Guggenheim Museum – Bilbao

Following the automobile exhibitions, this time we are going to the Spanish part of the Basque Country, more precisely to Bilbao and there to the Guggenheim Museum with the exhibition “MOTION – Autos Art Architecture”. How lucky I was to be able to make this trip, because the region and Bilbao have a lot to offer.

For a long time, the city was described as a purely industrial city or “El Botxo” (the dump) before, in the 1980s, the city management at that time had the idea of jazzing up the cityscape with Frank O. Gehry and his special building of the Guggenheim Museum. This idea worked out perfectly, because in the years that followed, this inspired more and more internationally renowned architects to create new and unusual buildings, so that Bilbao today is a colorful and, in my opinion, successful mixture of baroque, art nouveau and modernity.

And what else does this stretch of coast have to offer, namely, together with the Japanese city of Kyoto, the highest density of starred restaurants. So if you want to douse and enjoy your visit to the museum properly, you will find the right locations here.

Those who prefer something more local and down-to-earth should definitely not miss the “Pintxos” that are typical of Bilbao and San Sebastian or the Basque country, artful, diverse and very tastefully arranged tapas on small skewers. You could almost run the risk of forgetting to visit the museum while enjoying it, so be careful!

But now to the exhibition, the “MOTION – Cars Art Architecture”. Its motto is: ” Autos, Art, Architecture celebrates the artistic dimension of the automobile and links it to the parallel worlds of painting, sculpture, architecture, photography and film…. The exhibition considers the affinities between technology and art, showing for example how the use of the wind tunnel helped to aerodynamically shape the automobile to go faster with more economic use of power”.

Vehicles are exhibited that are or are still flagships of beauty and elegance, rarity, technical sophistication and future orientation. Among the approx. 40 specimens on display, well-known sizes such as a Bugatti Type 35, 1936 Bugatti 57SC Atlantic, Delahaye 165, Pegaso Z 102 Cupula, Ferrari 250 GTO, Mercedes 300 SL gullwing up to a Willys or a Sahara Duck as absolute milestones in automotive history are not missing. What particularly impressed me personally was the first car in the world, a Benz Patent Motor Car from 1886 and an Electric Phaeton Lohner-Porsche from 1900, whose electric technology was also the model for the development of the first lunar vehicles. It is impressive to see and experience the ingenuity that prevailed in the early years and still serves as the basis for new technological developments.

Admiring this whole really impressive automobile ensemble in the remarkable and impressive building of the Guggenheim Museum is quite an experience. So if you want to see the whole thing on site, the exhibition is open daily until September 18th, 2022. Worth it!

And if you have a soft spot for motorcycles, you shouldn’t miss the cool Weels & Wave bike meetup in nearby Biarritz on the French side of the Basque Country or make a note of it for 2023. So overall, this region and especially now with the exhibition is always worth it!