Bilbao Fine Arts Museum

The Bilbao Fine Arts Museum was established in 1908 to adapt to the city's changing cultural environment and provide historical role models for the local arts community.

The museum first opened its doors to the public in 1914, featuring a collection enriched by the contributions of philanthropists such as Laureano Jado.

The Museum of Modern Art opened on October 25, 1924, in a building previously occupied by the Conservatory of Music, with a focus on contemporary and innovative art.

Following an agreement between the County and City Council in 1939 to consolidate the museum collections, the current neoclassical building in Doña Casilda Park was completed in 1945.

In 1962, the museum's neoclassical building was officially designated as a Monumento Nacional.

Architects Alvaro Lebanon and Ricardo de Beascoa Jauregui designed a new wing for the museum, which was inaugurated in 1970 to house the contemporary art section using modern materials like metal and glass.

A comprehensive Reform and Expansion Plan, initiated in 1996 under Miguel Zugaza, concluded in November 2001. This project linked the original neoclassical building with the modern extension and reorganized visitor entrances.

In December 2000, public institutions agreed to establish the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum Foundation to formalize governance through a board of representatives.

In October 2008, the museum celebrated its 100th anniversary under the thematic slogan '100 Years of History, 10 Centuries of Art'.

Architecture firms Foster + Partners and LM Urirate were selected in 2019 to design a new expansion adding 2,000 square meters of gallery space, scheduled for completion in 2026.