This piece is hardly original as reams have been written about the Guggenheim in Bilbao by people more articulate and knowledgeable than me. These legions of words and images both led me to make a visit and also coloured my expectations. As a tourism professional and – sadly, an often underwhelmed frequenter of ‘must-see visitor attractions’ – I was quite prepared to have my hopes dashed.
I was not prepared to be entranced. The building is heart-stoppingly beautiful. It is a work of art in itself, even if one ignores the collections and exhibitions. Its perspectives and views change constantly from inside and out, room to room, top to bottom. In small detail and large, it is stunning and absorbing.
It changed my mind on audio guides (Frank Gehry’s commentary is fascinating) and the handling of visitor flows is exemplary.
To sit in the Guggenheim café, on the plaza looking at the building and being overlooked by the Jeff Koons giant flowery puppy is an experience to savour.
‘Must-see’ and ‘world-class’ are bandied about too frequently in our industry – and with too little cause. The Guggenheim is one of the few exceptions. Life would be poorer without having seen it.
Here I am admiring another Jeff Koons piece.
