Take a trip through the history and evolution of the Ría (estuary) and Port of Bilbao.
Itsasmuseum Bilbao, the Maritime Museum of Bilbao, is located on the quays of the old Euskalduna shipyard at the end of Paseo de Abandoibarra, next to the Guggenheim and the Palacio Euskalduna.
| Information | 946 08 55 00 info@museomaritimobilbao.org |
| Entry fee | General: €6 Reduced: €3.5 Free of charge: children up to 6 years of age. Audio-guide: €2. Tuesdays free of charge except during July and August |
| Opening hours | Summer: Tuesday – Sunday 10:00 – 20:00.
Winter: Tuesday – Friday 10:00 – 18:00; Saturdays and Sundays 10:00 – 20:00 |
The Maritime Museum opened in November 2003 with the aim of disseminating the maritime heritage of the estuary of Bilbao and bringing the sea closer to society. It conserves and disseminates the history, culture and identity of the men and women who have lived on, and from the Ría.
Nowadays, the museum is a dynamic element in the city and has given the estuary of Bilbao its protagonism back as a place of recreation and leisure.
In June 2019 it started a new phase under the name Itsasmuseum Bilbao, combining the words itsas (sea in Basque) and the English word ‘museum’. Based on the lessons of the past and the same staff as before, it eagerly looks to the future and adapts to it.
FACILITIES
The museum has a total surface area of 27,000 square metres and has exhibition areas both outside and inside the building.
Inside, the museum covers around 5,000 square metres on two floors where temporary and permanent exhibitions are held.
Furthermore, the Ría de Bilbao Maritime Museum has rest areas and a cafeteria covering around 20,000 square metres.
EXHIBITIONS
A large part of the exhibition is located outside the building along the quays, where you can see boats, anchors, buoys and a crane called ‘Carola’, one of the symbols of Bilbao.
The permanent exhibition consists of three main themes: the estuary itself, the evolution of trade in Bilbao and the surrounding area, and the development of the maritime and mining industrial sectors.
THE MUSEUM WITH CHILDREN
The Ría de Bilbao Maritime Museum has created an educational programme to attract children to learn about the area’s maritime heritage and culture in an enjoyable and participative way.
Information is available on the museum website about the range of workshops, complemented by audio guides in the form of treasure hunts to explain the exhibitions.
Establishments nearby
Le Bol Blanc Restaurante (NH Collection Villa de Bilbao)
Gran Vía, 87 (Bilbao)
Bars and cafés | Restaurants
0.15 km
Accommodation nearby
