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Guggenheim  Museum Bilbao’s expansion to Urdaibai may be realised

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The Guggenheim’s plans for a new institution in Urdaibai were first revealed in 2008.

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao‘s plans to expand to Urdaibai, a Spanish nature reserve, may be realised, according to local media reports.

Officials with the government of the Biscay province, in which the capital city is Bilbao, say they are planning to put €40 million towards an expansion in Urdaibai, ARTnews reports.

Deia, a Biscay-based news outlet, reported that the provincial council has set the total cost of the new museum at €127 million ($129 million). El Correo reported that a tunnel would link the Guggenheim Bilbao and its expansion.

Unia Rementeria, the deputy general of Biscay, reportedly said the project is “important”. Rementeria said it could “generate a lot of well-being in Biscay society”.

The Guggenheim’s plans for a location in Urdaibai were first revealed in 2008. It would be a 53,800-square-foot space, estimated to attract 148,000 annual visitors and bring 900 jobs to the region.

New museum for Urdaibai nature reserve

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Richard Armstrong, director of the Guggenheim Foundation, previously said the museum could potentially become the “first important museum of the 21st century”. He said it “would not be an architectural icon, but a landscape one”.

Designed by architect Frank Gehry, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao opened back in 1997. It offers 24,000 square metres of space, including 9,000 square metres for exhibitions. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice was established in 1951.

Earlier this year, the Guggenheim Bilbao announced a new sustainability plan that involves measuring the carbon footprint of its indirect emissions.

The Guggenheim is currently focusing on opening a new museum in Abu Dhabi in 2026. It is on track to complete in 2025, nearly 20 years after plans for the Guggenheim’s first location in the UAE were announced.

Meanwhile, Armstrong is stepping down in 2023 after serving at the institution for 14 years. He will work alongside the museum’s board to find his replacement.

Images: Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation

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Bea Mitchell

Bea is a journalist specialising in entertainment, attractions and tech with 10 years' experience. She has written and edited for publications including CNET, BuzzFeed, Digital Spy, Evening Standard and BBC. Bea graduated from King's College London and has an MA in journalism.

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