The Bilbao Fine Arts Museum has presented its renovated spaces and collection after completing its expansion and transformation process. This event marked the first public presentation of this new phase, which will culminate in the museum's official inauguration on October 5th.
Vice Lehendakari Bengoetxea expressed gratitude to the institutions involved: the Basque Government, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, the Bilbao City Council, as well as the collaboration of BBK, the project's professionals, and particularly the Arango family.
The Vice Lehendakari emphasized that the museum's new era extends beyond its architectural expansion, focusing on strengthening its societal connection. "Museums do not grow solely by expanding their buildings. They grow when they broaden their capacity to connect with society, when they have a greater impact. And that is precisely what the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum represents today: more connections and greater social impact," she stated.
The museum's transformation signifies substantial growth in both its spaces and its holdings. The expansion adds 6,000 square meters and new public exhibition and usage areas, integrating the museum's historic buildings with the new volume designed by Norman Foster and Luis María Uriarte. Complementing this spatial expansion is the prominence of the museum's own collection, notably the over 100 works from the Plácido Arango collection, on long-term loan until the end of 2030.
