhibits while we were there and crowded, but the sculpture outside was wonderful (especially in the evening). I’d skip spending a day in Bilbao rather than one walking, knowing that I can spend the evening wandering the city after arriving there earlier in the day.
I agree that the outside of the Guggenheim is more spectacular. Most of the artwork inside did not make a lasting impression on me with one big exemption that made the visit in the end very worthwhile. The room with the big steel plates of Richard Senna was impressive, walking in the structures was not only an esthetic experience but also a physical oneDon’t hang me, but I thought the Guggenheim in Bilbao was fantastic...BUT ONLY FROM THE OUTSIDE! Lackluster exhibits while we were there and crowded, but the sculpture outside was wonderful (especially in the evening). I’d skip spending a day in Bilbao rather than one walking, knowing that I can spend the evening wandering the city after arriving there earlier in the day.
I agree - outside is best - the exhibits were very disappointing. But every time I am in Bilbao - I take the time to get a bus to San Juan de Gaztelugatxe. So Spectacular. The Walk and the views. Worth the few hour trip!
Kathy
That appears to be at the Guggenheim in NYCHi Folks~
Just wanted to add that this year there will be :
Young Picasso in Paris
May 12, 2023–August 6, 2023
Guggenheim Schedule of Exhibitions 2023 | The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation
The Guggenheim Museum's schedule of exhibitions for 2023.www.guggenheim.org
I think this will be something to check out!
B
Just wanted to add that this year there will be :
Young Picasso in Paris
May 12, 2023–August 6, 2023
@isawtman is right, that's the link to the Guggenheim museum in New York.That appears to be at the Guggenheim in NYC
HAHAHA!!!@isawtman is right, that's the link to the Guggenheim museum in New York.
Here's a link to Exhibitions at the Guggenheim in Bilbao
Exhibitions | Guggenheim Museum Bilbao
Consult everything you need to know about current and upcoming exhibitions at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.www.guggenheim-bilbao.eus
Thanks for your perspective. I may be in my 70's but with a break for lunch and coffee it seems quite doable.Back to the original question. After reviewing gronze it appears that
all of the stages are under 16 miles a day. And the seventh day
going into Bilbao is only 7 miles. I'm not sure what your hiking
experience is, so I don't know for sure if you can do it. But, I'm 64
and I think I would be able to do it. I did the Camino Frances in
30 days
The bus seems like a terrific option.Unless you are walking some unmarked alternatives (which do exist), I would suggest you take the bus from Larrabetzu to Bilbao. Except for around 3-4 km, you will be walking on asfalt/concrete the whole time.
Hey Howzer,I had planned on ten days in June to walk from Irun to Bilbao but now have an absolute maximum of seven. I fear not having enough time to enjoy myself and to explore San Sebastien, Bilbao and the Guggenheim before flying out early on the eighth day. Is there a less scenic stage that could be eliminated to allow a little more leisure? I arrive in Irun late in the afternoon before the first day. Will that allow time to explore San Sebastián? I appreciate any advice.
I have done the del Norte 4 times and can only underline much of what has been said before. I would not miss the first day from Irun although I would not continue to St Sebastian the first day (having done it once). Pasaia is a beautiful little village on the inlet with a few good restaurants and a wonderful plaza to rest and contemplate the universe including how the universe might have unfolded if Lafayette had stayed at the restaurants The stretch from Deba to Guernica is reminiscent of the best part of alpine valleys but with sidra natural. Should time be pressing, bus from Guernica or Lezama.
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